ArsAntiguaPresents.com: June 2008 edition

picture-2.pngOur program (11 minutes and 22 seconds) features music of the Scottish baroque:

This performance by Ars Antigua directed by Jerry Fuller, features William Bauer, renaissance and baroque violins; Jeff Noonanlutes and theorbo; and Henry Claude, tabor. In the early seventeenth century the bagpipe was declared too loud to be kept inside the castles and manor houses of the Scottish lowlands. The violin became the dominant indoor instrument and because the violin is tuned in fifths, it began to share the traditional bagpipe repertoire. The Lament was meant for a 16th century funeral procession, but in typical Scots’ fashion, can’t seem to remain somber for long.

ArsAntiguaPresents.com: May 2008 edition

elizabethan-captioned-photo.jpgOur program “Elizabethan Delites” (10 minutes and 41 seconds) features:

An anonymous work, “Now is the month of Maying”,

“Full Fathom Five” by Robert Johnson (1582-1633) ,

“The Servant of his Mistress” by John Bennet (1575-1614), and

The anonymous “Unto the Prophet”.

This performance by Ars Antigua directed by Jerry Fuller features Nancy Bristol, soprano; William Bauer, renaissance and baroque violins; Jeff Noonan, lutes and theorbo; and Henry Claude, tabor.

The text for Full Fathom Five is from William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and was set to music by Shakespeare’s contemporary Robert Johnson. The song was most likely performed during Ariels’ speech in which he deliberately mis-informs Ferdinand about the death of his father in the sea storm.

ArsAntiguaPresents.com: April 2008 edition

telemann-captioned-photo.jpgOur program this month (13 minutes and 57 seconds) features the rarely performed Concerto for Flauto Traverso and strings in G Major by Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767). This performance by Ars Antigua directed by Jerry Fuller features baroque flute soloist Cuauhetemoc Trejo.

Telemann’s little performed, but excellent, flute concerto is in the French style with a tip of the hat to Polish music in the last movement. Unlike the typical baroque concerto in 3 movements, this concerto is in four “character” movements, which hints of the French orchestra suite with its prominent dance rhythms.