In the 1540s Thomas Bull compiled partbooks for the Canterbury Cathedral Choir. They were only in use for a few years, as Edward II dissolved professional choirs. The books were stored in Peterhouse College and all but forgotten. Blue Heron has brought this music back to life, with scholarly research and committed performances. This is the fifth […]
early music
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Capella de Ministrers’ Travels Down the Silk Road
Looking at the discography listed on the website of Valencian early music ensemble Capella de Ministrers is an impressive thing indeed. I count no less than 56 titles there, and the group has managed that number of releases in a mere matter of 41 years. The one that hooked me in its re-release 13 years […]
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Rosa Das Rosas – Chominciamento di Gioia explore Christian symbolism
The subtitle for this release (in English) is “the symbol of the Rose in the Middle Ages.” The flower was a major part of Christian symbolism, and thus for Christian-inspired music. The thorns represented the sins of Man. The red petals of the rose symbolized the blood of Christ and the martyrs, shed in sacrifice. […]
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A Tale of Two Vielles
On a special Labor Day edition of The Early Music Show broadcast back on September 4, 2017, I interviewed David McCormick, founder of the Charlottesville-based Early Music Access Project. The Project holds its annual fundraiser at Swannanoa Palace in Alton on Sunday, June 24 at 3 pm. This interview with David was my first chance […]
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Nuevo Mundo: 17th Century music in Latin America – Encore!
I guess you just can’t keep a good recording down. “Nuevo Mundo” was first released on the Italian Symphonia label in 1991. Pan Classics reissued it in 2012, and here it is again on Glossia in 2017. Why does it keep being reissued? Probably because it deserves to be. The Ensemble Elyma delivers spirited, energetic […]
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#ClassicsaDay #WomensHistoryMonth Part 1 – Early Music
One of the ongoing Twitter hashtag groups I participate with is #ClassicsaDay. The idea’s pretty simple: post a link to a classical work, and – in the body of the tweet – provide a little info about it. For March, some of the participants decided to celebrate the role of women in classical music. We used an […]
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Thomas Tallis, Katherine Parr, and Songs of Reformation
To fully appreciate the music on this release, you should read the liner notes. To appreciate Thomas Tallis’ artistry, you just have to listen. This release features Tallis compositions written for the nascent Church of England. The music reflects the latest scholarship, which shines new light on Tallis and his catalog. The text for Se lord and […]
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Vittoria Vittoria – beautiful restoration of 17th C. song
“Vittoria – Vittoria” is a DVD-Audio reissue of a 1997 release. Both the performances and sound quality are first-rate. Richard Wistreich is a well-established performer of 16th and 17th Century repertoire. This release presents a selection of Italian and English songs from approximately the same time period. Wistreich’s bass voice has an extraordinary range. Some selections, […]
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Tutta Bella! Venetian Christmas Revels
For over 40 years Revels has been presenting a Christmas program. These shows blend folk tales, songs, and dance in a celebration of a bygone time. And each year the program has a different theme. The 2017 theme is a Venetian Christmas Revels. And as always, the creative team’s scholarship is first-rate. This isn’t just […]