‘A good voice… [is a] gift… so rare there is not one among a thousand that hath it’, wrote William Byrd in 1588. This didn’t put off singers wishing to try their luck: songbooks became hugely popular around the turn of the 17th century, most notably John Dowland’s groundbreaking First Booke of Songs or Ayres (1597).
This was music for performers to make their own. These works have a strongly operatic flavour, blending poetry and music to create intensely expressive drama that goes straight to the listener’s heart. Highlights include Purcell’s masterpiece In guilty night, which is held in the Academy’s Spencer Collection.

EPSG:4326

Resounding Shores: Songs, Scenes and Dialogues

Royal Academy of Music

While Shakespeare was defining English poetry and drama, Dowland was doing the same for English song. After Dowland, the influence of the Italians led to the magnificent achievements of Henry Purcell, arguably the greatest English composer of all time. GRAMMY-winning lutenist Stephen Stubbs, soprano Danielle Reutter-Harrah and violinist Elizabeth Blumenstock, explore the golden age of English song through works by John Dowland, William Lawes, Henry Purcell and others—where time may indeed stand still.

Time Stands Still: English Lute Songs

St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church (Corona del Mar, CA)

KONTRAPUNKTUS returns this January with five winter performances of its new, glorious production, “THE LONDONERS: An English Baroque Salute,” which spotlights the brilliant musical artistry of British, Scottish, and Irish composers during the Baroque era, including George Frideric Handel, William Boyce, Charles Avison, Carl Friedrich Abel, and Henry Purcell.

Kontrapunktus Presents The Londoners: An English Baroque Salute

St Ambrose Catholic Church

Ryan Cheng, Baroque Violin

The Juilliard School

Join us for an enchanting afternoon with Le Consort on Sunday, October 13th, at 3:30 pm, hosted at Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, located at 332 S. Michigan Ave., Pasadena, CA, 91106. This remarkable ensemble, celebrated for their ravishing, exhilarating, and uniquely beautiful performances, will take you on a musical journey from Naples to London, featuring works by illustrious composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Arcangelo Corelli, and Antonio Vivaldi, among others.

Founded in 2017 and quickly rising to acclaim by winning both First Prize and the Audience Prize at the Loire Valley International Early Music Competition, Le Consort specializes in illuminating the compelling musical personalities of the 17th and 18th centuries. Their mission is to showcase the rich dialogue between two violins and the basso continuo, revealing a wealth of contrasts in vocality, sensuality, and virtuosity. Through their performances, they bring the quintessence of the Baroque to life with a personal, dynamic, and colorful language.

The program promises a captivating exploration of Baroque music, with pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, Arcangelo Corelli, John Eccles, Nicola Matteis, Mrs. Philharmonica, Henry Purcell, Francesco Maria Veracini, and Antonio Vivaldi. This event is a must-attend for lovers of early music and those looking to experience the depth and beauty of chamber music from the Baroque period.

Tickets are available for order now. Don’t miss this opportunity to witness the artistry of Le Consort in the beautiful setting of Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium. Join us for an afternoon of exquisite music that promises to be both enlightening and inspiring.

Nicola Matteis

Events

Past events

Jun 30, 2024

Resounding Shores: Songs, Scenes and Dialogues · Royal Academy of Music

Jun 17, 2024

Time Stands Still: English Lute Songs · Baroque Music Festival, Corona del Mar

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