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Texas Early Music Project

PO Box 301675

Austin, TX 78703

(512) 377-6961

For ticket and concert venue inquiries, email the Box Office

 

PO Box 301675
Austin, TX 78703
United States

(512) 377-6961

Founded in 1987 by Daniel Johnson, the Texas Early Music Project is dedicated to preserving and advancing the art of Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and early Classical music through performance, recordings, and educational outreach. 

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Explore more than 700 years of musical transformation

Filtering by Tag: 18th century music

TEMP’s Upcoming Performance — Yule, Britannia! Christmas Music in the British Isles

Danny Johnson

When imagining the Christmas season in Britain, scenes of Victorian period sleigh rides, Ebenezer Scrooge, and Ghosts of Christmas probably dance through your head. But the Texas Early Music Project will celebrate wonderful earlier Christmas traditions in Britannia with a sequence of music from the late Medieval period through the 19th century. From haunting Medieval carols and English psalm-tunes to traditional Irish dances and Celtic lullabies, TEMP puts its unique stamp on these beautiful and joyful selections with innovative arrangements for solo voices, small chorus, harps, violin, flute, and mandolin.

Among the Medieval pieces on the concert, TEMP will feature the well-loved "Ther is no rose of swych virtu" and also a lesser-known gem "Lullay, lullay: Als I lay on Yoolis night” with Scottish provenance, (although its source is from Cambridge University), and a hauntingly beautiful melody and story. The Christ-child, as a baby, asks his mother why she doesn’t sing to him as she rocks him and why she doesn’t tell him what his life will be like when he is older. Her response is that she knows very little about him except what Gabriel told her. The dialogue is bookended by a narrator who relays what she saw on that Yule night.

The Renaissance portion of the concert will feature a rousing psalm-tune, "While shepherds watched their flocks by night," the 16th century predecessor of Handel’s popular setting, as well as the very popular "Good people all, this Christmastime" ("The Wexford Carol"), arranged for solo voice, strings, and flute.

The English traditional music and Celtic music will include a few favorites from past years, such as "Baloloo my lammie," and "Ye Sons of Men." Newly arranged pieces include a lively instrumental by the 17th century Irish harpist Turlough O’Carolan, ("The O’Rourkes Christmas") for plucked and bowed strings and an Irish traditional song, "The seven rejoices of Mary" for solo voices and instruments. Throughout the years, the English traditional song "Drive the cold winter away" maintained its popularity and will be featured for the first time in a TEMP concert.

TEMP is pleased that Abby Green, a specialist in Gaelic songs, will be joining as a soloist and ensemble member, and TEMP again is proud to feature nationally acclaimed historical harpists, Therese Honey and Becky Baxter. Featured soloists include Jenifer Thyssen, Stephanie Prewitt, Meredith Ruduski, Abby Green, Cayla Cardiff, Jeffrey Jones Ragona, Daniel Johnson, Paul D’Arcy, and Chaz Nailor.

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Join Texas Early Music Project for a splendid evening of music encompassing 500 years of festive beauty that will delight your ears and heart!

PERFORMANCES

of Yule, Britannia! Christmas Music in the British Isles

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TICKETS

for Yule, Britannia! Christmas Music in the British Isles & other TEMP performances

 – Last chance to get discounted Partial Season Subscriptions! –

‣ purchase online

‣ by phone (512) 377-6961

‣ or at the door.

See you there!

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categories Concerts
tags solo voices, traditional Irish dances, Renaissance music, Christmas music, 18th century music, 17th century music, violin, Britannia, English traditional music, flute, English Christmas music, small chorus, Celtic music, harps, 19th century music, mandolin, Turlough O'Carolan, Medieval carols, Medieval, Celtic lullabies, Britain, Texas early music, English psalm-tunes, British Isles

Danny Johnson's Take on ‘El Mundo Nuevo’

Danny Johnson

Listen to Danny Johnson, founder and artistic director of the Texas Early Music Project, describe the music that TEMP will perform in the upcomingEl Mundo Nuevo: 18th Century Music from Latin America.  In this interview with Sara Hessel, Danny explains how this groundbreaking project—with pieces that have never before been played in Texas—came about with guest director Tom Zajac.

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[audio http://texasearlymusic.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/kmfa-sara-danny-interview-sept-11-2011.mp3]

This 6 minute, 11 second clip originally aired on KMFA’s Ancient Voices on September 11, 2011.

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TICKETS

for El Mundo Nuevo & other TEMP performances

‣ purchase online, ‣ by phone (512) 377-6961, ‣ or at the door.

See you there!

________________________________________________________

ABOUT

El Mundo Nuevo: 18th Century Music from Latin America

‣ Saturday, September 17, 8 PM, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church

‣ Sunday, September 18, 3 PM, First Presbyterian Church

In collaboration with early music luminary and virtuoso performer Tom Zajac, TEMP explores music from the New World: 17th & 18th century selections from Peru, Bolivia, and Mexico. The color, flavor, and joy of the music from the Trujillo del Peru manuscript are dynamic and exotic. A small vocal ensemble, string trio, guitars, and percussionists will perform selections for Christmas Eve in Trujillo, dances from the jungles, music in the extinct language of Mochica, and motets from the cathedral of Mexico City.

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categories Interviews
tags 17th century music, 18th century music, early music, Latin America music, Mexico music, Peru music

Spotlight on TEMP’s presentation of ‘Nuevo Mundo’

Danny Johnson

Music from the New World is a subject of great interest to many early music performers and scholars. Viola da gamba virtuoso Jordi Savall performed some of this repertoire in Austin in October 2010 with members of Hesperion XXI, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, and soprano Montserrat Figueras.

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The following excerpt is from an interview with Jordi Savall, conducted by KMFA’s Sara Hessel.  This originally aired on KMFA’s Ancient Voices in October 2010.

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SH: Does this music [from the concert El Nuevo Mundo: The Route of the New World] have a special resonance with Latin-American audiences?

JS: This music is so perfect for this type of audience because it is so close to them. This music is on the roots of the Spanish and Mexican culture. At our last concert, I have seen all the people who looked like Latin Americans smiling and dancing… it was so wonderful to see how all those people reacted to this type of music.

SH: Will Latin Americans recognize some aspects of this music from their own living traditions?

JS: These are living traditions. And even the ancient songs, they are based many times on typical rhythmical structures, that they feel very modern. The mix of this Caribbean culture was the mix of African people, coming with Conquistadores, and then the sailors and the soldiers and the priests and the noble people. And then there was an encounter between African music, Indian native music, and the Spanish music. And this was like a bomb! [laughs]  Something fantastic! And what remains today is a living tradition maintained through oral tradition.

SH: What are your thoughts on why this music has such an immediate emotional impact on listeners?

JS: I think that characteristic of this music is the same characteristic that you have with Sephardic songs, that you have with Irish fiddle music, la musique Bretonne, music from Galicia: communities from cultures who have suffered. They have suffered in South America from the oppression, from the exploitation of the Spanish, the Conquistadores; in the same way, the Breton, they have suffered from the French, or the Irish people and Scottish people have suffered from the British power.

SH: And here we had the oppression of the African-Americans, and the tradition of spirituals arose out of that.

JS: Yes, it is the same. This is surviving music: helping people to survive. And this is why all this type of music has such a special emotional element. You feel immediately touched by- really something necessary for life.  The music was really the only possibility to be really happy for one moment, and be in some harmony. And they sing and they play together. And this was what sustained people: the hope, and to remember their roots.

SH: What else can you tell us about this music?

JS: I think this music comes immediately to your heart and your soul. It is such a dynamic music; it has such an intensity, a melancholy, a happiness, it has everything. It’s a mix of what makes this music so surprising. It’s very exuberant, but it has a certain element of melancholy. It’s very old, but because it has so much improvisation, it’s always new. And this is fantastic- the most beautiful repertories are when you are working with something where you remember your roots, but you can improvise and you can improve every day this music. It becomes every day something new and something of our time, too.

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categories Interviews
tags 17th century music, 18th century music, Bolivia music, early music, guitars, Latin America music, Mexico music, New World music, percussionists, Peru music, strings, vocal ensemble

2011-2012 Tickets & Subscriptions Now Available!

Danny Johnson

El Mundo Nuevo: 18th Century Music from Latin America

In collaboration with early music luminary and virtuoso performer Tom Zajac, we explore music from the New World: 17th & 18th century selections from Peru, Bolivia, and Mexico. The color, flavor, and joy of the music from the Trujillo del Peru manuscript are dynamic and exotic. A small vocal ensemble, string trio, guitars, and percussionists will perform selections for Christmas Eve in Trujillo, dances from the jungles, music in the extinct language of Mochica, and motets from the cathedral of Mexico City.

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They Might Be Giants: Josquin and the Renaissance

Josquin des Prez was the most renowned composer of his day but he was really just a giant among giants. In this concert we will immerse ourselves in the music of Josquin and three of his Lowlands contemporaries: Brumel, Compère, and Pierre de la Rue, who were mentioned in the famous ode upon the death of Okeghem, their musical father. Each of these magnificent composers contributed a unique voice to the sacred and secular repertoires of the day. A small chamber choir, viols, and lute will perform the music of these titans.

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Yule, Britannia! Christmas Music in the British Isles

TEMP celebrates the Christmas season with the music of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. From Sarum rite chants and Medieval carols to traditional English wassails and Celtic lullabies, TEMP puts its unique stamp on these beautiful and joyful selections with innovative arrangements for solo voices, small chorus, harps, violin, and more.

**Special guest artists: historical harpists Therese Honey & Becky Baxter

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Fleurs-de-LYS: Laurie Young Stevens & Friends

Our award-winning concertmistress (Best Instrumentalist: Austin Critics Table, 2004) leads a performance of superlative Baroque chamber music, featuring professionals from around the globe. This group of international artists comes together once a year for the pleasure of collaborating with Ms. Stevens on a concert that is always outstanding and entertaining.

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Living Waters: Works by Hildegard von Bingen

—  one performance only  —

TEMP’s 2003 performance of Hildegard’s liturgical drama “Ordo virtutem” won the Austin Critics Table award for Best Chamber Concert of the season. Nine years later, we return to the beautifully sophisticated and powerful music of the 12th century German abbess with a performance of “Ordo virtutem” and several of her compelling antiphons and sequences, performed in the splendid acoustical space at the St. Mary Cathedral by female singers accompanied by a small Medieval band of vielles, harp, lute, and psaltery.

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TEMP Goes the Full Monteverdi

Claudio Monteverdi was one of the few composers whose career successfully spanned two eras, the Renaissance and the Baroque. His ability to work masterfully in both styles guaranteed his place in musical history and in the hearts of performers and audiences alike. TEMP soloists, chamber choir, string and continuo groups will perform selections from the full span of his catalog with a cappella madrigals, works from St. Mark’s in Venice, and beautiful arias and choruses from the stage and the courts.

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Tickets & subscriptions available at http://early-music.org/tickets.html

Questions?  Contact TEMP at

512-377-6961    or   danny@early-music.org

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categories Concerts
tags 17th century music, 18th century music, classical music, early music, global music