Taxes, Cornetti, & Sackbuts: Oh my!
Danny Johnson
Tax season: so fun, beautiful, and revelatory! The answer to life! Yep, working on taxes always puts me in such a calm and reflective mood, especially during Easter week, when church-singers pretty much live at their respective churches.
Also fun, beautiful, and revelatory: the Notre-Dame concert from late March. The guys did great (even when given a starting pitch that was a minor 3rd too high—way to use that technique, basses!) Many, many, many kudos and thanks to Dr. Rebecca Baltzer for her suggestions, guidance, and music transcriptions. We hope to revisit this rep soon. Or something similar. Machaut? Stay tuned!
But, you know, sometimes you just have to pause and take a look in the mirror and think calmly to yourself, "Holy moly! We're doing the Monteverdi Vespers in 3 weeks!!! Batten down the hatches! All hands on deck! Trim the mainsail! Find a can-opener!
As Schroeder exclaims, "Monteverdi is IT, clear and simple!" The Vespero della Beata Vergine of 1610 is amazing and monumental and I'm thrilled that TEMP is in a position to take on such a stupendous project! We have several distinguished guests joining the equally wonderful core group for this concert. Cornetti, sackbuts, strings, 3 theorbos, harp, organ, and more! And this will mark cornettist Douglas Kirk's (former Clearlight Waites and UT Early Music Ensemble director's) first concert with TEMP in a decade. Cornetti? What are they, you ask? Watch Meredith's informative and fun video about the cornetto!
Have I mentioned that it's gonna be a doozy to celebrate Monteverdi's 450th birthday? (He was born May 9, so we'll be a few days late...) This is the last doozy of the season and the wise concert goer should get tickets soon!
Oh, and there's this raffle thing! Check it out! Invite TEMP to perform for your private event!
Read more about the Vespers below...with audio teasers....Holy moly!!
-Danny
Monteverdi 1610
Saturday, May 13, 2017 at 7PM, with pre-concert lecture at 6PM
Sunday, May 14, 2017 at 3PM, with pre-concert lecture at 2PM
Both performances at Northwest Hills United Methodist Church
7050 Village Center Drive, Austin, TX 78731
Admission $30 general; $25 seniors (60+); $5 students (at the door only)
Tickets available in advance online or by cash, check, or credit card at the door.
For more information, call 512-377-6961 and leave a message,
or email info@early-music.org.
TEMP rounds out its season of musical transition and innovation with the monumental Monteverdi Vespero della Beata Vergine of 1610 and it’s just in time to celebrate the composer's 450th birthday—May 9, 1567.
Claudio Monteverdi was a major power in the transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque, and his Vespers of 1610 includes elements of both musical eras. The Vespers is a powerhouse of widely diverse styles from beginning to end, ranging from virtuosic solos and duets to exuberant double-choir pieces in a glorious fusion of late Renaissance and early Baroque styles. Enjoy these audio teasers from the Andrew Parrott/Taverner Consort recording:
The 27-voice chorus includes guest soloists tenor Ryland Angel, bass Peter Walker, and tenor Temmo Korisheli. The rest of the many soloists are part of TEMP’s core singers, including Gitanjali Mathur, Jenifer Thyssen, Cayla Cardiff, Brett Barnes, and others.
The expanded early Baroque orchestra includes 3 cornetti, 3 early trombones, bowed strings, and an amazing continuo section of 3 theorbos, harp, portative organ, and harpsichord.
Don’t miss the pre-concert lecture 1 hour before each concert by KMFA's Sara Schneider!
Come celebrate Monteverdi's 450th birthday with a concert that would have lit all the candles on his birthday cake!
Click on the image to purchase tickets now!