Saturday, July 15, 2006
An Early Music "Harmonious" Wedding
Introducing a music site many of you will find luscious: Angela Mariani's Harmonia, from Indiana University public radio. Just in case there's an early music geek wannabe planning a wedding surfing here today, check out the July 3rd show from the archives. You get nothing later than 1750. Here's the playlist for the wedding episode. It includes something by that one-hit wonder Johann Pachelbel that's not what's being played at everyone else's wedding.
Personally, I'm looking forward to exploring this 16-part offering, The American Early Music Series. Just to give you a sense of the breadth of this show, consider two episode descriptions from part 1:
The musical sound-picture of the North American colonies could be compared to a quilt from the same era: all kinds of colors and shapes stitched together to make a unique whole. Part one of Harmonia`s American Series celebrates this heritage with an exploration of early American music: hymnody, psalm settings, fiddle tunes, shape-note singing, country dance, and ballads that tell of everything from murder and mayhem to home and true love. It is the music one might have heard in the homes, churches, taverns, and theaters of the North American colonies.and part 9 (which I enjoyed this afternoon):
American Renaissance a CapellaAh, the sound of a Palestrina mass swirling around and through the gilded arches of an Italian Renaissance cathedral! One of the largest repertoires of a capella (unaccompanied) choral music can be found in the polyphonic vocal repertoire of the medieval and Renaissance eras. On this episode of Harmonia`s American Series: a sampling of some American a capella vocal ensembles specializing in the music of the medieval and Renaissance eras, from ancient Byzantine music to DuFay, Palestrina, and more. Includes excerpts from interviews with members of the New York-based ensemble Lionheart, and with Cappella Romana`s director Alexander Lingas.Happy listening.
