The Well-Tempered Ear
Classical music: The veteran Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble opens its season with a variety of vocal and instrumental works
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By Jacob Stockinger
Here is a special posting, a review written by frequent guest critic and writer for this blog, John W. Barker. Barker (below) is an emeritus professor of Medieval history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also is a well-known classical music critic who writes for Isthmus and the American Record Guide, and who hosts an early music show once a month on Sunday morning on WORT FM 89.9 FM. For years, he served on the Board of Advisors for the Madison Early Music Festival and frequently gives pre-concert lectures in Madison. He also took the performance photos.
By John W. Barker
The new season’s first concert by the Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble opened in Madison on Saturday evening, Oct. 13, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. It offered, as always, a program of wide range and variety.
There were nine performers involved this time, two of them singers — the familiar UW-Madison soprano Mimi Fulmer and mezzo-soprano Consuelo Sañudo.
Fulmer sang an Italian cantata of contested authorship, with Sigrun Paust on recorder (below). Later, Sañudo sang a Latin motet by Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, with helpers (violinist Nathan Giglierano, Monica Steger on recorder, Eric Miller on gamba and Max Yount on harpsichord).
The two joined in three items from Claudio Monteverdi’s Third Book of Madrigals (below). They were a bit of a twist, for they were meant for five singers. So the other three parts were taken by three viola da gamba players (Anton TenWolde, Miller, Charlie Rasmussen) — which actually proved not the best way to project the madrigal textures.
The bulk of the program was instrumental.
Variations, or “divisions” made two appearances. From the obscure August Kuehnel, there was an aria given long elaborations by two gambas (Miller, Rasmussen). Another set of variations, from a collection published by John Playford, was dashed off by violinist Giglierano, with gamba (Miller) and harpsichord (Steger) for continuo (below).
The duo form was also represented by such a piece for two cellos (below), by Tommaso Giordani, played by TenWolde and Rasmussen. A cello sonata by a certain Franceso Alborea was the solo spot for TenWolde, with Rasmussen and Steger on continuo.
With a more conventional ensemble, we heard a Trio Sonata in A minor by Georg Phiipp Telemann, with Giglierano and Faust, plus TenWolde and Steger as the continuo. (You can hear the Telemann Trio Sonata in the YouTube video at the bottom)
It was for the final item, as a grand finale (below), that all seven of the instrumentalists joined in a little ballet suite by Boismortier.
Music lovers who attend concerts such as these should remember that the works presented were, by and large, not intended for presentation to a “public.” This is mostly “parlor” music (“chamber,” you recall), meant for the players to exercise their playing skills for themselves and any friends.
There are masterpieces in this literature, but seeking them out is not the primary goal of the WBE. Rather, that is to allow performers to test and show off their skills in music they find challenging and satisfying. The pleasures which that gives to an audience are the bonus.
The Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble has been around as a performing group in Madison since 1997. As such, it is the oldest surviving ensemble in town devoted to early music, and might be said to have inaugurated the taste and audience for that literature.
Such taste and audience have now expanded extensively, but the WBE continues to make its own chamber contributions with unfailing devotion.
For more information, about the WBE and its upcoming season, go to: https://wisconsinbaroque.weebly.com
Tags: #AmericanRecordGuide, #AugustKuehnel, #balletsuite, #BaroqueCello, #BaroqueEra, #BaroqueFlute, #BaroqueMusic, #BaroqueRecorder, #BaroqueViolin, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #BlogReview, #CelloSonata, #ChamberMusic, #ChristianChurch, #ChristianReligion, #ClaudioMonteverdi, #EmeritusProfessor, #EpiscopalChurch, #GeorgPhilippTelemann, #GrandFinale, #HistoricallyInformedPerformancePractices, #InstrumentalMusic, #IsthmusNewspaper, #italianComposer, #ItalianMusic, #JohnPlayford, #JohnW.Barker, #JosephBodindeBoismortier, #LatinMotet, #MadisonEarlyMusicFestival, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #MedievalHistory, #Mezzo-sopranoSinger, #MimmiFulmer, #MusicCritic, #MusicLover, #MusicReview, #PeriodInstrument, #SopranoSinger, #St.Andrew'sEpiscopalChurch, #ThemeAndVariations, #TrioSonata, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #VioladaGamba, #VocalMusic, #WisconsinBaroqueEnsemble, #WORT-FM89.9, #YouTubevideo, Arts, audience, August Kuehnel, ballet, Baroque, Book, Cello, Chamber music, Classical music, composer, continuo, devotion, duet, duo, Early music, Episcopal, Episcopalian, finale, flute, Georg Philipp Telemann, harpsichord, host, instrumental music, Isthmus, item, Jacob Stockinger, John Playford, John W. Barker, Latin, lectyre, literature, Madison, madrigal, masterpeice, Mezzo-soprano, Monteverdi, motet, Music, music critic, music lover, music review, part, performance, photo, player, pleasure, program, Radio, recorder, singer, skill, Sonata, soprano, St. Andrew's, Suite, Sunday morning, taste, Telemann, texture, theme and variations, trio, trio sonata, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Violin, violinist, vocal music, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble, WORT-FM 89.9, YouTube
Classical music: The veteran Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble opens its new season this Saturday night with a program of rarely heard works and composers
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By Jacob Stockinger
The Ear has received the following announcement from one of the pioneering groups in Madison for playing Baroque music with period instruments and historically informed performance practices:
The Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble (below) invites you to a concert of baroque chamber music.
The concert is this coming Saturday night, Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m. in Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1833 Regent Street on Madison’s near west side.
Tickets at the door only: $20 general admission and $10 students
Members of the Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble are: UW-Madison professor Mimmi Fulmer, soprano; Nathan Giglierano, baroque violin; Eric Miller, viola da gamba; Sigrun Paust, recorder; Charlie Rasmussen, baroque cello and viola da gamba; Consuelo Sañudo, mezzo-soprano; Monica Steger, traverso, harpsichord and recorder; Anton TenWolde, baroque cello and viola da gamba; and Max Yount, harpsichord.
The program includes:
- Giovanni Bononcini/Johann Jakob Greber – “Fuori di sua capanna” (Outside in Front of Her Hut) – Cantata for mezzo-soprano, alto recorder and basso continuo
- August Kuehnel – Sonate ò Partite for viola da gamba, Aria Solo “Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut” (Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Greatest Good)
- Claudio Monteverdi – Madrigals, Book 3
O Rossignol (O Nightingale)
Rimanti in Pace (Remain in Peace)
Ond’ei di Morte (Whereupon Death Marked on His Face)
- John Playford – Divisions for the violin, “Paul’s Steeple”
- Georg Philipp Telemann – Trio sonata for violin, recorder and basso continuo TWV 42:a4
INTERMISSION
- Francesco Alborea – Sonata in G Major for cello and basso continuo
- Joseph de Bodin Boismortier – Motet for the Holy Virgin, Op. 23
- Giuseppe Tommaso Giovanni Giordani – Duo No. 1 for Two Cellos, Op. 18 (heard in the YouTube video at the bottom)
- Boismortier – Ballet de Village No. 4, Op. 52
For more information: 608 238-5126, email: info@wisconsinbaroque.org or visit www.wisconsinbaroque.org
A post-concert reception will be held on the second floor at 2422 Kendall Avenue.
Tags: #AugustKuehnel, #BaroqueComposers, #BaroqueContinuo, #BaroqueMusic, #BassoContinuo, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #ChamberMusic, #ChamberMusicians, #ChristianChurch, #ChristianReligion, #ClaudioMonteverdi, #EpiscopalChurch, #FacebookPost, #FrancescoAlborea, #GeorgPhilippTelemann, #GiovanniBononcini, #GiuseppeTommasoGiovanniGiordani, #HarpsichordContinuo, #HistoricallyInformedPerformancePractices, #JesusChrist, #JohannJakobGreber, #JohnPlayford, #JosephdeBodinBoismortier, #MimmiFulmer, #NeglectedComposers, #NeglectedMusic, #NeglectedWorks, #PeriodInstruments, #St.Andrew'sEpiscopalChurch, #TheEar, #TheWell-TemperedEar, #TrioSonata, #UniversityofWisconsin, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #VioladaGamba, #WisconsinBaroqueEnsemble, #YouTubevideo, admission, Andrew, Arts, August Kuehnel, ballet, Baroque, basso continuo, blog, Blog post, blog posting, Boismortier, Cantata, Cello, Chamber music, Christ, Christianity, church, Classical music, Claudio Monteverdi, composer, death, duo, Early music, face, Facebook, flute, Giordani, Giovanni Bononcini, good, harpsichord, historically informed performance practices, Jacob Stockinger, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Johann Jakob Greber, John Playford, Madison, madrigal, Mezzo-soprano, motet, Music, neglected, nightingale, partita, peace, period instruments, pioneer, professor, reception, recorder, Religion, saint, Season, singer, Singing, Sonata, soprano, St. Andrew's, steeple, Telemann, ticket, traverso, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Veteran, village, viola da gamba, Violin, vocal music, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble, YouTube
Classical music: The Madison Bach Musicians perform Baroque and Renaissance English music this coming Friday night and Sunday afternoon
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ALERT: The strike by the players in the Philadelphia Orchestra has been settled. For details, go to this website:
For more background about that strike and others, which The Ear writes about yesterday, go to:
By Jacob Stockinger
The Madison Bach Musicians will open its 2016-17 season this coming weekend with two performances of a program that features English music from the Baroque and Renaissance eras.
The first performance is this Friday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m., preceded by 6:45 lecture, in the Atrium Auditorium (below, in a photo by Zane Williams) of the First Unitarian Society of Madison, 900 University Bay Drive.
The second is this coming Sunday, Oct. 9, at 3:30 p.m., preceded by a 2:45 lecture, at the Holy Wisdom Monastery (below), 4200 County Highway M in Middleton.
If bought in advance, tickets are $28 for the general public and $23 for students and seniors over 65; at the door tickets will be $30 and $25, respectively. Student rush tickets are $10, require a student ID and are available 30 minutes before the lectures. For more information, visit www.madisonbachmusicians.org
The program features: Sonata in Four Parts in F major “Golden Sonata” by Henry Purcell (1659−1695); Suite No. 2 in D major from “Consort of Four Parts” by Matthew Locke (c. 1621−1677); Songs to texts by William Shakespeare by Robert Johnson (1583−1633); “Diverse bizzarie Spra La Vecchia” by Nicola Matteis (c. 1650−c. 1709); Division No. 7 for two bass viols by Christopher Simpson (c. 1606−1669); “Solus cum sola” for solo lute solo by John Dowland (1563−1626); “The Broken Consort” Part 1, Suite no. 2 in G major by Matthew Locke; “The Carman’s Whistle” by William Byrd (c. 1540−1623); “Light of Love” by Anonymous as arranged by David Douglass; “John Come Kiss Me Now” by John Playford (1623−c. 1686) as arranged by David Douglass; “Long Cold Night” and “Queen’s Jig.”
Performers include: Dann Coakwell, tenor; David Walker, lute and theorbo; Kangwon Kim violin and concertmaster; Brandi Berry, violin; Anna Steinhoff and Martha Vallon, viola de gamba; and Trevor Stephenson, harpsichord.
Here are some edited notes by MBM founder and director Trevor Stephenson (below):
Madison Bach Musicians is delighted to start off its 13th season with a foray into new repertoire for the group: English music from the Renaissance and Baroque.
A special feature of the program will be the recognition in song of the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare (1564-1616).
Both the smaller lute and the larger theorbo were considered ideal for accompanying the voice in songs, and the theorbo could project a bit better in larger ensembles.
Like the lute, the viola da gamba is also fretted, but it is bowed and not plucked. Moreover, the gamba is held between the legs, the “gams,” and its name literally means “viol of the legs.”
The baroque violins we’ll use in this program will be strung in the usual fashion of the 16th and 17th centuries, that is, with gut strings (from dried sheep intestine); and the bows will be of the Elizabethan “short” variety (shorter length, and with the stick arching away from the hair), which make them ideally suited for the intricate articulations and lively dance rhythms of this repertoire.
All of these instruments enjoyed great popularity in England during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Henry Purcell (below) flourished during the arts boom of the Restoration period under King Charles II and is widely known for his theater music and operas. However, he also wrote quite a bit of instrumental music.
The four parts of this sonata refers here not to numbers of movements, but to the number of simultaneous instrumental lines—in this case, four, which is notably different from the typical three-part (or trio sonata) Italianate texture of the 17th century.
The Purcell sonata is followed by an instrumental Suite in D major by Matthew Locke (c. 1621-1677). Locke was a close friend of the Purcell family and in particular of Purcell’s father, Henry Purcell Sr. The younger Henry Purcell wrote a musical elegy on Locke’s death in 1677.
Locke’s years of greatest musical activity in London began as the period of Puritanical Commonwealth rule, under Oliver Cromwell, was waning in the late 1650’s. The Commonwealth had severely restricted the theater and the arts in general. Fun fact: Locke (below) was the first composer to indicate a musical crescendo and decrescendo in a score.
The texts for the songs are from various Elizabethan poets—John Fletcher, John Webster and Shakespeare himself—and all of the music was composed by lutenist Robert Johnson (below, 1583-1633).
Johnson worked closely with Shakespeare in theatrical productions at the court of James I during the first few years of the 17th century. Johnson even provided music for Shakespeare’s original production of “The Tempest.”
The first part of the MBM program will conclude with two works that explore a favorite 17th-century technique of ornamentation over a repeated bass line, sometimes called a ground bass or chaconne.
The first is by the Italian virtuoso violinist Nicola Matteis (below, in a painting by Gottfried Kneller, c. 1650-1709), who enjoyed a successful career in London during an era when the English were importing Italian music masters by the dozens.
The second work, by Christopher Simpson (below, c. 1606-1669), explores “divisions” or variations tossed back and forth between two bass viols (gambas) while they simultaneously repeat a ground bass.
The second half of the program will feature songs for tenor and voice by John Dowland (below). We’ll also play Locke’s Broken Consort, “broken” meaning “mixed”–in that violins and gambas, which were considered in Elizabethan times to be artistically quite different instruments—were being asked by the composer to play nicely together.
Following that, I’ll play a rousing set of variations for harpsichord, “The Carman’s Whistle,” by William Byrd (below).
And to conclude the program, the consort will play a set of sprightly dances originally published in 1651 in the collection “The English Dancing Master” by John Playford (below).
Tags: Arts, Baroque, bow, chaconne, Christopher Simpson, Classical music, dance, David Douglass, Early music, Elizabethan, Elizabethan England, Elizabethan music, English, English Renaissance, ground bass, hair, harpsichord, Historically informed performance, Italian music, Italy, Jacob Stockinger, John Playford, King Charles II, lecture, London, lute, Madison, Madison Bach Musicians, Matthew Locke, Music, Nicola Matteis, Orchestra, period instruments, Purcell, Renaissance, restoration, Robert Johnson, score, Shakespeare, Sonata, song, Student, Suite, tenor, theorbo, trio, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Viola, viola da gamba, Violin, vocal music, William Byrd, William Shakespeare, Wisconsin
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