early (very early) music

from today's New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/29/science/oldest-musical-instruments-are-even-older-than-first-thought.html?smid=pl-share

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

1925-2012
Ich habe genug

Adrian Brown

Adrian Brown in his studio

Here is the link to his website, which has wonderful photos of his recorders and mp3 downloads. 

Last night I attended a recital at Ithaca College of students in the early music ensemble directed by Prof. Nicholas Walker. I especially enjoyed the two cantatas for soprano, four viols and bass, by Franz Tunder. Kristina Jackson, the soprano, was very impressive in the quality of her singing, her understanding and communication of the text, and her stage presence. The other piece that really blew me away was the Chiacona in C major, by Antonio Bertali, for baroque violin, theorbo and gamba. Samantha Spena played the piece very well. All three of the musicians appeared to be enjoying the music, and were playing with and against each other with great enthusiasm. The piece itself is really wonderful. I had never heard it before. I am familiar with the ciaccone from one of the Marcello gamba/recorder sonatas, and love it. Must be something in the repetition of the simple underlying theme, and the variations that keep piling on on top of it. So, here's a youtube video of the Bertali.