The Music of the Spheres. Shown in this engraving from Renaissance Italy are Apollo, the Muses, the planetary spheres and musical ratios.

Hemiola
from the wiki article:
In modern musical parlance, a hemiola is a metrical pattern in which two bars in simple triple time (3/2 or 3/4 for example) are articulated as if they were three bars in simple duple time (2/2 or 2/4). 

The interplay of two groups of three notes with three groups of two notes gives a distinctive pattern of 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2, 1-2, 1-2. This rhythm is common in Africa and known as African hemiola style.

The word hemiola derives from the Greek adjective ἡμιόλιος - hemiolios, meaning "one and a half". This term was used in a music-theoretic context by Aristoxenus. (The noun ἡμιολία - hemiolia "one and a half (fem.)" was also used by the Greeks to refer to a galley powered by one and a half banks of oars.) It was originally used in music to refer to the frequency ratio 3:2; that is, the interval of a justly tuned perfect fifth.

Masque
from the wiki article:
The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment which flourished in 16th and early 17th century Europe, though it was developed earlier inItaly, in forms including the intermedio (a public version of the masque was the pageant). Masque involved music and dancing, singing and acting, within an elaborate stage design, in which the architectural framing and costumes might be designed by a renowned architect, to present a deferential allegory flattering to the patron. Professional actors and musicians were hired for the speaking and singing parts. Often, the masquers who did not speak or sing were courtiers: King James I's Queen Consort, Anne of Denmark, frequently danced with her ladies in masques between 1603 and 1611, and Henry VIII and Charles I performed in the masques at their courts. In the tradition of masque, Louis XIV danced inballets at Versailles with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully.


for the complete article, go to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masque

The Boston Early Music Festival is over, but you can listen to two concerts held last week.


Listen to Thursday's concert by the BEMF Orchestra on NPR Music!

Listen to Monday's concert by Les Voix Baroques on WGBH.org!

More from Aldo Bova

More on European early music workshops
Here's one in Amsterdam, sent to me by Toni Ameslav
http://www.ahk.nl/no_cache/en/conservatorium/study-programmes/workshops-masterclasses-and-summer-schools/early-music-summer-school/?print=1

A recorder workshop in the Czech Republic
Last Saturday at the Eric Haas workshop in Schenectady, I learned of a recorder workshop held in Prachatice, Czech Republic during the summer. Michael Murphy, of the Hudson Mohawk chapter of ARS told me about the program. Here's the URL:
http://www.lssh.euweb.cz/en/index.php
Michael said he was thinking of organizing a group to attend it. The photos on the website look great. And Peter Holtslag, one of the instructors, comes highly recommended. He performs with Han Tol, and has many solo recordings.
http://www.peterholtslag.com/

Finally, here's a photo of Prachatice:

Eric Haas led the workshop on Saturday, May 14 in Schenectady, hosted by the Hudson Mohawk chapter of the ARS. The music was unusual---everything chromatic, with some quarter tones thrown in for more variety. We were advised not to try these because with twenty or so people, the sound might be ear-splitting. Eric did demonstrate, though, and also provided lots of commentary. We played pieces by Frescobaldi, Gesualdo, Coprario, Purcell and others, all of it strange and beautiful.

Here's an excerpt from the Wiki article on Gesualdo:

Carlo Gesualdo, known as Gesualdo da Venosa (March 8, 1566 – September 8, 1613), Prince of Venosa and Count of Conza, was an Italian music composer, lutenist and nobleman of the late Renaissance. He is famous for his intensely expressive madrigals, which use a chromatic language not heard again until the late 19th century, and also for committing the most notorious murders carried out by any musician.

I've added a link to the 'links' page on the lower right, to the Harmonia website. From there you can access past programs. Usually they put up the most current shows a few days after their first broadcast. There is a wealth of music and historical information on these shows and the website. 

Next Saturday, May 14, I will be attending a workshop in Schenectady, New York, hosted by the Hudson-Mohawk ARS chapter. The workshop will be led by Eric Haas.

Entitled Colorful Language, the workshop will feature chromatic madrigals, chansons, dances and fantasias from the 16th and 17th centuries--including music of Coprario, Frescobaldi, Gesualdo, Marenzio, Purcell, Tomkins and others.

The location is the Elks Club-Guilderland Lodge 2480

3867 Carman Road, Schenectady, NY 12303

For more information, contact  Linda Botimer 518-355-4686 or chall7@nycap.rr.com

www.hudsonmohawkrecorder.org

The Bressan recorder drawings

Click on the link above for the full set of drawings