Porchfest 2011
September 25

A division on a ground
performed by Maurice Steger


sadly, only a short clip

More on hands

Helperic used a diagram of the hand as a mnemonic device for determining the correct date of Easter. Guido of Arezzo used a diagram of a hand, in which a musical note is assigned to each fingertip, joint and knuckle. 


In the diagram in the image below, note the labels "diatessaron" and "diapente," referring to a perfect fourth and a perfect fifth. 


(See blog entry of March 8, 2011)

From a manuscript in the British Library

Helperic and Guido of Arezzo, Miscellany of treatises relating to computus and music, imperfect at the end, including Helperic's 'Liber de computo' (ff. 2-55v); Guido's 'Regulae rhythmicae' (ff. 55v-56), 'Prologus in Antiphonarium' (ff. 56v-58), 'Epistola ad Michaelem (ff. 58v-65) and 'Micrologus' (ff. 79-88v, 91v-94v); 'Musica enchiriadis', excerpt (ff. 65-69v); computus text (ff. 71-74); 'De tonis', dialogue (ff. 74-79); office of the nativity of the Nativity of Virgin Mary’ (ff. 89-91). England or France; 1st half of the 12th century. 

Here's a video from the Madison Early Music Festival I attended this July. This was the final piece in the all-festival concert---a series of choral works from the New World.

Here is the first part of an interview with Adam Gilbert, director of the early music program at USC, and co-founder of Ciaramella (see post of 7/25).

http://www.artistshousemusic.org/videos/an+introduction+to+early+music+instruments+part+1+of+2+recorder+bagpipe+and+shawm

Amherst Early Music Workshop in New York City


Here's a link to their workshop in October
http://www.amherstearlymusic.org/

Ciaramella
Ciaramella performs "Dies est laetitiae" on its CD, Sacred and Secular Music From Renaissance Germany, on the Naxos Label. Ciaramella is an ensemble for Music of the 15th Century, based in Los Angeles, and directed by Adam and Rotem Gilbert. More info at www.Ciaramella.org

J'ay pris amours

ANTONIO VIVALDI Concerto in C major for two flutes
(1678-1741)
*Praambulum by Matthias Maute


Concerto for two transverse flutes, strings, and basso continuo in C major RV533
1. Praambulum* - Allegro
2. Largo
3. Allegro


Performed by Ensemble Caprice
Directed by Matthias Maute




*This group's recording of this piece was inspired by a current theory that Vivaldi may have had come into contact with and was strongly inspired by Slavic and Gypsy folk music. The evidence to support this claim is very reasonable: for instance, the "ospedale della pieta" thsat Vivaldi taught at for years lay on the Riva degli Schiavi (the slavic canal). He also traveled extensively through slavic country. Perhaps though, the best evidence can be seen in various concertos. A book published during Vivaldi's lifetime known as the "Uhvroska" collection featuring folk and gypsy music contains music with many strikingly similar features to Vivaldi's music.


With this concerto, the "umpa umpa" octaves of the bassline and the eighth note rythm followed by two sixteenths of the opening tutti, are identical to rythms used in the "Uhrovska". This has inspired the ensemble to create a Fantasia in the gypsy style to act as an introduction.

This story was broadcast on NPR this morning:
Major Trove Of Classical Music Manuscripts For Sale

http://www.npr.org/2011/06/30/137403434/major-trove-of-classical-music-manuscripts-for-sale?ft=1&f=10003