Since our current early-music revival began in the mid-20th century, countertenors and mezzo-sopranos or contraltos have waged an undeclared war over which vocal type best replicates the great castrati voices of the 18th century. We look at several enduring recordings that spotlight this putative dispute.
From the Archive: Castrati, Contraltos, Countertenors Read More »
Is historical performance practice facing a ‘correction’ — a downscaling that reflects a more accurate valuation of its current worth — or, instead, are we heading toward a paradigm shift, where a familiar old model proves to be inadequate and is overturned by a new, workable, and perhaps revolutionary replacement?
Moments of Clarity and a Wake-up Call Read More »
There was once a dismissive, even hostile, attitude toward period instruments and scholarship-based approaches to technique and interpretation. Most of those complaints now seem like dated artifacts of the late 20th c., or were a reaction (let’s be honest) to unrefined instruments and wobbly playing. But that’s now all behind us, right?
Is Historical Performance Still Controversial? Read More »
From Tom Kelly’s Musings column: ‘I can’t wait to see what early music will be programmed, and in what context, to commemorate America’s 250th… We must engage with cultural history more than ever — and we pick which slice of that history suits our ensemble and community.’
Musings: Programming for the American Experiment Read More »
From the Executive Director: ‘We’re at a critical turning point for cultural institutions. Federal funding for arts and culture is rapidly diminishing, and there’s a real fear that foundations, corporations, and individual donors won’t pick up the slack (and might even give less if economic uncertainty continues)…’
Amidst the Turmoil, We Must Make Our Voices Heard Read More »
