Incantare — The World They Heard: Sounds from the Journeys of the Tenshō and Keichō Embassies

Incantare uncovers a history of Asiatic-Western connections in “The World They Heard: Sounds from the Journeys of the Tenshō and Keichō Embassies.” Experience this exceptional Renaissance and early Baroque repertoire through Incantare’s distinctive blend of early brass, strings, and organ.

The Tenshō Embassy of 1582–1590 and the Keichō Embassy of 1613–1620 were among the first and last of extensive political and cultural exchanges between Japan and the West before a long period of isolation that lasted almost two centuries. This program tells the story of their journeys to Spain, The Americas and Rome through the music that would have shaped their world away from home.