Early Music News & Reviews

EMA FEATURES & PRESS RELEASES

Musings: Programming for the American Experiment

Musings: Programming for the American Experiment

Thomas Forrest Kelly
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.'
Amidst the Turmoil, We Must Make Our Voices Heard

Amidst the Turmoil, We Must Make Our Voices Heard

David McCormick
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)...'
Canto: Singing, Mental Health, and the Arts

Canto: Singing, Mental Health, and the Arts

Cecilia Duarte
'A fellow vocalist,' writes Cecilia Duarte, 'mentioned to me that whenever she was onstage, she would hear the voices of every person that had ever criticized her. It became clear to me that our artistic community had a huge need...' 
When the Music Fades: REMA’s 2025 Early Music Survey

When the Music Fades: REMA’s 2025 Early Music Survey

Agathe Créac’h
In its annual survey of the field, REMA-European Early Music Network received alarming input from its members on funding cuts. The impact will be felt across the sector, even as many European organizations rely heavily on public subsidies. It may mean 'fewer concerts, safer and less diverse programming, less work for independent musicians, and more pressure on organizations that were already trying to hang on.'

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EMA RECORDING & BOOK REVIEWS

Henry Purcell From All Sides

Henry Purcell From All Sides

Vivian Teresa Tompkins
A rewarding new biography on Henry Purcell brings the composer's life and times into one slender volume. At the book's center is an up-to-date dictionary — accessible to non-specialists — that mentions well-known collaborators and a range of musicians, political events, performance practices, relevant musical terms, and more.
Arcadian Dreams from Cleveland

Arcadian Dreams from Cleveland

Ken Meltzer
In a splendid new recording, soprano Hannah De Priest and period-instrument ensemble Les Délices offer pastoral dreams of Arcadia in cantatas and instrumental works by Rameau, Handel, Louis Lefebvre and others.
New Viola Repertoire from Telemann

New Viola Repertoire from Telemann

Steven Silverman
Lost until 2015, Telemann's set of 12 Fantasies for viola da gamba were composed in the mid-1730s, about the time he published his often-heard fantasies for flute and for violin. Now Polish viola player Michał Bryła has smartly transcribed and brilliantly recorded the gamba fantasies. For Baroque violists looking for new solo repertoire, this is a rather stunning find.
Saint and the Sultan: a Dialogue to Stop the Crusades

Saint and the Sultan: a Dialogue to Stop the Crusades

Aaron Keebaugh
Saint Francis of Assisi preached against the Crusades and, venturing to Egypt to stop the fighting, met with Sultan Malik al-Kamil. This cross-cultural dialogue inspired the ensembles Constantinople and Holland Baroque for a deeply satisfying album that weaves together musical traditions from east and west.

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COMMUNITY NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

The North American Virtual Recorder Society (NAVRS) presents the Flanders Recorder Duo (FR2) for a Medieval Gems Playing Meeting on Saturday, April 25 at 1:30PM, ET. World-renowned musicians, Tom Beets ...
Sunday, March 29th, 2026 at Vassar College, Skinner Hall-Martell Recital Hall. Abendmusik presents Vivaldi’s first collection of printed concerti for 1, 2, & 4 violins, Opus 3, l’estro armónico. Published ...
Classical guitarist Brendan Evans has released Tiento (Green Flash Music, January 30, 2026), a solo recording that brings Renaissance lute repertory into dialogue with twentieth-century expression. The album includes works ...
Twisted Pearl is proud to introduce a new opportunity to musicians of any background by hosting its first annual online international competition for historically informed composition (ICHIC), which is connected ...
One-night-only event will mark Midwest premiere of British musicologist Malcolm Bruno’s recent reconstruction of J. S. Bach’s lost masterwork Soloists are soprano Hannah De Priest, countertenor Ryan Belongie, tenor Oliver ...

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