Monteverdi’s “Duo Seraphim,” from the Vespers of 1610, is in my ear because I am teaching a course about Milton’s Paradise Lost (1667). This very musical English Puritan — his father was a composer; he himself played the gamba and the organ, and loved to sing — is as far removed from the Italian and […]
Claudio Monteverdi: Vespers of 1610 “Duo Seraphim” Read More »
I love this Christmas adaptation of the Monteverdi madrigal “Chiome d’oro” with a Latin contrafactum by Lawrence Rosenwald. I contacted Voices of Music asking permission to perform the music with the Lawrence Rosenwald text. David Tayler replied giving his permission and sending us the music. I am still grateful. Jean Hein Director, Columbia Baroque EMA
Claudio Monteverdi: “Puer Natus (Chiome d’oro)” Read More »
EMA Public Relations Manager and Baroque oboist, Brandon Labadie, sat down with Dr. John Butt in Portland, Oregon last December to discuss Handel’s Messiah. Butt discusses his approach to this oft-played work, his evolution with the piece, as well as gives a few final words of advice to the up-and-coming younger generation of early musicians.
Handel’s Messiah: An Audio Interview with John Butt Read More »
As historically informed musicians know, a performance conveys much more than just the notes on a page. ‘Performing by the Book,’ a recent collection of essays, covers an enormous temporal range — not exhaustive, of course, but by moving from the 15th century to the 21st it yields interesting comparisons.
The Murky Space Between Page and Stage Read More »
Fiddle and banjo music played by free and enslaved Blacks before the 1860s is a key element of American musical and cultural history. But the evidence is scant. In ‘Go Back and Fetch It,’ authors Kristina R. Gaddy and Rhiannon Giddens explore more than three centuries of songs in this landmark new book.
Banjo & Fiddle: Early Black Music in the Americas Read More »
Stuck on sloppy handwriting from the 17th century, a musician recently turned to artificial intelligence to help solve a motet’s textual problems. Despite many negative impressions, ‘the process of exploring ChatGPT opened my eyes to its potential’ as a valuable research partner.
Can A.I. Decipher a Manuscript Better than You? Read More »
Seraphic Fire will hold its next round of local auditions in Spring 2026. Audition Date: Saturday, February 21st, 2026 at Frost School of MusicDeadline to apply: January 1st, 2026 If you are interested in performing with Seraphic Fire, we encourage you to email Auditions@SeraphicFire.org with the subject line “Local Live Audition Submission.” We are always looking
Seraphic Fire Holds Live Auditions in Miami Read More »
Jouyssance Early Music Ensemble will perform Renaissance music extolling the virtues, glories and agonies of love and marriage – from the sacred to very secular – in its upcoming Fall concerts in West Los Angeles (Westchester) and in the San Gabriel Valley. The concerts will take place October 11, 2025, at 8 p.m. at Holy
Jouyssance Presents Love and Marriage: Renaissance Style Read More »
Call for Proposals Biennial Meeting of the American Bach Society October 1–4, 2026 “Celebrating Bach” The 2026 American Bach Society (ABS) meeting will take place at Baldwin Wallace University (BW) in Berea, Ohio. BW is home to the first collegiate Bach Festival in the United States, the Riemenschneider Bach Institute (RBI), and BACH: The
American Bach Society 2026 Meeting – Call for Papers Read More »
The Ospedale di Santo Spirito, a hospital, orphanage, and charitable institution in Rome (founded in 1198), entwined worlds of religion, music, and therapeutic care. Although regulated by the Catholic Church, the hospital was also responsive to cultural and scientific changes.
Music and Healing at a Rome Ospedale Read More »
