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.
Saint and the Sultan: a Dialogue to Stop the Crusades Read More »
An early 16th-c. illuminated manuscript of English sacred music, known as the Arundel (or Lambeth) Choirbook, contains polyphony by known composers and the equally skilled Anonymous. A compelling new album offers seven world premieres by these mysterious creators.
Anonymous is Star of the Arundel Choirbook Read More »
Hailed as the top of its field, the York Early Music Festival celebrates a milestone anniversary in 2026 with a deluxe calendar of celebrated and emerging artists. Across its 50 years, they’ve made ‘important scholarship come to life through vibrant and sometimes bewildering performances.’
A Half-Century of the York Early Music Festival Read More »
Last week, on Friday the 13th, New York’s Music Before 1800 hosted the U.S. premiere of ‘Death of Gesualdo,’ a ghostly retelling of the Renaissance composer’s life and grisly crimes, set to his avant-garde music. Performed by puppets, actors, and the British vocal ensemble the Gesualdo Six, the show is the latest from Bill Barclay, whose ‘Secret Byrd’ was a revelation for putting ancient music in a profoundly living context.
When Good Music Happens to Really Bad People Read More »
The Sigal Music Museum, in South Carolina, is the only such public collection in the South and includes the oldest-known piano, from the 1770s, that was commercially build and sold in the nascent United States. With performances from its collection and substantive lectures on historical instruments, the Sigal is a treasure trove of musical history.
A Deep South Collection of Old Instruments Read More »
