On the hills outside Florence sits the convent of San Matteo in Arcetri, where nuns once supported themselves by spinning wool and making wine. But the heart of their lives was musical prayer. A bit of detective work connected two 16th c. nuns with a musical manuscript and, now, a glorious new recording.
Musica Secreta’s Record of Love Read More »
Baroque violinist Danqi Zeng, born in China and currently a doctoral student at Indiana Univ., won the 2025 Barbash J.S. Bach Competition. The prize includes $10,000 and at least five concert engagements in the coming seasons. ‘Zeng’s Bach spoke profoundly,’ remarked one juror, ‘and with an immediacy made more palpable by the unforced resonance of her Baroque instrument.’
Baroque Violinist Wins Barbash Bach Competition Read More »
Stuck on sloppy handwriting from the 17th century, a musician recently turned to artificial intelligence to help solve a motet’s textural problems. Despite many negative impressions, ‘the process of exploring ChatGPT opened my eyes to its potential’ as a valuable research partner.
Can AI Decipher a Manuscript Better than You? Read More »
Boston’s Musicians of the Old Post Road have again uncovered music by known composers whose works have been neglected. Their latest album is centered on Christoph Graupner (and a few contemporaries). Here the music is ‘so vividly shaped and shot through with energy that the composer’s unique play of rhythm, texture, and harmony remain difficult to ignore.’
Discovering Graupner on the Old Post Road Read More »
Pioneering American folklorist Francis James Child, born 200 years ago, will be celebrated this week for his lasting cultural influence, especially for his collection known as the Child Ballads. Today, folk revivals ‘find an essence of identity against the commodification of culture,’ protesting how ‘everything can be sold.’
Celebrating the ‘Founding Parent’ of Folk Studies in America Read More »
