This Early Music Monday let's take a minute to think about access. Who gets to come to Early Music concerts? Who gets to learn about music in school (without paying extra)? Who gets to study music? Who gets hired to perform? What composers are being programmed? Which composers had the connections and reputation to have their works published? Who might be missing from those scenarios? Let's all continue asking these questions (and acting on the answers) so the world of the concert hall can reflect the beauty and diversity of the world around us.
Baroque trumpet
It's been a while since I did a post about an early instrument, so here's an explanation (and comparison) of the baroque trumpet!
The Weird Music of Anton Reicha
Friend of Beethoven, teacher of Berlioz and Liszt, and composer of seriously cool (and weird) etudes! Meet Anton Reicha!
Charles Burney
Meet Charles Burney! Though he was a musician in his own right, he is better known now for his writings and affiliations with other composers of his day!
John Beard
If I haven't been asleep yet, Monday isn't over, right? This tenor premiered roles for Handel and Thomas Arne, and was part of the first performance of a piece that would become the British National Anthem. Meet John Beard!
Uns ist ein Kind
Tired of Handel's "For unto us" chorus from Messiah? Try J.L. Bach's "Uns ist ein Kind" instead! Same idea, but very different pieces.
Jacquet de Mantua
This gorgeous piece by Jacquet de Mantua was such a blissful palate cleanser after two weeks of Messiah!
Story of Dido
Purcell wasn't the only composer to set the lament of Dido, Queen of Carthage! Read more about the story and the setting by Josquin des Prez here!
Handel and Jennens
Handel's "Messiah" is beloved now (especially this time of year), but when it first premiered the librettist, Charles Jennens, was so irritated with what Handel had done that he swore he would not give him another libretto. Read more about the relationship between Handel and Jennens here!
Early notation
There's always something new (or in this case old) to discover!