Online Early Music in Lockdown – Midlands Early Music Forum

Here are some of the things that have been going on for the past year or so in the world of Early Music since we have been locked down.

Many of the websites have ways that we can pay or donate, so we can use the money we would have spent on workshops and concerts to support the musicians (some are members of MEMF or have links with us), many of whom are freelance and have little or no way of earning money at present. In addition, Help Musicians UK has a special Coronavirus appeal. Facebook is the easiest way to keep up to date with what’s new, as musicians and groups are updating their FB pages rather than their websites.(“Subscribe” or “follow” your favourite pages to get their latest posts). In addition you will find plenty to listen to on YouTube.

Below the treats you will find sections on TECHNOLOGY, SINGING, VIOL, LUTE, RECORDERS, MIXED INSTRUMENTS/CONCERTS AND DANCE.

SOME MUSICAL TREATS:

A really gorgeous performance of Ave Maria a7 by Philippe Verdelot sung by the Renaissance Singers, directed by David Allinson.

A short delightful song by Josquin about knitting, performed by La Fiamma on YouTube!

An unusual version of Purcell’s beautiful Music for a While sung by The Kings Singers and Jakub Józef Orlinski on YouTube.

Some stunning recorder playing from the Vivid Consort and David Bergmuller (lute) in Dowland’s “Can she excuse my wrongs” from the First Book of Songes or Ayres.

Josquin des Prez : El Grillo (the cricket) sung by Profeti della Quinta (Elam Rotem’s group) in 2008 here. (1 min 38)

Handel: Eternal Source of Light Divine performed by Robert Kuizenga (countertenor), Bruno Fernandes (trumpet) and Mike Fentross (theorbo) and Tymen Jan Bronda (organ) in a rather lovely church here. (3 mins 24)

Monteverdi: Ecco mormorar l’onde sung by Les Arts Florissants here. (4 mins 36)

Monteverdi: Zefiro torna performed by Musicke in the Ayre in the Peto gardens at Ilford Manor (Wiltshire) here. ((6 mins)

In vain the am’rous flute, from Elegy, a CD (2019) of Countertenor duets sung by Iestyn Davies and James Hall with the King’s Consort here. (audio 6mins 21 – you can hear all the other tracks there too)

Giovanni Bononcini (1670 – 1747): ‘Varii fiori del giardino Musicale’ played by Ensemble il Falcone (string quartet) here. (7 mins)

Giovanni Benedetto Platti (1697 – 1763) Trio in D major for violin, oboe and continuo performed by the Baroque ensemble Sans Souce here. (13 mins 11)

John Taverner Christe Jesu sung by Stile Antico in their latest Spotlight film here. (2 mins 49)

Telemann: Fantasia no.1 played on the harpsichord by Eva Carazzolo here. (Audio 4mins 25)

Marco Uccellini: La Bergamasca played by Voices of Music(strings and continuo) here. (4 mins 32)

Antonia Bembo (1603-1666): “Ha, que l’absence” for soprano (Amanda Majeski), viola da Gamba and theorbo here. (6 mins)

Giovanni Bononcini (1670 – 1747): ‘Varii fiori del giardino Musicale’ played by Ensemble il Falcone (string quartet) here. (7 mins)

Johann Pachelbel: Partita IV in E min played by Vladimir Shulyakovskiy and Music Antiqua Russica here. (8 mins)

Nicola Porpora: Concerto in G major for Violincello, strings and basso continuo played by Joseph Couch and the English Concert here. (Audio 17mins 27)

Technology

ZOOM is the usual way that online talks and workshops are transmitted. It is easy to set up and use. MEMF Workshops are listed in the events page as usual and once you have booked, you will receive the link to join. Other Early Music Fora are hosting workshops and talks too – refer to their websites for details (see links page)

Download the Zoom app. It will work on PCs, laptops,
tablets or smart phones but the larger the screen size the better the experience. Click where it says ‘join a meeting’.

Find the invitation email and click on the long underlined link or, if that doesn’t work, enter the ID and password information for the meeting and wait to be let in. You can’t join the meeting until the host has opened it.

Audio and Camera. Turn on your audio when prompted. Turn on your Camera when prompted (white video camera icon) or if you do not wish to be seen you can turn your camera off.

Gallery/Speaker View: Once you’ve joined the meeting choose between Gallery View (which shows small screens of all participants – good for seeing your friends and who else is present) or Speaker View (best once the presentation starts).

Mute/Unmute (the small microphone symbol). Your sound will be Muted by the Host once the presentation begins but you can Unmute yourself at any point eg, to applaud or ask a question at the end.

Chat (the white speech bubble symbol usually at the bottom of the black Zoom screen, or under 3 dots on IPads). This allows you to type a question to Everyone or just to one participant. Or can be used to send a message or question during the presentation.

Qs & As These are usually taken at the end of the presentation either from messages written into Chat or from participants raising an A4 piece of paper to attract the attention of the interviewer.

JAMULUS Some people are using a similar resource called Jamulus where you can make real harmony online. There is a very useful video on YouTube made by the string quartet Vierimpuls, describing how they are using it to rehearse, which will give you an idea of what is involved. If you’re up for it join Online Early Music Fora (OEMF) They meet on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6pm.

Install Jamulus and run it.
Press Connect and choose OEMF from the list.
There is a Chat feature in case you are not being heard or don’t want to interrupt.

Jamulus has excellent documentation, helpful discussion fora, demos and a download page. Setting it up can be straightforward or a struggle, depending on what technology you have. The community is extremely helpful for those who need it. The software has versions for Windows, Mac and Linux and a brand new Jamulus OS.

JAMKASAM We know that playing together on Zoom is not practical, because of the time lag, but it is possible with Jamkasam. .It requires some basic technical ability to set it up, you need an ethernet connection, and it may not work over a long distance. It also takes almost all your wi-fi bandwidth, but an hour is probably as much as most people can sustain concentration. Have a look at a very detailed description here.

PLAYSCORE You may like to try PlayScore 2 currently for IPhone/iPad only. It allows you to take a photo of your music and it will play it, or you can import a PDF to play. It allows you to play at any speed you like, and you can set the instruments and transpose. It also exports MIDI if you want to do it that way.

Singing – Take part

I Fagiolini Sing the Score gives you an in-house recording of an Italian madrigal with the music alongside so that you can sing along with the ensemble. Produced during Lockdown, and introduced by Robert, there is a good collection now. See them here .

The Kings Singers have a virtual performance of Tallis’s If Ye Love Me with the score displayed so that you can sing with them. Find them here.

Amilcar Enrique has a glorious video of Gesualdo’s Sacrae Cantiones I 18 Illumina faciem tuam with the score displayed so that you can sing with them. If you have autoplay turned on you will find other videos of music with scores displayed including Gesualdo’s Sacrae Cantiones I 17 Tribulationem et dolorem and responses from Tenebrae.

Much of David Hatcher’s “Consort Music Minus One” – downloadable mp3 files of beautiful renaissance music recorded at A440 – is suitable for singers see his website here. It has expanded considerably to include newly edited Gassenhawerlin und Reutterliedlin (German street songs – listen to one below), madrigals by Palestrina and Cipriano de Rore and Savonarolan Motets. Contact David for advice at djhatcher@icloud.com

Sing along with the Tallis Scholars as they sing the wonderful Motet Tu Es Petrus by Palestrina, with the score scrolling on the screen.

Singing – Watch and listen

Quarantine with The Sixteen has amassed a large number of videos including Eamon Dougann’s Top Tips (six episodes), Twenty Years of A Choral Pilgrimage (Harry’s favourites, 5 episodes), Lunchtime Soundbites (12 episodes), a virtual performance of Sheppard’s Libera Nos and two archive performances – Macmillan’s Stabat Mater and Bach’s The Passion.

The Tallis Scholars have a Marathon Playlist which you can access from their website . There is a large list of streaming services where you can play it and they get royalties for every track you listen to. You can also donate on the home page.

Stile Antico have produced a virtual performance of Tallis’s Spem in Alium

The a capella Fieri Consort have a number of videos on YouTube. Visit them on Facebook or their website.

Steven Devine and Kate Semmens have produced a few amusing videos: Viral Video (don’t think you’ve got the wrong link!) and What Did You Do in Lockdown and the U-turn. They have serious videos on YouTube as well.

Lizzie Gutteridge, a specialist in Mediaeval music, sings a catch by Ravenscroft with the live-looper and some extra words of her own! See more on her Facebook page.

Armonico have recreated their popular Oz and Armonico Drink to Music concerts on YouTube (recorded live in the Court House. Warwick), in which Oz Clarke talks about wine and Eloise Irving, William Towers and the Armonico Consort provide some glorious music. Part one is English, part two German, part three Italian and part four Spanish. Watch them all here. Don’t be put off by hearing the same introduction for all four parts.

Ensemble Pro Victoria (8 voice a capella group): 1. have released 5 tracks from a day of recording at Castle Howard, free to download (donations invited) here. You can buy the whole album for £5.00. 2. have begun a series of live hour-long concerts from St.Mary’s, Bourne Street, London. The second was entitled Musical Emblems of the Elizabethan Age. The third is centred around Victoria’s Requiem. See the concerts here. If you listen to it please donate here.

The Marian Consort, directed by Rory McCleery has launched a major new strand of digital work. The headline feature of this is six 50-minute programmes available on-demand. Centred around vocal music, they’ve collaborated with poets, artists, actors, academics, filmmakers, and writers to shine new light and bring you something different. These are available pay-per-view via their website. For under a fiver you get carefully-crafted films shot in stunning spaces, featuring seraphic performances, incisive commentary, and beautiful visual art.

All things Viol – take part

Online Lessons

Many viol teachers are now giving lessons online using zoom or other platforms – see below. The UK Viola da Gamba Society has a lot of information about this and is a very useful source of knowledge. Their link section will tell you where you can get replacement strings if one breaks and lots of other useful information. You don’t need to be a member to access the majority of the site.

Jacqui Robertson-Wade (MEMF member) of the Rondo Viol Academy is in the process of recording 150 lessons at 5 different levels, so it’s possible for complete beginners can learn the viol, as these are progressive lessons. She has nearly completed 30 lessons for the Elementary Level, with 10 lessons on each viol. She has also created a Progressive Viol Lessons page with links to lessons from Alison Kinder, Sam Stadlen and herself. This is to help players find the right lesson for their ability and you can also search by piece or teacher.

Alison Kinder has created her own YouTube channel where if you become a patron you can have access to “The Clinic” which looks at all aspects of viol playing. In the latest she is talking about different arrangements of broken consorts. She anticipates a new video each week. You can also access it from the Rondo Viol Academy above and follow her on Facebook.

Claire Horacek (MEMF member) will also give lessons online: email clairehoracek@gmail.com

Alison Crum another experienced teacher will also give beginner lessons online. Sshe has a new website here and has produced a series of videos on Viol technique – 16 so far.

Alison Kinder has recorded a virtual Medieval Cantiga Workshop in which any instrument at A440 can take part. The music for the session, a Cantiga from the Red Book of Montserrat, can be printed off from LosSetGotxs.pdf and the video can be watched on the SWEMF website here.

Consort Playing

When you need someone to play with then the following resources have been produced enabling you to play along with a pre-recorded consort, with whichever part you want to play missing (There are more on the VdGS website):

David Hatcher’s “Consort Music Minus One” – downloadable mp3 files of beautiful renaissance music recorded at A440 – see his website here. It has expanded considerably to include newly edited Gassenhawerlin und Reutterliedlin (German street songs – listen to one below), madrigals by Palestrina and Cipriano de Rore and Savonarolan Motets. David may also give lessons online – email him at djhatcher@icloud.com

The Chelys Consort of Viols are also recording consorts minus one. Follow them on Facebook to hear when new videos are released.

Sam Stadlen: play along videos and tutorials online can be found here or with a link from the Rondo Viol Academy above.

Thomas Gettys has created a website of Midi files of consort-minus-one music for viola da Gamba and recorders to play along /practice with. He explains clearly what a Midi file is and how you can alter the speed and pitch and even download the music.

Viol – Watch and listen

Search on YouTube for viol consort music. Well known ensembles are Fretwork, Chelys Consort of Viols and of course David Hatcher’s Linarol Consort.

Look for the Early Music Group and the Viola da Gamba Society on Facebook for posts by members.

Asako Morikawa has a series of Multitrack videos for you to listen to or play along with.

James Gilchrist accompanied by David Hatcher on viol, perform a sublime song from Gassenhawerlin und Reutterliedlin which was due to be part of the 3 Choirs Festival this year.

It’s not early music, but fun and played on viols by David Hatcher!

Ex Animo – Nic Hyde (a MEMF member), treble viol, Ryonfa Lee, bass viol, Ludmila Podgaiskaia, spinet and Sara Stowe, soprano, perform a concert of German and Italian music in aid of Help Musicians.

Alison Kinder gives an illustrated 40 minute talk about the travels and solo viol lyra-style music of Tobias Hume, soldier and mercenary, including discussion of his spat with John Dowland.

Ibrahim Aziz has made a short 20 minute film, entitled The Music of Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe Le Pere,about the famous but mysterious 17th century musician, inventor of the 7-string viola da gamba and teacher of the great violist and composer, Marin Marais (1656 – 1728)

Parthenia Viol Consort (Lawrence Lipnik, Rosamund Morley, Beverly Au and Lisa Terry) with guest Motomi Igarashi performed the Complete Book of 1610 by Michael East in April 2019 in New York City. Hear Amavi here and Triumphavi here . Parthenia’s website is here .

The Chelys Consort of Viols have created a YouTube video playing a very serious piece written by harpsichordist and Director of Studies at Fitzwilliam College Cambridge, Francis Knights. It’s based on a popular children’s song, which is being played veeeerrryyy slooowwwwllly by Kate (top right in the video) Can you tell what it is?

Lute – take part

If you are interested in learning to play the lute, or just have an interest in the instrument the first port of call is the Lute Society website . MEMF has a 7 course Renaissance lute in G for loan, in the custody of our Secretary (yatesdp@gmail.com) in Sutton Coldfield, and instruments can also be hired from the Lute Society.

On their homepage there is now “Lute in Lockdown” which gives a list of teachers who can teach via Skype or Zoom, and lists of upcoming events. Also their own YouTube channel where among other things you can play virtual duets with Lynda Sayce. This is very new but is expanding rapidly.

Lute – Watch and listen

Jacob Heringman has made a series of 5 videos on YouTube entitled Lockdown Lute, which are illustrated talks about the Renaissance lute.These can be found at the Early Music Shop here.

Jacob Heringman and Clare Wilkinson play Dowland.

Dowland’s Now, O Now performed by Les Canards Chantants (Lute and voices)

Lynda Sayce has posted a youtube video on the history of the lute.

There is plenty of lute music to be found on the Lute Society Facebook page and YouTube channel, as well as searching YouTube for Lute.

11a Peacock Yard is a new YouTube channel created for renowned Lute makers Stephen Barber and Sandi Harris. As well as making beautiful lutes they have made a huge contribution to research into historical instruments. The first video explains that Stephen is now disabled and in a wheelchair and they need to move their workshop, though sadly he died just before they were due to move. Subsequent videos will be of lute related material, much of it from customers and friends, and a Fund-raising campaign has been started by Lynda Sayce to help with the costs of moving. Please donate here if you can.

Lynda Sayce’s Virtual Road Show: the development of the lute from the oud to the earliest theorbo using her extensive collection of instruments. She includes four-part music for different sizes of lute as well as a number of solo pieces. See it here. (35 minutes)

Nick Gravestock (MEMF Member) plays lute music on occasional Saturdays in the 1620’s House at Donington le Heath. near Coalville, Leicestershire. Book a timed ticket here – they are valid for a year.

European Lute Quartet in Florence (2019) play two pieces by Robert Johnson – Ballet and The Prince’s Maske – arranged for 4 lutes by Gian Luca Lastraioli (2.5 mins) Watch and listen here

A nice little piece for theorbo in a rather beautiful location – Chaconne en la mineur by Robert de Visee, played by Fran Lopez – 2.4 mins here.

Recorders – Take part

Online Lessons

Mary Tyers (usually teaches at the Early Music Shop) – mary@marytyers.co.uk or 0776 2374638

Alyson Lewin 01785 716957 or 07751 964156

Linda Hardwick FCTL (MEMF Member) linda.204@hotmail.co.uk or 01684 564203

Visit the Society of Recorder Players (SRP) website for lots of information and a variety of links including David Moses see below:

David Moses has produced a series of backing tracks, but so far almost the only early music is a jazz accompaniment of Handel’s Sonata in F Op1 for treble recorder and some Playford dances for descant, accompanied by a lute. His link is on the SRP website.

Emma Murphy has all sorts of useful stuff in her shop including consorts minus one to play along with.

Sarah Jeffrey has a Team Recorder YouTube channel with a large number of videos about playing the recorder including a couple of play-along ones. She also runs a 4 week online course to improve your playing., though the May one has just finished.

Helen Hooker is creating weekly videos, along with the sheet music, so players can join in with the sound of a real consort. These include a conducting track in each video along with some hints and tips about playing the music. All the resources can be found here – sign up to receive notifications – or follow her on the SRP Facebook page

Much of David Hatcher’s “Consort Music Minus One” is suitable for recorder ensembles.

Consorts.co.uk is a new independent business supplying high quality ‘play-along’ recordings for the recorder playing community. It will be launching on the bank holiday weekend and as a special opening offer, Consorts are offering free access to the whole site for that weekend (29th-31st August). At launch they are aiming to have about 80 works available. Each will have a webpage providing some basic information about the piece along with links to the score and parts and a complete recording of the piece as well as versions with all individual parts missing as well. This should total around 600 recordings! To find out more, Consorts have an introductory webpage with details and a video montage of some of the pieces.

Continuo Lines founded by Tabea Debus (virtuoso recorder player) and Benedict Williams (continuo player) is a library of an ever-evolving online collection of basso continuo play- along recordings for players of all backgrounds and levels of learning. With this resource players will gain confidence in playing with a continuo line, i.e. an accompaniment consisting of a bass line with added figures (numbers) specifying the harmonies to be played in addition. Initially focusing on recorder repertoire, we plan to offer resources for other instruments in the future. Find it here.

RecorderDots – another playalong library for recorder consorts of different abilities. They’ve just added Bach’s Brandenburg #6 – 1 for low instruments. Find it here.

Recorders – Listen

Go to YouTube and search for recorder music whether solo or ensemble, renaissance or baroque. Well known ensembles are The Flanders quartet, The Royal Wind Music, Palisander and Fontanella.

There are also some jewels on the SRP page and on the Early Music page on Facebook.

From the Divine to the Ridiculous: Reconsidering the Recorder’s image in the Renaissance – an illustrated half hour talk by Helen Herbert.

Mixed Instruments – Take part

Cat on the Keys Music has downloadable backing tracks of renaissance and baroque music for all sorts of instruments at various pitches.

Corona Consort Karaoke Play-Along Store has been created by City Musick, the Renaissance Wind Band . They have recorded music ‘minus a part’ in whole and mixed consorts of recorders, cornets, shawms, dulcians and sackbuts for you to play along with on any instrument. For £5 a piece you can download a quality audio file of the full piece, an audio file of the piece minus the part you want to play and a pdf score (with parts where necessary)

Jude Rees is offering online tuition on modern and early woodwind including recorders, shawms, English border bagpipes, curtal/dulcian, crumhorns. Contact her here. MEMF have crumhorns available for loan.

Mixed Instruments / Concerts

Ensemble Échos (flute, violin, viola da Gamba and Harpsichord) have a number of videos of baroque music to listen to on their website. Their latest offering is a series of concerts called Five O’clock Baroque on Sundays. Tune in here.

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment directed by Steven Devine, have a monthly series of illustrated talks called “Bach, the Universe and Everything”. Now recorded live in their home in the King’s Place, London. See them all here.

Hespèrion XXI directed by Jordi Savall have numerous videos on YouTube,

Eboracum Baroque have a series of virtual coffee concerts (solos) on YouTube. They are Zoomed live on Facebook and YouTube when you can ask questions. Follow them on Facebook.

The Orchestra of the Age of Isolation, with musicians from France, England, Scotland and Switzerland play the beautiful Entrée de Polymnie by Rameau.

Sounds Baroque mini concerts: solos performed by Julian Perkins on keyboard and duets with Emma Abbate (not all are baroque!)

Angel Music, a charity supporting Early Music Education and performance, have sponsored a number of illustrated talks and concerts on YouTube including Alison Kinder talking about Tobias Hume, Fieri talking about Marenzio and Halcyon performing on harp and Lute. Find them here Subscribe to the Angel Music mailing list here and you will be notified about new videos.

Did you ever wonder what a consort of crumhorns sounded like? Early Music in a Different Way have a wonderfully pictorial video of Susato’s Pavane “La Battaille” with drums, viols and crumhorns (and a lot else!)

Christopher Monks, director of Armonico, plays Bach’s Goldberg Variations as part of their “Unlocking Musical Memories” series for people suffering from Dementia. All on their Facebook Page.

Les Arts Florissants celebrate their fortieth birthday in William Christie’s stunning garden at dusk with a really sumptuous concert of Handel, Lully, Purcell and Rameau. There is a long introduction before the concert begins.

The Oxford Bach Soloists (OBS) is a Baroque ensemble whose ambition is to perform, in sequence, the complete canon of J. S. Bach’s vocal works over 12 years. This has been somewhat interrupted during the Coronavirus Pandemic, but they have a few videos on their YouTube channel.

Il Bianco e Dolce Signo, a renaissance madrigal by Arcadelt is here sung by the Kings Singers and here arranged by Banchieri, an early Baroque composer, for two dulcians

Ensemble Principale – 6 baroque trumpets, keyboard and drums in Dresden make a fabulous sound in a short 6 minute concert here.

Academy of Ancient Music – Spotify Sundays – a weekly playlist of AAM concerts (about an hour and a half) personally chosen by AAM players, conductors, soloists and guests introduced every Sunday at 3pm, but all available here.

Hesperi at Home – The Hesperi Ensemble (the recorder and keyboard half) have lots of recorded recitals on their Facebook Page. You can see all their past videos there too. Please donate if you can here.

New Trinity Baroque have posted a playlist of four hours of Baroque music including Corelli, Vivaldi, Bach, Albinoni, Handel, Torelli and some lesser known composers. Listen on YouTube here. Founded in London in 1998, they are now based in Atlanta, US.

Here is a bit of seasonal fun from Joglaresa here.

Talks

The Choral Chihuahua – an occasional half hour conversation between Harry Christophers of The Sixteen, Robert Hollingworth of I Fagiolini and Eamon Dougann who sings with both.

Part of ThisChoirNerd series – conversation with Tallis Scholars director Peter Phillips and Byrd Ensemble director Markdavin Obenza about Peter’s book, “What We Really Do: The Tallis Scholars.” They talk about the Peter’s inspiration for starting The Tallis Scholars, the sound, interpretation, tempo, authenticity, recording, ideal singers, Renaissance polyphony on the main stage, and a short Question and Answer session (1 hour video).

Malaysia Bach Festival has made a documentary about Bach, his life, and his music entitled Encountering Bach . Join Artistic Director David Chin encountering Bach at important landmarks throughout Germany, where he speaks with scholars, researchers, historians, and musicians at various venues where many Bach’s compositions were first written and performed. (130 minutes)

Early Music Sources Online have a wealth of interesting material on their website including a series of video talks, including ones on vibrato, countertenors, false relations, musica ficta and all sorts of things one has heard of, but didn’t quite know what they were.

Fascinating 10 minute conversation with musical illustrations here, with Musicians of the Netherlands Bach Society talking about Basso Continuo, the backbone of Baroque music.

Peter Phillips of the Tallis Scholars talks to Gramophone’s Martin Cullingford about the music of Josquin when their 8th and penultimate recording of his masses came out in 1919. It’s a 14 minute Gramophone podcast (not a video) and there are many more here.

Rory McCleery of the Marian Consort has a new video giving you the inside story on Raffaella Aleotti, a little-known convent composer who was labelled a child prodigy, and whose music looked to redress the gender balance in sacred music. Watch here

Another Marian Consort podcast looks at the story of Vicente Lusitano, possibly the first Black composer to have music published. Director Rory McCreery is joined by Dr Bonnie Blackburn to investigate his story, Josquin-mania, and bootlegged motets. Bonnie J. Blackburn is an independent scholar specialising in music and music theory of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Listen here (26 mins).

Dance

Follow the Historical Dance Society on Facebook for teaching videos and webinars and find their Virtual Elizabethan Revels on YouTube.