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Christmas in 15Th-Century France & Burgundy

Christmas in 15Th-Century France & Burgundy

Christmas in 15th-Century France & Burgundy Wellesley Saturday, December 1, 2018 Cambridge Friday & Saturday, December 21-22, 2018 Providence Sunday, December 23, 2018 Chrismas in 15th-century France & Burgundy CHRISTMAS AT THE COURTS OF 15TH-CENTURY FRANCE & BURGUNDY O clavis David (O-antiphon for December 20) plainchant Jennifer Ashe “in darkness and in the shadow of death” Factor orbis JA DT / JM MN / SR MS / MB ST / PG SH Jacob Obrecht (1457/8-1505) Pamela Dellal By mid-December, here in the northeastern corner of the United Martin Near States, the days have been geting shorter for six months. Compared O virgo virginum (O-antiphon for December 24) plainchant Daniela Toši´c to northern Europe, of course, New England sufers a relatively mild cantus case of sun deprivation. Boston lies at about 42 degrees north, roughly O virgo virginum MN JM MS MB PG SH Josquin Desprez (c. 1455-1521) the latitude of Rome; Paris is nearly 600 miles further north. At the Michael Barrett winter solstice Paris sees nearly an hour less daytime than our nine Conditor alme siderum (alternatim for Advent) MN SR MB (c. 1397-1474) Jason McStoots hours; the Low Countries, still further north, endure even shorter Stefan Reed days. But for all of us living in the middle regions of the northern Ave Maria gratia dei plena DT PD JA Antoine Brumel (c. 1460-c.1512) Mark Sprinkle hemisphere, the fall brings more and more darkness, and by the time Sumner Thompson winter fnally arrives we live more in darkness than in light. Christmas O admirabile commercium / Verbum caro factum est PD MN JM ST SH tenor & contratenor Johannes Regis (c. 1425-1496) Whatever the reasons early Christians setled on December 25 to Paul Guttry celebrate the birth of Christ, observing the savior’s birthday just a few INTERMISSION Steven Hrycelak days afer the solstice locates the feast at the cusp of the year, when bassus the sun begins, imperceptibly at frst, to climb again in the sky. Te Letabundus (Christmas sequence) DT JM MB / PD MS SR penitential, prophetic, and preparatory season of Advent falls during Du Fay Laura Jeppesen the darkest weeks of the year, and it is there that our program begins. Praeter rerum seriem MN JA MS JM SR ST SH (c. 1490-1562) advent & christmas Charles Weaver Te plainchant antiphon O clavis David is one of a series of seven New Year's Day La plus belle et doulce fgure DT CW SM & voice Nicolas Grenon (c. 1380-1456) ancient “” sung to the same melody, one for each of the seven days before Christmas Eve. Te O antiphons, each beginning Dieu vous doinst bon jour et demy JA MS SR / LJ CW SM Scott Metcalfe Guillaume Malbecque (c. 1400-1465) with the interjection “O,” address the Messiah to come with various , director acclamations: “Sapientia” (wisdom), “Adonai” (Lord), “radix Jesse” Dame excellent ou sont bonté, scavoir JM MS ST PG (d. 1397/8?) (root of Jesse), “clavis David” (key of David), “Oriens” (morning star), “Rex” (king), “Emanuel” (“God with us”). Te initial leters of each De tous biens playne (instrumental) LJ CW SM Johannes Tinctoris (c. 1435-?1511) word afer O spell out the promise in a reverse acrostic, SARCORE, “ero cras”: “Tomorrow I shall be there.” An eighth antiphon for Margarite, feur de valeur DT SR MB Gilles Binchois (c. 1400-1460) Blue Heron is Christmas Eve, O virgo virginum, was ofen added to the original funded in part seven. In it, the daughters of Jerusalem demand of the virgin Mary PD JM MB / LJ CW SM Ce jour de l’an voudray joie mener by the Massachusetts that she explain the unique wonder of her conception of . She Du Fay Cultural Council, a state agency. admonishes them that what they seek to know is a divine mystery. Christmas Gloria Spiritus et alme JM MS PG SH BLUE HERON Obrecht’s Factor orbis quotes both O clavis David and O virgo (c. 1370-1412) 950 Watertown St.Suite 8 Nato canunt omnia PD DT / MN JM / SR MS / MB ST / PG SH West Newton, MA 02465 virginum, one at the end of each half of the , along with Brumel (617) 960-7956 texts and some tunes from seventeen other liturgical items. Te [email protected] liturgical texts, mostly for Advent, are introduced by a plea to the www.blueheron.org Pre-concert talk in Cambridge by Irit Kleiman (Boston University) Maker of the world to hear the cries of his servants “on this day that brings light.” Te musicologist Jennifer Bloxam interprets 2 3 Factor orbis as a sermon in music, an exegesis an extended hemiola at the next higher level popular devotional songs (cantiones). Regis, new year’s with the valois of the scripture “Canite tuba in Sion” (“Sound of organization divides every pair of bars into who seems to be reinventing the motet each Europeans have long celebrated the season the trumpet in Sion,” Joel 2:1), but to fully three, disrupting the listener’s sense of pulse. time he composes one, reserves one of his most around the winter solstice with the comprehend this sermon as it is preached genial inspirations for the close of O admirabile, exchange of gifs and wishes for good luck and a musically is impossible, for at times fve a marvellous suspension of forward motion at emulation & homage prosperous new year. Te custom in its present diferent texts are sung simultaneously. Te the (nonsense?) words “Sus, valla sus in orisus,” motet’s continuously shifing textures bring Te on our concert represent several as if the jubilant falls suddenly into a form coalesced around the feast of Christmas now one, now another text to the foreground. generations of musicians from northern France reverent hush at the cradle of the newborn. only in the late nineteenth century, but its roots Te opening plea, sung in imitative duet by or modern-day Belgium. Du Fay was born near in western culture can be traced as far back as the highest voices, comes to a cadence as a Brussels and trained as a choirboy in Cambrai; Te relationship of Nato canunt omnia, in the ancient Near East. Romans of the imperial third voice enters with “Veni Domini,” “Come, his contemporary Binchois was born in Mons, particular, to Regis’s motet is unmistakeable. era marked the Kalends of January with a Lord,” whereupon the dueting voices, joined just north of the current border. Malbecque Brumel’s work quotes one of the same festival several days in length, during which by the bass, break into the acclamation “Noe!” seems to be from Maalbeek, north of Brussels. Christmas cantiones, the rollicking “Magnum the people ofered tributary gifs called strenae Te of the tenor on the cantus frmus Grenon hailed from Paris or nearby, Ciconia nomen domini Emanuel”+an unusual to the emperor in exchange for presents of “Canite tuba” is marked by a long hemiola was a proud native of Liège, and Cordier moment of pure levity in a highbrow genre+ money. Medieval Europe absorbed the Roman in all parts. At the introduction of two non- proclaimed his birthplace to be Reims. Regis’s and the striking, heraldic ffhs that begin New Year’s festivities into its own calendar, Advent texts, “Deus qui sedes super thronos” birthplace is unknown, but he spent most of the secunda pars (“Puer natus est”) are taken modifying them somewhat according to the () and “Media vita in morte sumus” his working life in Soignies, about 50 miles directly from O admirabile, with more voices evolving sensibilities of the Christian church, (Lent), the texture changes from counterpoint northeast of Cambrai. Tinctoris was born in the thrown in for good measure. Where Factor but the tradition of giving presents at New to homophony; the efect is heart-stopping. early 1430s near Nivelles. Josquin was born near orbis conveys the penitence and prophetic Year’s persisted despite the eforts of the church Te homophonic texture is in turn swept Saint-Quentin in Picardy, Obrecht in Ghent in mysticism of Advent, Nato canunt omnia to suppress what it regarded as pagan beliefs in away by a return to counterpoint that moves Flanders, and Brumel possibly near Chartres. is flled throughout with the high spirits good luck omens and the efcacy of ceremonial twice as fast as anything beforehand, and this Te latest of our composers, Willaert, came from of Christmas, manifested not least in a gif exchange. In France, the Latin strena passed concludes the frst part. Tis “double-time” the southern Low Countries, perhaps Bruges. superabundance of jaunty cross relations into the vulgar tongue as estraine (estreine, music appears again to wind up the second part, (e.g. F natural and F sharp sounding in close étrenne, etc.), retaining its meaning of “omen of now at a somewhat slower speed determined As northern musicians followed their itinerant proximity or simultaneously). good fortune” as well as “New Year’s gif.” by the proportional relationship between the careers, their paths crossed in one place or mensurations of the two sections, gathering all another+Malbecque sang with Du Fay in the All of the music discussed above quotes New Year’s was celebrated with peculiar intensity the voices together for the fnal cries of “Noe!” papal chapel, for example; Du Fay and Grenon plainchant melodies; so do Du Fay’s setings at the courts of the Valois nobles who ruled both worked together at Cambrai Cathedral, of Conditor alme siderum and Letabundus and France and Burgundy in the late fourteenth and Josquin’s O virgo virginum sets the which atempted (unsuccessfully) to hire Willaert’s sonorous Praeter rerum seriem. Te early ffeenth centuries, and members of the O-antiphon in its entirety, quoting the Regis+and the music they composed was Du Fay pieces are intended for alternatim courts exchanged precious gifs in enormous complete plainchant melody in the top voice disseminated into all the corners of Europe. In performance, each verse of plainchant quantity. Philip the Bold, duke of Burgundy and alluding to it in the fve others. Josquin such circumstances it is not surprising to come answered by a verse in in which from 1364 to 1404, disbursed an average of 6.5 deploys his six voices in antiphonal groups, across instances of compositional emulation the topmost voice sings an elaborated version percent of his annual budget on estraines, while for example seting the high trio against a low or rivalry. Regis’s O admirabile commercium, of the melody. Willaert’s Praeter rerum his nephew and political enemy Louis d’Orléans one. Equally characteristic is the hypnotic Obrecht’s Factor orbis, and Brumel’s Nato seriem sets the plainchant in a three-voice spent no less than 19,000 livres at New Year’s overlapping of short motives (as at “fet istud” canunt omnia form a trio of works in which canon embedded among four freely composed in 1404. (At the time a good horse or a fnely in the prima pars and “Filiae” at the beginning Obrecht and Brumel pay homage to Regis. voices. Te rubric “Trinitas in unitate” makes ornamented harp might be had for around 50 of the secunda pars). A disorienting metrical All three are for fve voices and explicit the symbolism of the canon+three livres, a house for 100 or so.) Illuminated books, shif at “hoc quod cernitis” heightens feature multiple texts and cantus frmi: parts of one substance. By writing for seven jewel-encrusted saltcellars, enamelled serving the sense of mystery: here the mensural Reinhard Strohm has described O admirabile voices Willaert surely intended to surpass, at vessels, golden cups, reliquaries, pendants, organization shifs proportionally from two commercium as a “huge Christmas pie,” stufed least in one dimension, Josquin’s six-voice brooches, rings, horses, dogs, hunting falcons: beats per bar to three, but at the same time full of antiphons, gospel texts, plainchant, and work on the same text. all changed hands in an ostentatious public ritual 4 5 that honored the chivalric virtue of largesse, a word on words ABOUT THE INSTRUMENTS cemented social ties, established position within It is a biter truth that some of the most joyous the courtly heirarchy, and allowed the rich and Christmas texts are marred by venomous …the lute serves among us for feast- Te rebec, whose name derives from the powerful to faunt their wealth. barbs aimed at Jews and others regarded by days, dances, and banquets and private Arabic rabab, is a bowed instrument with gut recreations. In this many, especially as unbelievers; some of these were strings, typically pear-shaped, with a vaulted Just as it does today, all this famboyant Germans, are exceedingly accomplished. back and a tapering outline. It usually had materialism sometimes benefted those set to beautiful music. Tere is no single or Indeed, some play in ensemble the perfect solution to this problem. Our view is that three strings, most ofen tuned in ffhs, but further down the social ladder, the artisans and soprano part of any polyphonic piece of could have as few as one and as many as fve crafspeople who fashioned the sumptuous we musicians are not playing roles in some sort of music with wonderful divisions of the historical drama, nor is it our job in this concert melodies so elegantly that truly there or more. Despite Tinctoris’s preferences, it objets d’art prized by their noble commissioners. was probably used quite ofen for dances and Te makers of New Year’s gifs included poets to preserve the historical record by reciting it is nothing more outstanding.… And neutrally. (Tat is a critical task, but it’s not ours.) some sing any songs…most pleasantly other profane occasions. Te rebec played in and musicians, and it is a small irony that while this concert was made in 1983 by Bernard one single, superb litle golden and bejeweled We are performers who want to enjoy what we to this instrument… are doing and convey that enjoyment to our + Johannes Tinctoris Prunier in Paris, from a gourd. tabernacle is the only known estraine aside from De inventione et usu musicae (c. 1481–3) manuscripts to have survived+much of the rest audience, and we don’t feel obliged to sing words we fnd hateful, so our choice on this occasion is Te strings on a harp clang by striking having been melted down and sold of to fnance Some form of lute is documented as long ago as the lower nail where they are connected the endless wars pursued by a bellicose and to emend the words. If you are interested in the to the body… In common parlance original text of Letabundus, you can no doubt 3100 BC in Mesopotamia, whence it spread both perpetually cash-strapped nobility+27 songs east and west. Both Greeks and Romans played this is called “harping” the string. remain to us that commemorate the occasion. fnd it on the internet somewhere+or, in the spirit of , try a library. forms of lute, but the lute used in medieval + Heinrich Glarean (Ten of them are by Guillaume Du Fay.) While European art music is most directly descended Dodecachordon (1547) we don’t know the exact circumstances in which Te happiest of holidays to one and all! from the Arabic ud or oud which was imported New Year’s songs were writen, we can imagine into Andalusia by its Moorish conquerors afer Te 15th-century harp sounds rather diferent that a courtier would provide a with +Scot Metcalfe the year 711. Te European word lute (Spanish from its modern counterparts due to the verses to set to music, and the song would then laúd, middle French leut, lehut, etc,) probably presence of brays, small wedges set atop the be presented to the courtier’s lady love or perhaps derives from the Arabic al-oud, meaning “the pins in the sound board: when the string is performed at a public celebration. In exchange for wood.” Te 15th-century lute had four or fve plucked, it vibrates against the narrow end of his strena a courtier might hope to win the lady’s courses or pairs of gut strings and was played the wedge, creating a buzzy or snappy sound amorous favor, while the musicians could expect with a quill used as a plectrum. In the later years which is both louder and more sustained than a gif of money or household necessaries. We of the century, lutenists gradually switched to that of a harp without brays. Te harp played know, for example, that in January 1454 Johannes plucking with the fngers, enabling them to play today was made by Lynne Lewandowski Ockeghem presented Charles VII a book of music more than one line of a polyphonic piece on a of Bellows Falls, Vermont, from Vermont as an estraine, receiving four ells of scarlet cloth single instrument. cherry, and is based on various surviving worth 44 livres, while in 1459 a single song “most originals and paintings, especially the tall richly illuminated” earned him another 44 livres. Te fddle and the rebec are my two and slender portrayed in the paintings (Neither book nor song is known to be extant.) instruments; I repeat, my chosen of Hans Memling. Its 26 gut strings are tuned instruments, those that induce piety diatonically with both B-natural and B-fat. In keeping with the conventions of chivalric and stir my heart most ardently to the love, these ffeenth-century New Year’s contemplation of heavenly joys. For songs are not boisterous, champagne- these reasons I would rather reserve inspired toasts. Elegantly crafed and fnely them solely for sacred music and the wrought, their merit as gifs was measured in secret consolation of the soul, than part by their ingenuity or estrangeté (novelty), Photo: Bayerisches Nationalmuseum have them sometimes used for profane and most are marked with a graceful sort of The so-called Goldene Rössl or Golden Knight (French, occasions and public festivities. c. 1400-1405). The sole étrenne known to have survived melancholy, for courtly love can never be aside from songs and manuscripts, it was given by Isabeau of Bavaria to her husband, king Charles VI of France, on New +Tinctoris consummated, only yearned and sufered for. Year’s Day, 1405, and pawned that very year to pay off debt. De inventione et usu musicae 6 7 TEXTS & TRANSLATIONS Hodie scietis quia veniet Dominus, et mane Tis day you shall know that the Lord will come, videbitis gloriam suam. and on the morrow you shall see his glory. O clavis David et sceptrum domus Israel, qui O key of David and scepter of the house of Israel, who Erunt prava in directa et aspera in vias Te crooked shall become straight and the aperis et nemo claudit, claudis et nemo aperit: opens and no one shuts, who shuts and no one opens: planas. rough ways smooth. veni et educ vinctum de domo carceris, come and lead the captive from the house of prison, Bethlehem, es civitas Dei summi, ex te exiet Bethlehem, you are the city of the most high God, sedentem in tenebris et umbra mortis. siting in darkness and in the shadow of death. dominator Israel. out of you shall come forth the ruler of Israel. Crastina die erit vobis salus, dicit Dominus On the morrow you shall have salvation, says O-antiphon for December 20 exercituum. the Lord of hosts. Crastina die delebitur iniquitas terre: Tomorrow the wickedness of the earth shall et regnabit super nos salvator mundi, be bloted out: and the savior of the world Factor orbis, Deus, nos famulos Maker of the world, God, hear us, alleluia. shall reign over us, alleluia. Exaudi clamantes ad te tuos, Your servants, crying unto you De celo veniet dominator Dominus, et in From heaven shall come the Lord, the ruler, Et nostra crimina laxa And loose the bonds of our sins manu eius honor et imperium. and in his hand honor and strength. Die ista lucifera. On this day that brings light. O virgo virginum, quomodo fet istud? quia O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be? For Noe, noe! Noel, noel! nec primam similem visa es, nec habere thou wast not seen to have one like unto Veni Domine et noli tardare: relaxa facinora Come, O Lord, and delay not: loose the bonds of the sequentem. Filiae Jerusalem, quid me thee before thee, nor afer thee. O Daughters plebis tue Israel. grievous sins of your people Israel. admiramini? Divinum est misterium hoc of Jerusalem, why do ye wonder at me? Tat Ecce Dominus veniet, noli timere, alleluia. Behold the Lord shall come, fear not. quod cernitis. which you behold is a divine mystery. Canite tuba in Sion, quia prope est dies Sound the trumpet in Sion, for the day of the Lord Beata es Maria, que credisti: quoniam Blessed are you, Mary, who has believed: Domini. is near. perfcientur in te que dicta sunt tibi, those things shall be wrought in you which Ad te Domine levavi animam meam: Deus To you, O Lord, have I lifed up my soul: O my God, alleluia. were spoken to you, alleluia. meus in te confdo, non erubescam. in you I put my trust; let me not be ashamed. Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum, Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, Crastina die erit vobis salus. On the morrow you shall have salvation. benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus blessed are you among women, and blessed Deus, qui sedes super thronos et iudicas O God, who sits upon the throne and judges justice, fructus ventris tui. is the fruit of your womb. equitatem, esto refugium pauperum in be the refuge of the poor in tribulation: for you Ecce Dominus veniet, et omnes sancti Behold the Lord shall come, and all his saints tribulatione: quia tu solus laborem et alone consider labor and sorrow. eius cum eo: et erit in die illa lux magna, with him: and on that day there shall be a dolorem consideras. In the midst of life we are in death: whom shall we alleluia. great light, alleluia. Media vita in morte sumus: quem querimus seek to help us but you, O Lord? Veni Domine et noli tardare, alleluia. Come, Lord, and delay not, alleluia. adiutorem nisi te Domine? O key of David and scepter of the house of Israel, Noe, noe! Noel, noel! O clavis David et sceptrum domus Israel, qui who opens and no one shuts, who shuts and no aperis et nemo claudit, claudis et nemo aperit: one opens: come and lead the captive from the Cento of Advent texts veni et educ vinctum de domo carceris, house of prison, siting in darkness and in the sedentem in tenebris et umbra mortis. shadow of death. Canite tuba in Sion, quia prope est dies Sound the trumpet in Sion, for the day of the Lord is O virgo virginum, quomodo fet istud? quia O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be? For Domini: ecce veniet ad salvandum nos, near: behold he shall come to save us, alleluia. nec primam similem visa est, nec habere none like unto thee was seen before thee, alleluia. sequentem. nor afer thee. Filiae Jerusalem, quid me admiramini? Daughters of Jerusalem, why do ye wonder at me? Spiritus Domini super me, evangilizare Te spirit of the Lord is upon me, he has sent me to Divinum est misterium hoc quod cernitis. Tat which ye behold is a divine mystery. pauperibus misit me. bring glad tidings to the poor. Veniet fortior me, cuius non sum dignus Tere shall come afer me one mightier than I, the strap O-antiphon for December 24 corrigiam calciamentorum eius solvere. of whose sandal I am not worthy to unloose.

8 9 Conditor alme siderum, O bountiful creator of the stars, Verbum caro factum est et habitavit in nobis Te Word was made fesh and dwelt among us, eterna lux credentium, everlasting light of believers, et vidimus gloriam eius. and we beheld his glory. Christe, redemptor omnium, O Christ, redeemer of us all, Magnum nomen domini Emanuel, Great is the name of the Lord, Emmanuel, exaudi supplicum. hear our humble . Quod annuntiatum est per Gabriel. Who was announced by Gabriel.

Qui condolens interitu Sufering with us a worldly death, Jocundare die, theotoce tinnula festo omnique Rejoice with ringing bells, Mother of God, on thy mortis perire seculum, enduring death and earthly destruction, inesto gaudio. Hostes nunc arte virgo bona festal day, and be in all joy. Now, good Virgin, salvasti mundum languidum, you saved the sufering world, mentis ab arce annue feliciter ire pro nobis keep away our enemies from the citadel of our donans reis remedium. bringing us healing for our sins. iter. mind, consent to go happily on our behalf. Nam si vera loquar protectrix turris ad instar For if I shall speak true, thou art a protectress Vergente mundi vespere, As the world turned to evening, atque es amica piis optima Christicolis. like a tower and a best friend to pious uti sponsus de thalamo, like a bridegroom from his chamber Christians. egressus honestissima you came forth from the most pure Verbum caro factum est et habitavit in nobis Te Word was made fesh and dwelt among virginis matris clausula. cloister of a virgin mother. et vidimus gloriam eius quasi unigeniti a us, and we beheld his glory, as of the only patre. begoten of the Father. Cujus forti potentie Before your mighty power Hodie apparuit in Israel Today he appears in Israel, genu curvantur omnia all creatures kneel down, per Mariam virginem et per Joseph. through the virgin Mary and through Joseph. celestia, terrestria in heaven and on earth, Sunt impleta que predixit Daniel. Tat which Daniel foretold is fulflled. nutu fatentur subdita. all accept your command. Eya! Virgo deum genuit Come then! a virgin gives birth to God, sicut divina voluit clemencia. as was the will of divine mercy. Te deprecamur agie, So we pray you, venture judex seculi, O judge of the world to come, Puer natus est nobis et flius datus est nobis, Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, conserva nos in tempore preserve us when we face cuius imperium super humerum eius. and the government shall be upon his shoulders. hostis a telo perfdi. the enemy with treacherous arms. Mitibus arbitriis ora velit addere sanctis natus Pray that thy son be willing, with merciful nos orbis post mala celicolis. judgements, to add us, afer the evils of the Laus, honor, virtus, gloria Praise, honor, might, and glory world, to the holy heaven-dwellers. Deo patri et flio, to God the Father, the Son, Suscipe. Receive us! sancto simul paraclito, and the Holy Spirit, Universalis ecclesia Let the Church Universal in seculorum secula. Amen. for ever and ever. Amen. Congaudeat his temporibus rejoice at this time Cum angelis sic canentibus: with the angels, singing thus: Advent hymn, seventh century Eya eya alleluia! Come, come, alleluia! Deo in excelsis gloria Glory to God in the highest, et in terra pax hominibus. and on earth peace unto men. Ave Maria gratia dei plena per secula. , full of the grace of God forever. Valla sus, valla sus, Hush now, shush! Amen. Amen. valla sus in orisus, hush, shush, hush now, requiescat ipse parvulus. let that litle one rest. Noe noe, parvulus. Amen. Noel, noel, litle one. Amen. O admirabile commercium! Creator generis O wondrous exchange! Te creator of humani, animatum corpus sumens, de humankind, assuming a living body, Cento of Christmas texts virgine dignatus est nasci deigned to be born of a virgin, (emendation & translation adapted et procedens homo sine semine and coming forth without seed as a man, fom Leofanc Holford-Strevens) largitus est nobis suam deitatem. bestowed upon us his divinity.

10 11 Letabundus Full of joy, Praeter rerum seriem Surpassing the natural order, exsultet fdelis chorus: let the chorus of the faithful exult: Parit Deum hominem a virgin mother bears Alleluia. Alleluia. Virgo mater. God as man. Regem regum Te King of Kings Nec vir tangit virginem, No man touched the virgin, intacte profudit thorus: is brought forth from an intact womb, Nec prolis originem nor did the father know res miranda. a thing of wonder. Novit pater. the child’s origin. Virtus sancti spiritus consilii Te Angel of Counsel Te power of the Holy Spirit natus est de virgine, is born of a virgin, Opus illud coelitus Operatur. brings that work about, sol de stella, the sun from a star: divinely. Sol occasum nesciens, A sun that knows no seting, Initus et exitus stella semper rutilans, a star ever shining, Partus tui penitus Who fully comprehends semper clara. always bright. Quis scrutatur? the ins and outs of thy birth? Sicut sidus radium, As a star its ray, Dei providentia profert Virgo Filium, the Virgin produces her Son, Quae disponit omnia God’s providence, pari forma. alike in form. Tam suave, which disposes all things Neque sidus radio, Neither the star by its ray, Tua puerperia so harmoniously, neque mater flio, nor the mother by her son, Transfer in mysteria. Mater, ave! transforms your childbearing ft corrupta. is corrupted. into a mystery. Hail, mother! Cedrus alta Libani Te tall cedar of Lebanon conformatur hyssopo is formed by the low hyssop valle nostra; in our valley: Christmas sequence Verbum, mens altissimi, the Word, the mind of the Highest, corporari passum est, descended into a human body, carne sumpta. having assumed fesh. La plus belle et doulce fgure, Te most beautiful and sweetest face, La plus noble, gente faiture, the noblest, most gracious form, Isaias cecinit, Isaiah sang of it, C’est ma chiere dame et mestresse. is that of my dear lady and mistress. Synagoga meminit; Te recalls it; Bon an, bon jour, joye et liesse A good year, a good day, joy and happiness Hec Scriptura defnit Scripture reveals that it Li doinst dieux et bone aventure! may God grant her, and good fortune! Esse facta. Has been fulflled. Sic et nostris vatibus Tus has this been foretold C’est tout mon biem, c’est ma déesse, She is all my good, she is my goddess, Nec non et gentilibus By our own prophets Celle par qui ma dolour cesse, she through whom my pain ceases, Sibyllinis versibus And those of the gentiles, En qui je preing ma noreture, from whom I take sustenance, Hec predicta. In the Sibylline oracles. Qui servir vueil sans nul destresse she whom I wish to serve without the least restraint Nunc age propera Come now, make haste De cuer, tant que vogue me lesse, of heart, as much as reputation permit me, Et Christum venera, And worship the Christ, N’en ce monde d’autre n’ay cure. for I care for none other in this world. Crede et nova et vetera. Believe both the new and the old scriptures; Quem docet litera Whom the scripture proclaimed, Former la sut dieux de nature God formed her by nature Natum considera, Look upon at his birth: Blanche, blonde, tout par mesure; pale, blond, all in just measure; Ipsum genuit puerpera. Alleluia. His mother has brought him forth. Alleluia. Playsanment y jouta jesnesse, pleasingly he added youth, Largesse, honour, toute noblesse generosity, honor, and every nobility Christmas sequence En fais, en dis et en parleure. in deed, word, and speech. (revised & translated by Richard Tarrant) La plus belle et doulce fgure… Te most beautiful and sweetest face…

12 13 Dieu vous doinst bon jour et demy God grant you a good day and more Margarite, feur de valeur, Margarite, fower of merit, Du commencement de l’anée, at the beginning of the year, Sur toutes aultres souverayne, above all others sovereign, Belle brunete et bon amée, fair sweetheart and well-beloved, Dieux vous doinst hui en bonne estraine God grant you today, as a good New Year’s gif, Bon moys, bonne sepmaine ossy, a good month and good week as well: Tout le desir de vostre coeur, your heart’s every desire, Dieu vous doinst bon jour et demy. God grant you a good day and more! Et vous garde de deshonneur and guard you from dishonor Je vous donne le cuer de my I give to you my heart, Et de Male Bouche vilaine. and from base Slandermonger, Pour estre dame honnourée. for you are my honored lady. Margarite, feur de valeur, Margarite, fower of merit, Dieu vous doinst bon jour et demy God grant you a good day and more Sur toutes aultres souverayne, above all others sovereign, Du commencement de l’anée! at the beginning of the year! Estrinez soit il de douleur May his gif be grief, Et chanteray sanz demourée, And I shall sing without cease, Qui ne metra toute sa paine who will not put all his efort Qui qu’en soit joieulx ou mary, no mater whom it please or annoy, A louer vo doulceur haultaine, into praising your noble sweetness, Ne recelle en gré, je vous pry, nor shall I conceal my desire, I pray you, Car vo loz n’a per ne meilleur. for your repute has neither peer nor beter. Si j’aray joyeuse pensée: if I have a joyous thought. Dieu vous doinst bon jour et demy. God grant you a good day and more! Margarite, feur de valeur… Margarite, fower of merit…

Dieu vous doinst bon jour… God grant you a good day and more…

Ce jour de l’an voudray joie mener, On this New Year’s Day I wish to be joyful, Chanter, danser et mener chiere lie, To sing, dance, and rejoice, Dame excellent ou sont bonté, Excellent lady, in whom are joined goodness, Pour maintenir le coustume jolye To maintain the happy custom scavoir, knowledge, Que tous amans sont tenus de garder. Which all lovers are obliged to observe. Biaulté de corps et maintieng gracieux, physical beauty, and gracious bearing, Je scay que bien puis dire tout pour voir I know that I may well say, and in all truth, Et pour certain tant me voudray poier And for certain I wish to polish myself up so well Estre je doy de cuer le plus joyeux that I should be most joyful at heart Que je puisse choisir nouvelle amie. Tat I will be able to choose a new lover. Par vo doulchour et le plus amoureux, on account of your sweetness, and most loving, Car vous m’avés tolu toute langour. for you have taken away all my sufering. Ce jour de l’an voudray joie mener, On this New Year’s Day I wish to be joyful, Si pri a dieu qui maint lassus es chieulx, Tus I pray to God who reigns in heaven above Chanter, danser et mener chiere lie. To sing, dance, and rejoice. Que tres bon an vous doint et tres that he grant you a very good year, and a very bon jour. good day. A laquelle je puisse presenter To her I shall present Cuer, corps et biens, Heart, body, and all good things, [Si gentement m’avés guerredonné So nobly have you rewarded me sans faire departie. without dividing them. Que d’entre tous me tiens le plus heureux, that I think myself the happiest of men: Hé, dieus d’amours, syés de ma partie, Ah, God of Love, take my side, Dont vous ai je mon cuer habandonné therefore I have surrendered my heart to you, Que fortune si ne me puist grever. that fortune cannot harm me! Qui en despit sera des envieux. and shall do so in spite of the envious. Le temps ai veu ou fuz tout langoureux, I have known a time when I languished, Ce jour de l’an… On this New Year’s Day… Mais ce jour d’huy suis entré en amour, but today I fnd myself happy in love, Si pri a cil qui est d’amer soigneux thus I pray of him who takes care to love well Que tres bon an vous doint et tres bon jour.] that he grant you a very good year, and a very good day. (Second strophe by Fabrice Fitch.)

14 15 Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax Glory to God in the highest, and on earth Natus alma virgine, He is born of a gentle virgin, hominibus bone voluntatis. Laudamus te. peace to all of good will. We praise you. We qui extat ante secula. Noel noel! he who was before time. Noel, noel! Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorifcamus bless you. We adore you. We glorify you. Joseph fli David, noli timere accipere Mariam Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam We give thanks to you for your great glory. conjugem tuam: quod enim in ea natum est de your wife: for truly, he is born in her of the Holy gloriam tuam. Domine deus, rex celestis, Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God Spiritu Sancto, alleluya. Noel, noel! Spirit, alleluia. Noel, noel! deus pater omnipotens. Domine fli the Father. Lord, only begoten Son, Jesus unigenite, Jesu Christe, spiritus et alme Christ, holy spirit and kindly advocate of Puer natus est nobis, et flius datus est nobis: A child is born to us, and a son is given to us: orphanorum paraclite. Domine deus, agnus orphans. Lord God, lamb of God, Son of the cuius imperium super humerum eius: whose government is upon his shoulder; and dei, flius patris, primogenitus Marie virginis Father, frstborn of Mary the virgin mother. et vocabitur nomen eius magni consilii his name shall be called the Angel of great matris. Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere Who takes away the sins of the world, have angelus. counsel. nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe mercy on us. Who takes away the sins of the Puer natus est nobis, et flius datus est nobis. A child is born to us, and a son is given to us. deprecationem nostram ad Marie gloriam. world, receive our to the glory of Mary. Verbum caro factum est et habitavit in nobis, Te Word was made fesh and lived among Qui sedes ad dexteram patris, miserere Who sits at the right hand of the Father, et vidimus gloriam eius, quasi unigeniti a us, and we beheld his glory, as of the only nobis. Quoniam tu solus sanctus Mariam have mercy on us. For you alone are holy, patre, plenum gratie et veritatis. begoten of the father, full of grace and truth. sanctifcans, tu solus dominus Mariam sanctifying Mary; you alone are the Lord, Magnum nomen Domini Emanuel, Great is the name of the Lord, Emmanuel, gubernans, tu solus altissimus, Mariam directing Mary; you alone are the Most High, quod annuntiatum est per Gabriel, He who was announced by Gabriel coronans, Jesu Christe, cum sancto spiritu in crowning Mary; Jesus Christ, with the Holy Hodie apparuit in Israel, Today appears in Israel, gloria dei patris. Amen. Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Amen. per Mariam virginem et per Joseph. through the virgin Mary and through Joseph. Eya, eya! Come then! Virgo Deum genuit, A virgin gives birth to God, Nato canunt omnia Te whole host sings piously sicut divina voluit as was the will of divine Domino pie agmina, to the new-born Lord, clementia. mercy. sillabatim neupmata with words fted syllable by syllable Pax in terra reddita Now let all rejoice perstringendo organica. to melodious music. nunc letentur omnia to see peace restored to earth Hec dies sacrata, Tis is the blessed day nati per exordia. by the birth of this child. in qua nova sunt gaudia on which new joys Ipse sua pietate For he by his obedience modo plena dedita, are given to the whole world, solvat omnia takes away all Hac nocte precelsa And on this night peccata nostra. our sins. intonuit et gloria angel voices have rung out: Alleluya. Noel, noel! Alleluia. Noel, noel! in voce angelica. “Glory in the highest.” Exortum est in tenebris lumen rectis corde: In the darkness is arisen a light to pure hearts: Fulserunt et immanua And at midnight misericors et miserator et justus Dominus. merciful and compassionate and righteous is nocte media a great light has shone the Lord. pastoribus lumina. upon the shepherds. Dum fovent sua peccora While they tended their focks, Cento of Christmas texts; tenor text in italics subito diva suddenly they heard precipiunt monita. the heavenly message. Magnifcatus est rex pacifcus super omnes More glorious is the King of Peace than all the reges universe terre. kings of the whole world. Angelus ad pastores ait: Annuntio vobis Te angel said to the shepherds: To you I gaudium magnum, quia natus est hodie proclaim great joy, for today is born the salvator mundi, savior of the world, alleluya. alleluia. Translations by Scot Metcalfe where not specifed otherwise.

16 17 ABOUT THE ARTISTS Mustering up “rock solid Blue Heron, and Coro record labels. Michael technique” and “the kind has served as music direcor of Convivium of vocal velvet you don’t Musicum since 2007. He also direcs the Me- ofen hear in contemporary ridian Singers, a vocal ensemble based at MIT. music” (Boston Phoenix), Michael is currently an Assisant Professor at soprano Jennifer Ashe the Berklee College of Music, where he teaches has been praised for per- conducing courses for undergraduates. formances that are “pure bravura, riveting the audi- Pamela Dellal, mezzo- ence with a radiant and opulent voice” (Te soprano, has enjoyed a Boson Globe). A srong advocate of new works, disinguished career as an she has sung with Boson Musica Viva, Sound acclaimed solois and recit- Blue Heron has been acclaimed by Te Boson Horse Consort, Les Délices, Parthenia, Pifaro, Icon, Fromm Fesival, Boson Microtonal Soci- alis. She has performed in Globe as “one of the Boson music community’s and Ensemble Plus Ultra. In 2015 the ensemble ety, Harvard Group for New Music, New Music Symphony Hall, the Ken- indisensables” and hailed by Alex Ross in Te embarked on Ockeghem@600, a multi-season Brandeis, New Gallery Concert Series, Gue- nedy Center, Avery Fisher New Yorker for its “expressive intensity.” Com- projec to perform the complete works of Jo- rilla Opera, Ludovico Ensemble, and the Cal- Hall, and the Royal Al- mited to vivid live performance informed by hannes Ockeghem (c. 1420-1497) and record all lithumpian Consort. Recent projecs include bert Hall, and premiered a the sudy of original source materials and his- of his songs and motets. Volume I of the songs Boulez’s Le marteau sans maitre with Boson chamber work by John Harbison in New York, torical performance pracices, the ensemble will be released in the sring of 2019. Te proj- Musica Viva and Schoenberg’s Pierrot lunaire San Francisco, Boson, and London. With Se- ranges over a wide repertoire from plainchant ec will wind up around 2021, in time to com- with Ensemble Parallax. Ashe holds a DMA quentia, Dellal has recorded the music of Hil- to new music, with particular secialities in memorate the composer’s circa-600th birthday. and an MM from the New England Conserva- degard von Bingen and toured the US, Europe, 15th-century Franco-Flemish polyphony and tory and a BM from the Hart School of Mu- and Ausralia. Passionate about chamber mu- early 16th-century English sacred music. Blue Heron’s frs CD, featuring music by Guil- sic. Formerly on the faculties of the College of sic, early music, and contemporary music, she laume Du Fay, was released in 2007. Between the Holy Cross and Easern Connecicut State has appeared frequently with Dinosaur Annex, Founded in 1999, Blue Heron presents a concert 2010 and 2017 the ensemble issued a 5-CD series University, she currently teaches voice, piano, Boson Musica Viva, Ensemble Chaconne, Blue series in Cambridge, Massachusets, and has of Music fom the Peterhouse Partbooks, includ- and ukulele at the Dana Hall School of Music Heron, and the Musicians of the Old Pos Road. appeared at the Boson Early Music Fesival; ing many world premiere recordings of works in Wellesley and preschool music at Music To- She has been a regular solois in the Emmanuel in New York City at Music Before 1800, Te copied c. 1540 for Canterbury Cathedral. Te gether Arlington. Music Bach Cantata series for over thirty years Cloisers (Metropolitan Museum of Art), and fifth CD was awarded the prestigious 2018 and has performed almos all 200 of Bach’s ex- the 92nd Street Y; at the Library of Congress, Gramophone Classical Music Award for Early Michael Barret is a Bos- tant sacred cantatas. She has recorded for Ara- the National Gallery of Art, and Dumbarton Music and the fve discs are now available as ton-based conducor, sing- besque, Artona, BMG, CRI, Dorian, Meridian, Oaks in Washington, D.C.; at the Berkeley a boxed set entitled Te Los Music of Canter- er, multi-instrumentalist, and KOCH. Dellal serves on the faculty at the Early Music Fesival; at Yale University; and in bury. Blue Heron’s recordings also include a and teacher. He has per- Boson Conservatory at Berklee and at the Chicago, Cleveland, Kansas City, Milwaukee, CD of plainchant and polyphony to accom- formed with many profes- Longy School of Music of Bard College. Pitsburgh, Philadelphia, Providence, St. Lou- pany Tomas Forres Kelly’s book Capturing sional early music ensem- is, San Luis Obiso, and Seatle. Te ensemble Music: Te Story of Notation and the live record- bles, including Blue Heron, Bass-baritone Paul Guttry has performed has performed in Cambridge and London, ing Chrismas in Medieval England. Jessie Ann the Boson Camerata, the throughout the USA and internationally with England, and in 2018-19 will make Canadian Owens (UC Davis) and Blue Heron won the Huelgas Ensemble, Vox Sequentia, Chanticleer, the Boson Camerata, debuts in Montreal (September) and Vancou- 2015 Noah Greenberg Award from the Ameri- Luminis, the Handel & Haydn Society, Boson and New York’s Ensemble for Early Music. A ver (March). Blue Heron has been in residence can Musicological Society to support a world Baroque, Nederlandse Bachvereniging (Nether- founding member of Blue Heron, he has also at the Center for Early Music Studies at Bos- premiere recording of Cipriano de Rore’s I lands Bach Society), L’Académie, Seven Times appeared in and around Boston as soloist ton University and at Boson College, and has madrigali a cinque voci (1542), to be released in Salt, Schola Cantorum of Boson, and Exsulte- with Emmanuel Music, the Handel & Haydn enjoyed collaborations with A Far Cry, Dark fall 2019. mus. He can be heard on the harmonia mundi, Society, the Boson Early Music Fesival, the

18 19 Tanglewood Music Cen- Laura Jeppesen received the Boson Early Music Fesival (BEMF) for Baroque (dir. Eric Milnes). His scholarly ac- ter, Cantata Singers, Bos- a master’s degree from their recording of works by Charpentier. His tivities include research on the performance ton Cecilia, Prism Opera, Yale University and subse- recent sage appearances in period-syle ba- pracice of English vocal music in the 16th and Boson Revels, Collage, the quently studied the viola roque opera with BEMF include Le Jeu in Les 17th centuries, including two essays that will Boson Modern Orchesra da gamba at the Hamburg plaisirs de Versailes by Charpentier, Apollo in be published in a forthcoming collecion, and Project, and Intermezzo. Hochschule and the Brus- Monteverdi’s Orfeo, and Eumete and Giove in he has edited music by Francisco de Peñalosa Paul can be heard on all sels Conservatory. She has Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria. Other for Antico Edition (UK) and songs from the Blue Heron’s recordings, been a Woodrow Wilson recent solo performances include Pedrillo in recently rediscovered Leuven for on discs of Designate, a Fulbright Mozart’s Abducion fom the Seraglio, Bach’s the Alamire Foundation (Belgium); he is also by Sequentia, Kurt Weill’s Johnny Johnson and Scholar, and a fellow of the Bunting Insitute Chrismas Oratorio and St. Mark Passion with at work on a new edition of the songs of Gilles French airs de cour with the Boson Camerata, at Harvard. A prominent member of Boson’s Emmanuel Music, and Monteverdi’s Vesers of Binchois (c. 1400-1460). Metcalfe has taught at and on Emmanuel Music’s Bach CDs. early music community, she has long associa- 1610 with the Green Mountain Projec. He has Harvard University, Boson University, Boson tions with Te Boson Museum Trio, Boson appeared with Boson Lyric Opera, Pacifc Mu- Conservatory, and Oberlin Conservatory. He Steven Hrycelak, bass, is equally at home as an Baroque, the Handel & Haydn Society, the Bos- sicWorks, Boson Camerata, TENET, San Juan received a bachelor’s degree from Brown Uni- operatic, concert, or ensemble performer. He ton Early Music Fesival, and Ason Magna. In Symphony, Te Bach Ensemble, Pablo Casals versity (1985), where he majored in biology, is a member of the Grammy-nominated Choir 2015 she was part of the BEMF team that won a Fesival, Early Music Guild of Seatle, Tragico- and a maser’s degree in hisorical performance of Trinity Wall Street, both as ensemble singer Grammy for bes opera recording. She has per- media, and the Tanglewood Music Center. He is pracice from Harvard (2005). and solois. Other ensembles include ekmeles, formed as solois with conducors Chrisopher a core member of Blue Heron and can be heard the New York Virtuoso Singers, Toby Twining Hogwood, Edo de Waart, Seiji Ozawa, Craig on all their recordings. With BEMF, he appears Martin Near has been ac- Music, Early Music New York, Vox, TENET, Smith, Martin Pearlman, Harry Chrisophers, on recordings of Lully’s Psyché (nominated for a claimed for the “sweet lim- Meridionalis, Seraphic Fire, and the vocal jazz Grant Llewellyn, and Bernard Haitink. She has GRMMY), Handel’s Acis and Galatea (as Da- pidity” of his singing (Te quintet Wes Side 5. He has also been a solois an extensive discography of solo and chamber mon), John Blow’s Venus and Adonis (solois), New York Times), with a with NYS Baroque, Pegasus, Publick Musick, works, including the viola da gamba sonatas of and Charpentier’s Acéon (as Orphée). “cool, beaming counter- the Mimesis Ensemble, Musica Sacra, 4x4, the J. S. Bach and music of Marin Marais, Buxte- tenor” commended for its Waverly Consort, the American Symphony Or- hude, Rameau, Telemann, and Clerambault. Scott Metcalfe is widely “crystal clear…beautiful, chesra, Sacred Music in a Sacred Space, Union She teaches at Boson University, Wellesley recognized as one of North blooming top notes” (New Avenue Opera, and the Collegiate Chorale. His College, and Harvard University, where in 2016 America’s leading spe- York Classical Review). He performance in the role of Monteverdi’s Sen- she received an award of disincion in teaching cialiss in music from the enjoys a varied career exploring twin passions eca with Opera Omnia was hailed by Te New from the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and ffeenth through the sev- for early music and new music. Highlights of re- York Times as having “a graceful bearing and Learning. She is a 2017 recipient of an Andrew enteenth centuries and be- cent solo performances include a concert ver- depth.” He has traveled the W. Mellon Blended Learning Initiative Grant yond. From 2010 to 2016 he sion of Machaut’s Remede de Fortune, created US, Canada, and Europe for innovative teaching at Wellesley College. was music direcor of New as a collaboration between Blue Heron and singing in Frank London’s York City’s Green Moun- Cleveland’s Les Délices (Debra Nagy, direcor) klezmer musical A Night Reviewers have praised Ja- tain Projec (Jolle Greenleaf, artisic direcor), and returning Blue Heron’s season in 2019, and in the Old Marketplace. Mr. son McStoots as having an which he will lead again in January 2019, and Richard Rodney Bennet’s Ophelia (1987) with Hrycelak received degrees “alluring tenor voice” (Arts- he has been gues direcor of TENET (New Boson’s Odyssey Opera under the artisic di- from Indiana University Fuse) and as “the consum- York), the Handel & Haydn Society (Boson), recion of Gil Rose. Mr. Near maintains a par- and Yale University, where mate artist, wielding not the Tudor Choir and Seatle Baroque, Pacifc allel career in the pipe organ indusry, provid- he sang with the world-re- jus a sweet tone but also Baroque Orchestra (Vancouver, BC), and ing services in organ pipe reconditioning and nowned Yale Whifenpoofs. He is also a vocal incredible technique and Quire Cleveland, and other ensembles. Met- repair, voicing, tonal fnishing, and tuning for coach and accompanis. impeccable pronunciation” calfe also enjoys a career as a baroque violinis, Spencer Organ Company of Waltham, and he (Cleveland Plain Dealer). In currently playing with Les Délices (dir. Debra has also been known to compose, arrange, and 2015 he won a GRMMY award in Opera with Nagy), L’Harmonie des Saisons, and Montreal engrave using Finale.

20 21 Originally from Glasgow, and Craig Smith. He has appeared as a solo- Mezzo-soprano Daniela was the assisant conducor for Juilliard Op- Virginia, Stefan Reed is is with Concerto Palatino and has sung the Tosic, praised for her “bur- era’s producion of Cavalli’s La Caliso. He also currently based in Jamaica Evangelis in Bach Passions with the Handel & nished and warm sound” works with the New York Continuo Collecive, Plain, Massachusets, and Haydn Society, the Boulder Bach Fesival, the (Te Boson Musical Intel- an ensemble of players and singers exploring enjoys an acive career in Oriana Singers of Vermont, Seraphim Singers, ligencer), is a soloist and seventeenth-century vocal music in semeser- , oratorio, Boson’s Chorus Pro Musica, and the Andover chamber musician who length workshop producions, and has taught at and recording, with perfor- Choral Society, among others. Mr. Sprinkle was specializes in early, con- the Lute Society of America Summer Workshop mances and projecs in New a member of the Cambridge Bach Ensemble temporary, and world mu- in Vancouver, the Madison Early Music Fesival, England and throughout and a fellow of the Briten-Pears School and has sic repertories. Her concert and the Wesern Wind Workshop in ensemble the country. Mr. Reed has been characerized recorded for Dorian, Koch, Harmonia Mundi, appearances include the Utrecht Early Music singing. Mr. Weaver is associate direcor of mu- as an “intense, focused, lyric tenor” (Miami Her- Decca, Arabesque, and Telarc. and the Maasricht Musica Sacra Fesivals, Re- sic at St Mary Church in Norwalk, Connecicut, ald) and his performances have been described gensburg’s Tage Alter Musik, the Flanders Fes- where he secializes in Renaissance polyphony as “dramatically expressive and technically Praised for his “elegant tivals of Ghent and Brussels, a Banco Republico and . impressive” (Boson Musical Inteligencer). He syle” (Te Boson Globe), tour of Colombia, and the Cabrillo Fesival of performs regularly with Boson Baroque, Blue Sumner Tompson is high- Contemporary music; the Frick Collecion and Heron, Consirare, the Handel & Haydn So- ly sought afer as both bari- Rockefeller University in New York City; Den- ciety, and Seraphic Fire. Recent and upcoming tone and tenor. His appear- ver’s Newman Performing Arts Center; the Da solo engagements include performances with ances on the operatic sage Camera Society of Los Angeles; fesivals in Ot- the Vermont Symphony Orchesra, Coro Alle- include roles in the Bos- tawa and Montreal; and many others. Ms. To- gro, the Handel & Haydn Society, Boson Ba- ton Early Music Fesival’s sic is a founding member of the internationally roque, and Boson Cecilia. Mr. Reed sent two productions of Conradi’s renowned vocal ensemble Tapesry, winner of summers as a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Ariadne (2003) and Lully’s Psyché (2007) and the Echo Klassik and Chamber Music America Fesival and holds performance degrees from several European tours with Contemporary Op- Recording of the Year awards. Mos recently the New England Conservatory and George era Denmark as Orfeo in Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo. she has joined Rumbarroco, a Boson-based Mason University. He has performed across North America as a Latin-Baroque fusion ensemble using period, solois with the Handel & Haydn Society, Con- folk, and contemporary popular insruments. Tenor Mark Sprinkle’s certo Palatino, Tafelmusik, Apollo’s Fire, Les Ms. Tosic can be heard on Telarc, MDG, and singing has been described Boréades (Montreal), Les Voix Baroques, Pa- several independent labels. as “expressive,” “very re- cifc Baroque Orchesra, the King’s Noyse, Mer- warding,” “outstanding,” cury Baroque, and the symphony orchesras of Charles Weaver performs “vivid,” and “supremely Charlote, Memphis, and Phoenix. Recent high- on early plucked-sring in- stylish.” He has collabo- lights include Monteverdi’s Vesers of 1610 and sruments as a recitalis and rated with the Boson Early a new Vesers of 1640 with the Green Mountain as an accompanis. Cham- Music Fesival, the Boson Projec, Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nosri with ber music appearances in- Camerata, the Mark Mor- Les Voix Baroques and Houson’s Mercury Ba- clude Quicksilver, Early ris Dance Group, Emmanuel Music, Boson roque, Mozart’s at St. Tomas New York, Piffaro, Baroque, the Handel & Haydn Society, and in New York City, a tour of Japan with Joshua Chamber Music Society of many others, performed at fesivals in Bergen Rifin and the Cambridge Concentus, a return Lincoln Center, the Folger (Norway), Vancouver, Edinburgh, and Alde- to the Carmel Bach Fesival, and Briten’s War Consort, Blue Heron, Musica Pacifca, and the burgh (UK), and worked as a solois and en- Requiem with the New England Philharmonic Boson Early Music Fesival Chamber Ensem- semble singer under Seiji Ozawa, Chrisopher and several gues choruses. ble. He is on the faculty of the Juilliard School, Hogwood, William Chrisie, Roger Norrington, where he teaches “Hisorically Informed Perfor- John Nelson, Andrew Parrot, Grant Llewellyn, mance on Plucked Insruments,” and las season

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