Join us for the 2025 Seminar Series in Early Music Performance
We are pleased to announce our 2025 online Seminar Series in Early Music Performance.
Each of the seminars for 2025 include an historical lecture and an opportunity to play music that is sent in advance to all who register. Seminars are priced at $25 each. The Zoom sessions open at 7:15 PM EST for a meet and greet, and the instruction will begin at 7:30 PM EST.
Schedule
January 6
Presented by Lewis Baratz
Join the Highland Park Recorder Society on January 6, 2025 for “Kicking it up a Notch,” an online seminar presented by recorder player and conductor Lewis R. Baratz. Log in with your favorite soprano or alto recorder in hand, as we learn ways to improve our recorder technique, including air support, embouchure, finger technique, and articulation, all with the goal of adding to the joy of the recorder player.
Attendees will have the opportunity to try out their new technique abilities in the musical examples by Jacob van Eyck, Daniel Purcell, and George Philippe Telemann. The Zoom session opens at 7:15 PM EST for a meet and greet, and the instruction will begin at 7:30 PM EST.
February 3
Presented by Annette Bauer
Vergine Bella - “I am earth and you the queen of heaven”
Composers of the 15th-17th centuries were inspired by the poetic works of 14th c. Italian writer and humanist scholar Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374). This class explores various musical settings of Vergine Bella, the final poem in Petrarch’s collection “Rerum vulgarium fragmenta” (“Fragments of common things”), also simply referred to as Il Canzionere (“The Song Book”). Il Canzionere comprises 366 Italian poems, and is a collection of poetry composed over 40 years expressing unrequited love to a certain “Laura” - Petrarch even continued writing love poetry to her after her death.
We will play settings of Vergine Bella in 2-5 parts by Guillaume Dufay, Vincenzo Ruffo, Palestrina, and Cipriano da Rore, among others. We will also explore a few analytical tools to help us understand what sets these different versions apart. As we have quite a lot of music to play, please prepare a chosen part or two for each piece. In terms of the complexity of the individual parts, the Dufay setting (especially the cantus) might require a little extra preparation.
March 10
Presented by Rainer Beckmann.
An English Journey: From Medieval Carols to Purcell’s Incidental Music for the Stage
As a historical survey, this seminar session focuses on English music from the early 15th through late 17th century that is highly suitable for consorts of recorders. The compositions to be explored encompass a variety of genres and styles, and were originally performed in such differing settings as church, court, private home and public theatre. Among others, they include a polyphonic carol from the Windsor Carol Book, dances from the Court of Henry VIII, a masterful fantasia by William Byrd plus instrumental music written for an opera. Pre-recorded renditions of the music will offer plenty of play-along opportunities for players of all levels. SATB Recorders, A=440hz.
April 7
Presented by Annette Bauer
“Spring is in the air!”
The theme for our early music seminar in early April is all about springtime. Following on the heels of the date marking the beginning of the meteorological spring (and the equinox in the Northern hemisphere), I have selected music from across the centuries that celebrate the season of spring, the return of longer days, bird song, and the reawakening of nature… “Spring is in the air!” Be delighted by music by composers Landini, Vivaldi, Playford, and Schumann, among others!
May 10
Presented by Rainer Beckmann.
May Songs and More: Senfl’s Songs of Many Different Kinds
Ludwig Senfl’s output as a composer of German lieder (songs) has long been celebrated for its sheer beauty, diversity and refinement. This seminar session examines simple homophonic song settings (especially Senfl’s catchy May songs!), contrapuntal tenor songs, clever quodlibets combining two or more songs in one composition, as well as charming songs without words called “Carmen.” It does so from a recorder perspective that will allow for many opportunities to play along recordings of this engaging repertory from the early 16th century. All levels of players are welcome! SATB Recorders, A=440hz.
Presenters and their topics for June TBD. We will post them as soon as they are confirmed.
If you would like to make a donation, please see https://hprecorder.org/donate/ to learn how your donation supports our mission.
If you have any questions, please email me at recorderdonna@gmail.com
Sincerely,
Donna Messer, President
