Baroque Spring

[Anna]

This looks rather good. Discovering Music: The English Viol Consort Duration: 1:24:26
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00gqwyq

Thanks dover, I'll certainly listen to this (what happened to Discovering Music, can't remember if it was dropped completely?) I was hoping for a bit of Jenkins and Lawes during the BaroqueFest, perhaps there has been and I've missed it or it's going to be on in the remaining weeks.

[ardcarp]

Discovering Music: The English Viol Consort
Duration: 1:24:26
Catherine Bott joins Laurence Dreyfus and his celebrated viol group, Phantasm at the 2009 Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music. Here they provide a guided tour of the Golden Age of English viol music, the culmination of which are the Fantasies and In Nomines of Henry Purcell.
Catherine and Laurence offer an illustrated insider's view to this music, explaining the ideas that inspired it and highlighting many of characteristics that define it. They draw on music by Robert Parsons, William Byrd, Orlando Gibbons, John Jenkins and William Lawes - all of whom provided the catalyst for the Fourth Fantasia of Henry Purcell.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00gqwyq

If this is the programme I think it is, I heard it first time round, and it's brilliant. Looking forward to hearing it again when I've got some peace and quiet. Thanks, dovers.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

(what happened to Discovering Music, can't remember if it was dropped completely?)

It's been demoted, Anna: reduced to a twenty-minute introduction to the work performed in part two of the Thursday night concert.

[Anna]

It's been demoted, Anna: reduced to a twenty-minute introduction to the work performed in part two of the Thursday night concert.

Ah, thanks ferney. I know Charles Hazlewood was not everyone's cuppa tea with his unbuttoned shirts and chest hair but I admit to enjoying the DM programmes that I heard. Perhaps they were considered too simplistic for the sophisticated R3 audience?

[mercia]

This looks rather good.

Listen to the latest Baroque Spring broadcasts, plus archive programmes about major baroque composers and their music.　
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p012...eatures/listen

yes, interesting, but I wonder why they haven't included some of the archive programmes about other baroque composers that appear on this list

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tnxf/features/composer-a-z

Albinoni, Campra, Corelli, Delalande, Geminiani etc. - admittedly they are only the condensed CotW programmes

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Hey you guys; this is all very non-PC. The EM Forum is supposed to be a nice place (as evidenced by peace breaking out between dovers and jamie).

[Anna]

This made me laugh. At 20:10, in the interval, is Baroque Busted "Everything you wanted to know about Baroque but were afraid to ask!" and a request to email or tweet your queries. It was announced that one of the questions received for tonight was:
"Is it illegal to play Baroque on modern instruments?"
I'm sorry that I don't have time to construct a High Court scene ...... !!

[Nick Armstrong]

This made me laugh. At 20:10, in the interval, is Baroque Busted "Everything you wanted to know about Baroque but were afraid to ask!" and a request to email or tweet your queries. It was announced that one of the questions received for tonight was:
"Is it illegal to play Baroque on modern instruments?"

O

M

F

G

.................................................. .................................................. .........

[Flosshilde]

This made me laugh. At 20:10, in the interval, is Baroque Busted "Everything you wanted to know about Baroque but were afraid to ask!" and a request to email or tweet your queries. It was announced that one of the questions received for tonight was:
"Is it illegal to play Baroque on modern instruments?"
I'm sorry that I don't have time to construct a High Court scene ...... !!

I heard this too. I couldn't decide if the questioner was serious or was displaying a sense of irony.

I'm not in much doubt about the presenter's view of it

[Catherine Bott]

Thanks for flagging this up - I always enjoyed working on Discovering Music. The programme was a carefully planned but largely unscripted conversation between me and Laurence Dreyfus, with some glorious music.

[Flosshilde]

This made me laugh. At 20:10, in the interval, is Baroque Busted "Everything you wanted to know about Baroque but were afraid to ask!" and a request to email or tweet your queries. It was announced that one of the questions received for tonight was:
"Is it illegal to play Baroque on modern instruments?"
I'm sorry that I don't have time to construct a High Court scene ...... !!

Actually, what I heard of it wasn't too bad, & I did hear the response to the 'illegal' question; much giggling from all, & a reasonably good answer.

[EdgeleyRob]

Thanks for flagging this up - I always enjoyed working on Discovering Music. The programme was a carefully planned but largely unscripted conversation between me and Laurence Dreyfus, with some glorious music.

Hi Catherine.
Any chance you could have a word at HQ and see if we could have it back please?

[Catherine Bott]

Dear EdgeleyRob,
No amount of emoticons could express my feelings on that one (nuff said)

[Gordon]

People might like to go here

https://www.didbach.co.uk

for a book by Colin Booth about style in baroque keyboard playing. It has received plaudits from some well known players like Tilney and performance specialists Norrington. The site links to CDs just listening to his Goldbergs - v good.

I've just returned from a weekend course at which Colin was tutor and we had a fascinating time with him talking about baroque style and playing his own harpsichord, built by himself. He and another player Stephen Devine, also with another instrument, gave a concert of Handel with soprano Kate Semmens after the course. She sang an early cantata and also Silete Venti, a great favourite of mine. Clearly the arrangements for the vocal items were made for 2 harpsichords and worked very well. Excellent!

What struck me was the difference in the sound of the instruments when heard close up [eg where a mic might be - I went in while Stephen was tuning up and asked a few questions about the instrument and its tuning temperament [he used Young] - and further back in the performing space. Back there a softer, more rounded sound than close up. Made me think about listening at home and that maybe we get a brighter sound via CD etc because of the mic placement?? Just a thought.

For Young's tuning [yes, he is the same man as Young's Modulus and Rosetta stone] see here:

http://www.hpschd.nu/index.html?nav/nav-4.html&t/welcome.html&http://www.hpschd.nu/tech/tmp/young.html

[doversoul1]

Like the weather outside, Radio3’s Baroque Spring seems to have gone back to winter hibernation. Through the Night has good offerings but the daytime schedule, except for CoW and one recorded opera on Thursday afternoon (with no information other than the cast), there is no sign of Baroque anywhere. Unless you call ‘Remix’ and a comedy show Baroque Music. It makes you wonder what it is/was all about. We’ll see what happens in the rest of two weeks.

Here are TTN offerings for this week (11-18)

Monday: Bach's St John Passion
Wednesday: Handel's dramatic cantata Aci, Galatea e Polifemo
Saturday: 17th Century English music
Sunday: French baroque music