Arcadia Players presents The English Orpheus, a concert of
English Baroque chamber music with contemporary readings, Saturday, January 12,
2008, at 7:30 PM, at Caswell Library, Deerfield Academy, Old Main Street,
Deerfield (adjacent to Brick Church Meetinghouse), and Sunday, January 13, 2008, at 3:00 PM,
at Wistariahurst Museum, 238 Cabot St., Holyoke.
The program features music for viols and violins with chamber organ by
English composers of the 17th century. This politically troubled time was a
golden age for English chamber music. Composers such as William Byrd, Orlando
Gibbons, Matthew Locke and Henry Purcell—the latter dubbed the “English
Orpheus”—infused the glorious legacy of English Renaissance music with the lilt
of French court dances and the sweep of Italian melody.
The literature of 17th-century England is rich in commentary on
music, written by poets, philosophers and composers themselves. Ian Watson,
Arcadia Players’ Artistic Director, will intersperse readings that make more
vivid the musical culture in which these fantasias, suites and dances were
composed and enjoyed.
The music on Arcadia’s program was written when the violin
was coming into fashion. In England the new instrument did not
drive out the older viols, still loved for their sweet tone and subtle
expressiveness. The audience will hear ensemble music for violins, viols, and
the two together, played variously by violinist Dana Maiben, a founding member
of Arcadia Players, faculty member at the Longy School of Music and Director of
Concerto Incognito; Tina Chancey, founding member and Director of the ensemble
Hesperus who plays both violin and viol; viol player Alice Robbins, member of
the Five College Early Music faculty and regular performer with Arcadia Players,
Washington Bach Consort, and the Boston Early Music Festival; and organist
Gregory Hayes, member of the Dartmouth College Music faculty who appears
regularly with Arcadia Players and other regional ensembles as organist and
harpsichordist.
Alice Robbins will give a short pre-concert talk one half-hour before
each performance.
Advance ticket orders at 413-534-8888: $20 general admission, $30
preferred seating, $10 students. Door price is $25 general, $35 preferred, $10
student. Information at 413-534-8888 or www.arcadiaplayers.org.
This concert is supported in part by 88.5FM – WFCR, NPR News and Music
for Western New England. The season sponsor of
Arcadia’s
2007-08 series is WGBY.
