They're writing songs of love...

…and we're singing them!

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Song of Songs 1:1, Bible moralisée (76 E7, f. 122r): c. 1371 - 1372,
National Library of the Netherlands, The Hague

And it’s not even February / Valentine’s Day! But these songs of love aren’t your everyday, ordinary love songs. They’re divine, mystical (in some interpretations), and gorgeous. With a chamber choir, and viol consort, TEMP presents Praising the Beloved: The Song of Songs.

Enjoy this beautiful duet from our Monteverdi 1610 concerts during our 2016-2017 Season.

Purty music. Y’all come! We won’t see you again until Christmas!

-Danny

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PRAISING THE BELOVED:
THE SONG OF SONGS

Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, at  7:30 pm
St. John’s United Methodist Church, 2140 Allandale Rd, Austin, TX
Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019, 3:00 pm
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 8134 Mesa Dr., Austin, TX

Admission $30 general; $25 seniors (60+); $5 students (at the door only)
Tickets available in advance online or by cash, check, or credit card at the door.

Take advantage of preferred seating and other perks by
buying season tickets or sponsoring a concert!

For more information, call 512-377-6961 and leave a message,
or email info@early-music.org.

The Song of Songs or Song of Solomon from the Hebrew Bible provided the texts for many of the most polished, sensual, and beautiful compositions by the master composers of the Renaissance and early Baroque, c. 1450-c.1650. Well-known composers such as Dunstable, Josquin, Lassus, Guerrero, Monteverdi, Palestrina, and others will be represented, as well as more rarely performed but splendid works by Vecchi, Clemens, Brumel, Weerbeke, Grandi, Rovetta, Ducis, and Ingegneri. Some of the texts echo the voices of two lovers, praising each other, yearning for each other, sometimes explicitly. Other verses are more indicative of “wisdom literature,” offering teachings about divinity, virtue, and relationship.

TEMP will perform this serene and entrancing music with a small chamber choir, a consort of viols, and theorbo. Featured singers include Brett Barnes, Jenifer Thyssen, Gitanjali Mathur, Laura Mercado-Wright, Cayla Cardiff, Shari Alise Wilson, Tim O’Brien, Steve Olivares, and more, including special guest Ryland Angel, countertenor. Our consort of viols, led by guest Mary Springfels, will perform instrumental versions of some of these exquisite motets.

Superb and intense music performed in a quiet, intimate setting.
Bring someone you love.

Click on the image above to buy tickets now!

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Who knows where the thyme goes?

Oh, and we're out of milk, too ...

Firstly, I offer my sincere apologies: I meant to write this blog earlier this week, but ever since the time change I have been trying to make up for that MIA hour. You'd think I would get used to it at some point. . . 

Anyway, it's been a far busier first-quarter year than we are used to, with lots of school and outreach concerts in January, a huge and unusual and unique concert in February, and lots of grant applications in anticipation of our 20th season next year.  And then there was the Amplify Austin campaign in March. Yay!!

THANKS SO MUCH to all who donated to support our planned recording of the original Carmina Burana repertoire! We've raised more than $8K for that project and need to raise a bit more to go before we can proceed, but it's in our plans! 

Also in our plans: This Sunday (March 18 at 7:00pm) we have another outreach concert, this time for the residents at Westminster! And up next is the concert in which we get to tell it like it really is. Yes, the Complaints concert! It's a funny (and fun) concept, but the music is strikingly beautiful and oftentimes bittersweet—except for when we're just being grumpy! See all the details below and buy your tickets now for this musical kvetch-fest!

Beware the Ides of March!
-Danny

Complaints Through The Ages

 7:00 pm, Saturday, April 21, 2018
Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2111 Alexander Avenue, Austin, TX

3:00 pm, Sunday, April 22, 2018
First Presbyterian Church, 8001 Mesa Drive, Austin, TX

Admission $30 general; $25 seniors (60+); $5 students (at the door only)
Tickets available in advance online or by cash, check, or credit card at the door.

For more information, call 512-377-6961 and leave a message,
or email info@early-music.org.

“I am, therefore I complain.” Humans have always had things to complain about, ranging from life-threatening, quality-of-life issues to conjured or superficial annoyances that simply don’t fit into the notion of what a good day should hold. Our musical exploration of complaining has an eclectic array of music from Medieval times through the Baroque: Scottish Ballads, French chansons, Dowland madrigals, powerful selections from passionate Italians (Monteverdi, Carissimi, and Sances) and more. Lots of beauty, some sadness (maybe a few tears in those complaints) and quite a few laughs! With guest Ryland Angel (countertenor), and more!

Click on the image above to buy tickets now!

April seems shorter than usual…

Good thing taxes aren’t due until the 20th!

Thanks to all those who were able to attend Sunday’s benefit concert for Tom Zajac! If you missed the concert, but still want to make a donation, please email artistic_director@early-music.org for info! And special thanks to all those who were able to participate. It was heartwarming and magical in many ways! I know Tom & Lilli will be most appreciative!

Onward to Monteverdi and his compagni! Wear your ciaccona shoes!
–Danny

The Full Monteverdi, Part 2

Saturday, May 2, 2015, 8:00 pm
University Presbyterian Church, 2203 San Antonio Street

Sunday, May 3, 2015, 3:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church, 8001 Mesa Drive

We end our love song to Italy with music by Monteverdi and by composers who were influenced by him and some who might even have influenced the master a bit! The early to mid-17th century in Italy was an exciting time, musically, as the transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque was at full speed and composers were experimenting with harmony, rhythms, new modes of expressiveness, and virtuosity.

There are very few composers whose careers have spanned two musical eras and even fewer who have excelled majestically in both eras. More than 50 years separated Claudio Monteverdi's first book of madrigals (1587) from his final large sacred and secular works in 1642. Those 50 years witnessed the end of the musical Renaissance and the experimentations and changes that led to the Baroque, and Monteverdi was among the leaders of the transition. We take a cue from "The Full Monty," the delightful movie from 1997, and “expose” Monteverdi's artistic brilliance in his second career, that of the Baroque composer.

From his first opera (Orfeo, 1607) to his last one (L'incoronazione di Poppea, 1642), he consistently sought to improve the human aspects of musical drama, whether dealing with small-scale chamber operas or relatively large productions for the opera houses of Venice. Monteverdi incorporated this sense of drama into non-theatrical works as well, and TEMP will perform some of these most dramatic yet dissimilar works, from the pastoral and exhilarating Tirsi e Clori to the elegantly tragic Lamento della Ninfa. Zesty rhythms abound in the form of the ciaccona, and works by Monteverdi (Zefiro torna) and Giovanni Felice Sances (Cantata à voce sola sopra la Ciaccona) will keep your toes tapping—silently, please! Both fiery passion and rhythmic excitement are abundant in Barbara Strozzi’s Lagrime mie, for solo soprano. There will also be a bit of traditional 17th-century music from Italy with the traditional Ligurian tune La bella noeva and examples of the dance-like canzonetta in the form of a street song and also as refined by Monteverdi’s Chiome d’oro. Francesco Turini’s work Il corisino for two violins and cello has an imminently hummable melody, yet it is one of the most intricately virtuosic chamber works from the 17th century.

Some of Austin’s favorite vocal soloists are featured among the fourteen singers, including Jenifer Thyssen, Gitanjali Mathur, Meredith Ruduski, Cayla Cardiff, Jenny Houghton, Stephanie Prewitt, Jeffrey Jones Ragona, David Lopez, Paul D’Arcy, Brett Barnes, Steve Olivares, Thann Scoggin, and guest mezzo-soprano Erin Calata, from Seattle.

Frequent guest violinists Anna Griffis (Boston) and Boel Gidholm (Rochester) will lead our small chamber orchestra of cellos (Jane Leggiero & John Walters), theorbo & Baroque guitar (Scott Horton), triple harp (Elaine Barber), and harpsichord (Billy Traylor), and will provide accompaniment as well as instrumental variations.

TEMP’s final concert of the season will exhibit the beauty, passion, comedy, innovation, invention, and serenity of one of the most exciting periods in western musical history.

The fullness of Monteverdi and his milieu await.

The Groundhog was right—even in Texas!

Wanted: Punxsutawney Phil, for snow against humanity; By Michael Pearson, CNN

Don't worry, though! Everyone can participate in Amplify Austin without venturing out into the cold! Thursday, March 5, to Friday, March 6—24 hrs, 6pm to 6pm—and the preferred time for giving to TEMP is 7:00–8:00 AM Friday morning. Beat the rush! And, seriously, thank you for your support. We know there are many wonderful performing groups in Austin—thanks for including Texas Early Music Project in your list of groups to support! See below for instructions on how to help us get an early start on funding our next season.

Meanwhile, back to the Fine Arts Library to get repertoire for the Monteverdi and his Students/Friends/Colleagues concert in early May!

More soon!
Danny

AMPLIFY TEMP!

Your donation to TEMP's Amplify campaign can help in many ways, but can particularly help us continue our educational programs in Austin-area schools. Donations can also help us produce a spectacular multimedia event this September: Convivencia Re-Envisioned: The Three Worlds of Renaissance Spain, featuring the breathtaking music of the three great cultures of Renaissance Spain: Judeo-Spanish (Sephardic), Arab-Andalucian (Spanish Muslim), and Christian. This transformative, multimedia event will require support beyond the usual generosity of our loyal audiences and funding through the City of Austin Cultural Arts program.

Here’s how you can help:

You can donate $25 (or more!) on TEMP’s page on Amplify Austin. Any Amount Helps! Here are some suggestions:

• $25-$199 can help cover program and ticket processing costs

• $200-$499 can help with travel expenses for visiting artists

• $500-$799 can provide a concert stipend for one of TEMP’s premier musicians

• $800-$1,999 can help us continue our educational outreach programs

• $2,000+ can help underwrite our 2015-2016 season opener,  Convivencia Re-Envisioned

Schedule Your Pledge Now!

You don't have to wait until March 5 to participate! You can schedule your pledge now, and it will post on March 5! Just click on the "Donate now" button on the TEMP campaign page. Be sure to check the "Schedule for Amplify Austin Day" box on the donation form.  THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT!  If you don't indicated this, the donation will run immediately and will not count towards Amplify Austin Day!

Bonus Time:  7:00 AM on Friday, March 6, is our prime time hour to raise the most money out of all the nonprofits participating in this campaign! If we succeed, we get our dollar amount during that hour matched by Amplify Austin!

Create Your Own Campaign Page!

You can also become an individual fundraiser for TEMP by creating your own campaign page on the Amplify Austin website and inviting family, friends, and colleagues to donate to your TEMP campaign. Go to the TEMP campaign page and click on "Create a Fundraising Campaign." 

Be a Medici - but nicer! Amplify TEMP and Amplify Austin!

Visit TEMP’s Amplify Austin page by clicking on the  button below and schedule your gift by checking the box for "Schedule for Amplify Austin Day."

We thank you for your generous support!