Issue #37
February 28, 2005
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Arts Ensemble for Early Music by David Katz On Saturday, October 19, the Ensemble for Early Music kicked off its 2002-2003 season with a concert of music by the Flemish composer Heinrich Ysaac. Ysaac composed both secular and sacred music, and during the late 15th Century - early 16th Century was a favorite composer of Lorenzo Di Medici and Maximilian I, Emperor -elect of the Holy Roman Empire. The performance by the Ensemble was as close to perfect as human musicians can get.
The nine male singers of the ensemble, with voices ranging from bass to haute contre, were supplemented by three sackbut players. The opening number, "Comment peult avoir joye", was followed by the Kyrie of a Mass. The angelic voices, strong in both high and low registers, were complemented by the sackbuts (two tenors and a bass) which, due to their small bells, have a mellower sound than the modern trombones which they resemble.
One of the joys of listening to the Ensemble for Early Music is their programming: sacred and secular songs mixing subject matter and tempos insure a lively concert with plenty of pleasant surprises. This program had subject matter ranging from a Lament on the Death of Lorenzo the Magnificent to the lament of a fifteen year old bride married off to a grey-bearded husband, to a rousing battle song and a paean to Spring. One of the most interesting numbers was a piece for four instruments, with the chorus taking the place of the fourth instrument, singing "la mi la sol".
This is the Ensemble's twenty-ninth season. For an early music group to survive that long, and maintain the extraordinary standards that this group does, is a tribute to the skill and scholarship of Frederick Renz, the Founding Director of the group.
Other programs in this series include Sirens - Harpies, medieval women as performers, subjects and composers (11/23 and 11/24 at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine), Baroque Christmas(12/7, 12/15, 12/22 and 12/25, also at the Cathedral), Monteverdi, early 17th Century Concertato style (3/1/03 at St. Vincent Ferrer Church), and Chapel Royal, Purcell and the Middle Baroque (5/3/03, also at St. Vincent Ferrer).
As I said in my review of the Ensemble's performance of Daniel and the Lion (Daniel and the Lion, February 2002), the Ensemble is arguably the best early music group in New York and perhaps the country. It's good to have them back for another season.
New York Stringer is published by NYStringer.com. For all communications, contact David Katz, Editor and Publisher, at david@nystringer.com
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