Check out this incredible resource on ornamentation! Primary and secondary sources, musical examples, and more!
What makes performances interesting?
Musicians in the Renaissance and Baroque periods spent considerable effort (and treatise pages) discussing what made performances interesting. What if performing things the way they suggested ... actually did the things they said it would?
Performance Practice is modern too!
Performance Practice isn’t just about Early Music! While watching Disney’s original “Fantasia” this weekend, the narration before the Nutcracker Suite mentioned that “hardly anyone plays this these days”. Some quick research revealed that the holiday tradition of ballet companies putting on a production of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker only dates back to the 1960s (and “Fantasia” was released in 1940). How many other things that have “always been done this way” have a surprisingly short definitions of “always”?
Period Composition
Is imitation the highest form of flattery? What about forgery? Early Music Sources takes on period composition with some GREAT stories of scandal and deliberate misattribution, as well as previews of some current composers worth exploring!
Editions
Why sing from an edition when you could sing from a source? What makes a good edition? Thanks to Early Music Sources for explaining why editions matter in this fantastic video!
P.S. One exception: if there were neumes, sing from neumes. Otherwise I'm all for using a good edition!
Higher Ed Early Music Programs
Years ago, it was this listing of Higher Ed Early Music Programs that helped me find the path I'm on now! Know someone who is looking for opportunities to study/perform Early Music in college or grad school? Have them check out this list!
Gaudete!
Just in time for Christmas - Early Music Sources digs into the story behind Gaudete (and why I sang two different versions of the verse tune in concerts this December)!
Why bad performances are bad
What makes a "good" performance?
- stand as close to each other as possible
- no diminutions!
- only perform occasionally
- parts (and performers) should be in their best range
For other historical opinions about "good" or "bad" performances, check out this video from Early Music Sources! (The "good" part starts ~17:00).
Conductors - what did they do?
We all know the story of Lully hitting himself in the foot while conducting and dying of gangrene, but what DID conducting really look like? When were ensembles conducted and when were they led collaboratively? Early Music Sources explores what we know about conducting in the 16th-18th centuries!
Lorenzo Penna
Meet Lorenzo Penna, courtesy of Early Music Sources!
Some highlights:
- musicians should learn to sing and learn counterpoint BEFORE learning a keyboard instrument
- added flat 9ths (because, yes!)
- More is more!