Machaut writes about the plague

This week Early Music Monday explores how Machaut survived the plague (and what we can learn from his experience). In the meantime, please remember that musicians (among others) are unemployed right now. The more you do your part to slow the spread of Covid-19, the sooner musicians can go back to work. Probably Machaut's solution is a little extreme...

Machaut writes about the plague

Gradualia

Most of my favorite pieces by William Byrd are taken from his two collections entitled “Gradualia" - music written for private performance in a devotional setting rather than for large audiences in a concert hall. Seems rather fitting to explore these pieces again now, when live concerts for large audiences are almost unthinkable. Read more below about this incredible collection of music and the circumstances in which it was composed!

Singing in secret: how William Byrd created his best work in isolation

Music of Medical Horrors

This pandemic may have us recalling the rampant disease and political strife of centuries past, but at least medicine has advanced *somewhat* since then!

This Early Music Monday we explore a 3-minute programmatic piece by Marais about a horrifying surgical procedure (which he experienced).

How a painful operation inspired the 18th-century equivalent of a horror movie soundtrack

Guerrero and the Plague

Here’s another post from 2019: Guerrero is known as one of the giants of renaissance polyphony, but he also was a plague victim. Before that he was held for ransom by pirates, spent time in prison, and wrote a book about his adventures, among other things.

Read more here!

Music in Times of Pandemic

Following up on last week’s “Black Death Music Parties”, this isn’t the first time the musical community (or the world in general) has been impacted by a pandemic. Early Music America had a great article exploring this issue!

A Historically Informed Approach to Music in Times of Pandemic

The Plague and Music

Here’s a repeat of an Early Music Monday post from May 2019 that seems timely:
The History of Black Death Music Parties

What is our life?

Political upheaval? Rampant disease?
Late Renaissance or just yesterday’s news?
Here’s a setting of Sir Walter Raleigh’s sonnet “What is our life?”, written while he was in the Tower of London awaiting execution.

Black Death Music Parties

Aside from the part where it killed people, the plague actually had a pretty significant impact on music (and culture in general) in medieval/renaissance times. And did you know that Machaut was a plague survivor?

Read more here: Weird Classical: The History of Black Death Music Parties

Francisco Guerrero

Sure, Guerrero was a fantastic composer, but did you also know that he…
- was held for ransom by pirates
- spent time in debtors prison
- wrote a book about his adventures
- and died of the plague

Francisco Guerrero (October 4 (?), 1528 – November 8, 1599) was a Spanish Catholic priest and composer of the Renaissance. He was born and died in Seville.

Guerrero's early musical education was with his older brother Pedro. At the age of 17 he was appointed maestro de capilla (singing master, i.e. music director) at Jaén Cathedral. A few years later he accepted a position in Seville. During this time he was much in demand as a singer and composer, establishing an exceptional reputation before his thirtieth birthday; in addition he published several collections of his music abroad, an unusual event for a young composer.

After several decades of working and traveling throughout Spain and Portugal, sometimes in the employ of emperor Maximilian II, he went to Italy for a year (1581–1582) where he published two books of his music. After returning to Spain for several years, he decided to travel to the Holy Land, which he finally was able to do in 1589. His adventure included visits to Damascus, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem; on the return trip his ship was twice attacked by pirates, who threatened his life, stole his money, and held him for ransom. He was able to return to Spain; unfortunately he had no money, and endured a series of misfortunes, including some time spent in debtors' prison. At last his old employer at Seville Cathedral extricated Guerrero and he resumed working for them. His book on his adventurous visit to the Holy Land was published in 1590 and was a popular success (it is reasonable to suppose that Cervantes knew it). At the end of the decade he planned one more trip to the Holy Land but unfortunately died in the plague of 1599 in Seville before he was able to depart.

Francisco Guerrero (October 4 (?), 1528 - November 8, 1599) was a Spanish Catholic priest and composer of the Renaissance. He was born and died in Seville. Guerrero's early musical education was with his older brother Pedro. At the age of 17 he was appointed maestro de capilla (singing master, i.e.

…read more on Wikipedia…