June 16th was my last service as a full-time chorister at The Church of the Advent (stay tuned for my next adventures!). The last motet I sang? A sacred contrafacta of this gorgeous piece. It took a lot, but I somehow managed to not sing the German words.
Audite nova
Missed the concert last weekend? One of my favorite pieces was this hilarious one by Lassus about feasting on a very fat goose (Gans).
Audite nova - Lassus (Spotify)
Hear ye, hear ye!
That farmer from Eselkirchen?
He has a plump goose, a [goose noises] goose!
It has a long, plump, fat, willowy neck:
Bring the goose here!
You’ve got it? - my trusty Hans!
Shear it, pluck it, scald it, roast it, tear it, and devour it!
That is St. Martin’s bird, to whom we can’t be an enemy!
Servant Heinz, bring us some good wine and pour for us bravely;
let it all go around, and in God’s name let us drink good wine and beer
to the boiled, roasted, young goose
that it may do us no ill.
"Neapolitan" 6th chord?
The "Neapolitan 6th" chord - what is it (other than something to trip you up on theory tests) and how Neapolitan is it really??? Early Music Sources tells all about this exciting chromatic "flavor".
Natural Horn
Early horns - how exactly do they play all the notes with no valves? Check out this awesome explanation from my Handel + Haydn Society colleague Todd Williams!
Bach's Choir
Everyone has opinions about how to present Bach- here's what we actually know (and don't know), courtesy of Early Music Sources!
Senfl Ave Maria
My favorite #JosquinHomage has to be this rewrite of his famous "Ave Maria" by Ludwig Senfl (the fact that the recording has sackbuts doesn't hurt either)!
The Heavens are Telling
I first sang "The Heavens Are Telling" from Haydn's Creation as a high school freshman. Many years (and performances) later, the last section is still just as thrilling as it was when I was 15.
Pietro Pontio
Sometimes the best way to determine historical practice is to learn about when things went wrong... like with Pietro Pontio! Early Music Sources provides some excellent context for what was going on (both good and bad) in this situation.
Maria Magdalene
Today I'm reveling in this glorious Guerrero motet (the model for the Lobo mass sung at Church of the Advent on Saturday/Sunday) and remembering that Jesus appeared to the women first.
Handl - Ecce quomodo moritur justus
This gorgeous piece by Jacob Handl often shows up for Good Friday and it's always worth it!