The
madrigal was one of the most popular musical forms in the entire
Renaissance and had a profound influence on the development of
English consort music in the early seventeenth century. Although
madrigals were originally seen as closely tied to their Italian
texts, volumes such as Musica
Transalpina and
Italian
Madrigals Englished helped
solidify their popularity in England by resetting their music to
newly composed English words. Soon English composers such as Gibbons,
Weelkes, and Wilbye were publishing their own collections of
madrigals. Not only did these have English texts, they were
advertised as "Apt for Voices and viols," inviting viols to
take part or even to play them as fantasias. Other contemporary
composers, such as Ward and Coperario, went one step further,
publishing large bodies of fantasias that draw on the expressive
language of madrigals while remaining purely instrumental works.
For
this special workshop, we invite singers to attend. The faculty
includes Pamela Dellal, an expert in matters lyric poetry and vocal
diction. She will have valuable insight into issues of how to play
texted pieces instrumentally, and how to double and accompany
vocalists. Participants in the workshop will get to play and sing
Italian madrigals that were popular in England, as well as English
madrigals and madrigalian consorts. As usual, there will be a lecture
demonstration at the beginning of the day with performances by the
faculty and a discussion of the background behind the music that we
will be examining throughout the day. A session for beginners will be
offered if there is enoudh interest.
Faculty: James Williamson,
Laura Jeppesen, Emily Walhout, and Pamela Dellal
