Catacoustic News

Report from 1st Catacoustic Scholarship Winner, Elizabeth Motter, on Attending Seattle's Accademia d'Amore

2011-09-15T07:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a generous scholarship from Catacoustic Consort, I was able to attend a baroque opera workshop in Seattle called Accademia d'Amore. Stephen Stubbs is the Artistic and Musical Director, and his wife, Maxine, is an outstanding triple harp player. To learn from her was the reason I selected this particular workshop as an appropriate one to attend. The workshop was 10 full days in length, and every day was filled from beginning to end with rehearsals and coachings. There were many distinguished continuo players amongst the faculty, so I had the added benefit of learning from them, as well as Maxine. These included Grant Herreid, the founder of the New York Continuo Collective, Elizabeth Brown, Jillon Stoppels Dupree, Margriet Tindemans, and Nancy Zylstra. The interactions did not stop there, since the musical and dramatic elements were so wedded that the continuo groups were also guided by the staging and choreography directors, Giullaume Bernardi, Roger Hyams and Anna Mansbridge. Grant was also a stage director, which goes a long way toward making my point that the staging and musical direction were virtually inseparable. In fact, I did not even realize that Grant was a continuo player until the end of my time there since that was not his principal role during the workshop. I am a little embarrassed to admit that I did not know everyone's very impressive resumes from the start, but my excuse is that I quite intentionally put on blinders and focused on the work I had to do to learn my scenes and as much about continuo and playing the baroque triple harp as I could manage during my time there. I eventually looked up from my music to pay attention to the people around me with the result that I made many wonderful new friends.

There were 3 continuo teams, each comprised of a faculty and student mixture. All teams consisted of a harpsichord, a baroque cellist or viola da gamba, a baroque guitar, and two of the teams had a triple harp. (There was another triple harp player there, an excellent student of Maxine's who lives in the area.) The opera selections were divided amongst the teams. My team played selections from Monteverdi's Poppea, a scene from Cavalli's Calisto, and a scene from Caccini's La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall'Isola d'Alcina. The singers were from all over the world - South Africa, New York, England, Canada, Australia, and about 12 different states in the US.

Our days began with a movement class, led alternately by Anna or Roger. These classes also incorporated baroque gesture instruction. I was extremely fascinated to learn that many of the gestures have survived the centuries and are still in use today in everyday life. We all learned a bit of acting in these classes as well. The rest of the day we rehearsed. Initially, everyone was present for the first readings of all the pieces, then in subsequent days the teams divided up and scattered to various spaces in the school for coachings led by the musical and stage directors. At the end of the day, though my brain had turned to jello, and back in Cincinnati it was bedtime, I would stay and try to practice a while.

I left Cincinnati with a lot of questions and feeling very insecure about the scenes that I had been assigned. Continuo playing is an extremely complex and nuanced art, and learning how to do it is challenging me tremendously, in spite of my extensive experience as an ensemble player and all the work I have done with singers through the years. I am used to a different set of rules, and in many ways it feels like I have to start all over, which is a very humbling thing. Listening to Stephen and Maxine play was the most educational aspect of the experience. Stephen quite often would coach a singer and act as the sole accompanist while he did this, asking the rest of us to hold back a moment so he could work individually with the singer. It was extremely instructive to hear how he supported the singer. Seeing and hearing what he chose to emphasize and what he chose to minimize brought the scores to life in a way that I was not able to see on my own at this early stage. The improvisatory nature of playing continuo brings with it a great deal of freedom, as well as responsibility, since it isn't all spelled out. The score is a mystery, and for the clues we look to the text. Listening to Maxine was greatly inspiring. She gave me a lot of ideas and helped me to find some perspective on how the triple harp would best be utilized within the team. Also, it was extremely helpful to learn that the harpist's approach to interpreting the score varies greatly depending on whether one is a member of a continuo team or the sole support for the singer. There are many colorful ways for the harp to contribute in a team setting and find a place in the texture that do NOT involve playing the bass line! Maxine plays often in the upper registers and departs from the bass line when there are gamba players or a harpsichord present. She often plays huge, voluptuous 4-finger chords in both hands, made more voluptuous by arpeggiations up and down the double outer rows of strings. This is an example of taking advantage of one of the triple harp's unique features and not trying to simply blend into (or, in my case, hide behind) the harpsichord. When Maxine plays, she is heard! She does not simply double what others are doing; what she plays stands out and has its own character. Her playing added spectacularly to the texture and timber. She even played a glissando at the climax of the love duet between Nerone and Poppea. You could have knocked me over with a feather when she did that! I thought I was safe from glissandi in the baroque era, but apparently there is no escape!

You may wonder what instrument I played, if the Catacoustic triple harp made the journey. That was not necessary, as Maxine was kind enough to loan me one of her triple harps! Transporting a harp of any kind is a huge challenge, especially across such a distance. I was grateful that it was not necessary.
To summarize, the workshop was an incredible 10-day immersion into the art of continuo and baroque opera. I left Seattle with a beautiful collection of tunes seared into my brain, filled with inspiration for the journey ahead.

To learn more about Seattle's Accadmia d'Amore, visit http://www.pacificmusicworks.org/education.

Some Sources for Baroque Cello from Elisabeth Reed

2011-09-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

Elisabeth Reed was kind enough to share her reading list from the Baroque Cello class that she teaches at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. This is an excellent reading list, if you are interested in reading up on Baroque cello and performance practice.

1. Adas, Jane, editor: Mid Eighteenth-Century Cello Sonatas, Continuo Sonatas for Cello.
2. Bach, C.P.E., Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments, 1753.
3. Bach, J.S., Six Suites a Violoncello Solo senza Basso, Barenreiter.
4. Boyden, David D., The History of Violin Playing from Its Origins to 1761 and Its Relationship to the Violin and Violin Music, Oxford University Press, 1990.
5. Bylsma, Anner; Bach, the Fencing Master.
6. Corrette, Michel, Methode Theorique et Practique pour Apprendre un Peu de Tems Le Violoncelle dans sa Perfection, 1741.
7. Geminiani, Francesco, The Art of Playing on the Violin, 1751.
8. Graves, Douglas, The Theoretical and Practical Method for Cello by Michel Corrette: Translation, Commentary, and Comparison with Seven Other Eighteenth-Century Cello Methods, 1972.
9. Laird, Paul, The Baroque Cello Revival: An Oral History.
Lambooij, Henk and Feves, Michael, A Cellist's Companion: A Comprehensive Catalogue of Cello Literature.
10. Little, Meridith and Jenne, Natalie, Dance and the Music of J.S. Bach.
11. Muffat, Georg, Florilegium secundum fur Streichinstrumente.
12. Mozart, Leopold, A Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing, 1756.
13. Quantz, On Playing the Flute, Berlin, 1752.
14. Raoul, J.M., Methode de Violoncelle (together with Corrette).
15. Sadie, Julie Anne, A Companion to Baroque Music.
16. Stowell, Robin, Violin Technique and Performance Practice in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries, Cambridge, 1985.
17. Tarling, Judy, The Art of Baroque String Playing.
18. Tartini, Giuseppe, Traite des Agrements de la Musique, Treatise on Ornaments in Music, 1771.
19. Walden, Valerie, One Hundred Years of Violoncello: A History of Technique and Performance Practice, 1740-1840.
20. Wasielewski, Wilhelm Joseph von, The Violoncello and Its History, 1968 (first publ. 1894).

Baroque Cello Summer Continued with David Morris, Joanna Blendulf, and Elisabeth Reed

2011-09-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

I have been in San Francisco this week for a concert on the San Francisco Early Music Society series: a collaboration between the Catacoustic Consort and Wildcat Viols. Three of the musicians in this group are baroque cellists: Joanna Blendulf (based in Eugene, OR), Elisabeth Reed (San Francisco, CA), and David Morris (San Francisco, CA). I thought that I would continue on the theme of that instrument by asking them the questions I posed to Amanda and Nathan last month.

How did you learn to play the baroque cello?

JB: I was a modern cello student at Indiana University. I had a background in early music with viola da gamba and decided to take baroque orchestra. Stanley Ritchie (baroque violin professor there) was my first teacher, and he talked a lot about style and gesture. He felt that the baroque violin arm could translate to the cello bow.

ER: I was a modern cello undergraduate student at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. I was actually attracted to the exceptional faculty (Catharina Meints, Lisa Crawford, Marilyn MacDonald, and Michael Lynn). I felt that these were brilliant, thoughtful people that I wanted to work with. I also play viola da gamba, but I started that later, at Eastman.

DM: I had always loved early music as a kid; after high school, I came to the University of California, Berkeley as a music major. Considering how rich this area is in early music today, at that time there was no formal performance practice offered there. In my junior year, I decided to go to Jerusalem on a whim, and by accident ended smack dab in the middle of a flourishing early music scene, influenced by the English and Dutch early music worlds - and which was in need of a cellist. My colleagues and teachers there (violinists, flute/recorder player, harpsichordist, and a singer), gave me a whirlwind on-the-job training in the language and styles of baroque music. I did receive some lessons from cellists and gambists passing through town (Susie Napper, Allison Crum, etc.), and when I got back to Berkeley, I started cello lessons with Elisabeth LeGuin and gamba lessons with Peter Halifax.

What are your musical backgrounds?

JB: I play cello (began at the age of 8) and viola da gamba. I learned viola da gamba as a high school camper at Interlochen with Mark Cudek and went to the Cleveland Institute of Music for cello as an undergrad and later to Indiana University for graduate studies.

ER: I began cello also when I was 8 years old. I attended the North Carolina School of the Arts for high school and Oberlin for my undergraduate degree. I later went to Eastman for my masters in modern cello and IU for further graduate studies in early music.

DM: I picked up the cello when I was 13, took private lessons through high school and and attended UC Berkeley for my BA and MA in Musicology.

What are the technical differences between the baroque and modern cellos?

DM: Wow! Where to begin... one can use exactly the same instrument and set-up, but the end result is like a different dialect or language, if you haven't had the training. There is the whole "rhetoric of the strong and weak;" there is the declamatory aspect, where you share or trade words with whomever you are supporting, and there is also the special relationship of the baroque bow and the gut string.

JB: There are some technical aspects: a lightness of bow, and the bow hand responds differently. The posture is similar with the baroque cello held more vertically. The baroque bow and the gut strings actually force you into a different relationship with the instrument.

ER: Gut strings are much more sensitive. My teacher at Eastman had us play with gut strings to make our bow hands smarter. Steel strings are actually a fairly recent development. The gut strings and bow make a big difference.

DM: Yes! That is like training harpsichordists to be more sensitive by having them play clavchord. There is also the issue of vibrato: For modern cellists, it is part of the basic sound, whereas for most of us, it is something we add occasionally for special color. Modern players are stylistically grounded in the musical language of the 19th and 20th centuries, and they often don't have a feel for the vocal and dance music, which is such a big part of the 17th and 18th centuries. Such a lot of it has to do with the strong and weak notes, or "stress and release."

JB: Yes, selective vibrato. Mainly the bow technique is different. There is a lot of finger motion, and there is less elbow activity (lower elbow).

ER: The baroque bow is so much lighter at the tip than the modern bow, so there is a natural diminuendo in the stroke. This is very different from the more constant sustaining power of the modern bow. The left hand is also different. Since you don't have a constant vibrato, you hold more fingers down. It is much more like playing gamba. You keep the resonance going with the left hand.

Who are the good teachers, and do you teach?

Anner Bylsma is an inspiring teacher. Cathy Meints (Oberlin) is an incredible pedagogue, as well as a masterful technician. Myron Lutzke (NY) is a very generous teacher.

JB: Myron was quite inspiring for me.

All said that they teach private lessons and coach ensembles.

ER: I teach Baroque cello at San Francisco Conservatory, and I currently have nine baroque cello students. (http://www.sfcm.edu/faculty/reed.aspx) I also teach baroque cello and viola da gamba at the American Bach Soloists summer academy in San Francisco. (http://www.americanbach.org/academy/). IN addition, I teach baroque cello and gamba at the University of California at Berkeley (http://music.berkeley.edu/people/instructors.php) and viola da gamba at Mills College (http://www.mills.edu/academics/faculty/mus/performance_faculty.php).

I have noticed a certain difficulty of people beginning the baroque cello in approaching the sound world at first. Would you comment on the importance (or lack thereof) of immersion? Do you play modern cello?

DM: When I first began listening to early music, there weren't many models to imitate, besides what i heard in recordings. there are so many more examples to listen to nowadays, and so much good teaching around... there is a real culture now, and I would think it would be easier to get immersed in it.

JB: People learn by imitation: hearing and seeing.

ER: I teach two group classes at the conservatory with no majors. This lasts for about nine months. I often send these students to the American Bach Soloists Academy for two weeks in the summer. These students learn more in those two weeks of immersion (orchestra, chamber music, attending concerts) than they do in nine months when they are only doing early music for a few hours a week!

All still occasionally play modern cello.

What kind of playing do you do, and what would you like to do?

We do it all: orchestra, solo, and chamber music, and we wouldn't change a thing. This is great!

What cellos do you play?

JB: I play a cello made by Tim Johnson in 1999, and my bow is a Begin.

ER: I play a 1772 Anonymous cello, and my bow is by Boumann.

DM: My cello is anonymous c. 1800, attributed to John Morrisson, and my bow is a Begin.

Do you have a favorite recording of Baroque cello?

JB: I LOVE Sergei Istomin's Bach Suite recordings.

ER: Bylsma has some great recordings. Christoph Coin's Vivaldi sonatas and concertos are beautiful, too.

Do you have any cello recordings available?

JB: Yes, several solo and chamber recordings available on Magnatunes (http://magnatune.com/).

DM: I made four recordings with Musica Pacifica: Dancing in the Isles, Vivaldi's La Notte, Manicini's Concerti di Camera, and Telemann's Chamber Cantatas and Trio Sonatas. (http://www.musicapacifica.org/recordings.html).

ER: I have a Gabrielli Ricercar on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akvSHGd5RpU) and other cello videos (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IyeRwMs_44) with Voices of Music.

What is your advice for someone interested in learning Baroque cello?

ER & JB: Go to a workshop and try different teachers.

JB: Try out a baroque bow. This is very important. Listen to recordings and go to concerts. There is a lot out there on YouTube.

DM: If you love music, have open ears, and are a bit "hungry" for this knowledge, you will do just fine.

Baroque Cello Masterclass with Jaap ter Linden

2011-08-20T19:13:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the Baroque cello theme, I attended a masterclass by Jaap ter Linden, who was teaching at the Vancouver Early Music Workshop. Jaap is one of the premier Baroque cellists today, and he is highly respected for his teaching, performing, and direction. To find out more about Jaap and his international career, see his website at http://jaapterlinden.com/about.php.

The students at Early Music Vancouver were all college-aged and very enthusiastic, and it was great to see young people so excited about early music (attending all the concerts and lectures). This is the next generation of early music performer! At dinner one evening, Amanda Keesmaat said that she was going to observe a class with Jaap der Linden, so I decided to go along with her and write about it for the blog. I paraphrased what Jaap talked about in his masterclass.

Jaap began the session talking about technique: bow arm comfort and flexibility and the importance of having a straight bow. There were five students in the masterclass, and they were primarily new to the Baroque cello. Jaap talked about how to creatively leave the auto pilot mode of “modern” playing. The question is how to get comfortable with this change. I like to create exercises. Pretend that your fingers are glued in place to the bow, and move your hand at different angles. Then, practice scales. It is so important to keep practicing scales! Then, there is the matter of the elbow and its role. If you take a photo of your bow arm, you should be able to see if it is in down or up bow mode with the wrist and elbow.

A student asked, “How do I know when I get there?”

Jaap responded: That is an interesting and somewhat dangerous question. It is like saying “how do I know if I am enlightened?" It is a Zen journey. This will happen when you listen to your body and increase your body awareness. When I am in a good place, I feel very comfortable and light. My ears tell me the sound is good. You will feel a flow, and the sound comes more easily. Look, watch, and listen. Trust your ears. Ask yourself, “am I breathing?”

Students played a sonata for solo cello with bowed bass

Jaap: You do all the right things: not too much vibrato, note shaping, yet there are many more stops to go on the bus. Your sound is off the floor because of the great care you take. You are more upright than grounded. You can get more resonance out of the instrument – a type of buzz and ringing. Seduce the cello, just like the sirens seduced the audience in the concert we heard of Purcell’s King Arthur. Wake up the cello. This begins with breathing at the beginning of the stroke. Breathe from your abdomen (gestures just above hips). Before you do anything sophisticated, you need to get the basic quality of sound. Think of a singer and how they warm up to find their resonance. As cellists, we have to do the same.

The student started the sonata a second time with a much more resonant sound.

This is the road! Get the intensity, and then you can start doing more. There are so many elegant possibilities! Jaap talked about intonation and mentioned that the C#’s should be lower.

This is a start. There is a list of possible questions.

I would like to ban the notion that “Baroque music is nice.” No! It is nice, but it is everything! It is passion - Hollywood tearjerker material! Do not give the impression that we are only polite and correct musicians.

Another student played Vivaldi’s Sixth Sonata, Third movement with bowed bass.

Jaap corrected a mistake in the edition. Slurs can help you out or get in the way. This piece is full of biting harmony. Think of where the dissonances are and get a harmonic picture. Aim for the dissonances, but everything shouldn’t always be strong. Solo and bass lines form a type of lament. Look for places of respite (cadences). Find new colors. It is like theatre, when lights change immediately. Find more colors.

Be aware of intonation. Where are your B-flats and C-sharps? Be colorful with intonation. Watch out for your leading tones. (He then worked on finding pure thirds, where one student would play the root of a chord – “D,” with the major third above “F-sharp.” When you come from modern cello, most people cannot find pure thirds on their instrument. Strangely enough, finding the pure third is an innate universal skill. If you play a D and sing the third above in your head, then play it, it will be pure. It is much harder to sing the modern intonation F-sharp. A good suggestion for an exercise book to practice intonation is a book for modern cellists, Melodic and Progressive Studies by Sebastien Lee (http://www.amazon.com/40-Melodic-Progressive-Etudes-Op/dp/0793548713/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313892484&sr=8-1 ). This is excellent practice for double stops and interval practice. Diatonic semitones should be big and wide, like C-sharp to D. (He then demonstrated by playing an A with a D, then C-sharp versus D-flat. This intonation ideal changed recently with the advent of music being thought of as vertical versus horizontal.

You should listen to a recording of Edith Piaf. She is an intense singer, who sang “Les Blouses Blanche” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAqXNgQAiq4). She paints a picture and changes colors, much like in this sonata. Everything in your playing was nice but the same color. Drama! Give more structure. I hesitate to tell you what to do, but change the intensity of notes.

Nathan Whitaker, Baroque Cellist

2011-08-20T12:38:00.000-07:00

Nathan Whitaker, a Seattle-based Baroque cellist, was at the Vancouver Early Music Festival, where he played in Early Music Vancouver's production of King Arthur (Purcell). I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to interview him about his experiences with the Baroque cello. Why not make this Baroque cello month?

How did you learn to play the Baroque cello?

I attended Indiana University for my undergraduate and masters degrees, where I took Stanley Ritchie’s (Baroque violin professor) unaccompanied Bach class. This wetted my appetite for Baroque music, so I signed up for secondary Baroque cello class. I took lessons with Shelley Taylor and later with Stanley. I was able to borrow an instrument from the university, and now I have my own Baroque cello.

What is your musical background?

Both of my parents are professional church organists, and I started piano lessons starting at the age of three. I began cello in the third grade with my school program. I was in high school when I decided that I wanted to make music a profession. I am now finishing my doctorate degree at the University of Washington.

What are the technical differences between the Baroque and modern cello?

1)The differences between the “upbow” is big. Modern cello is always about sustain and creating an even sound. Baroque bowing is more like talking with strong versus weak bows. It is concerned with how the upbows are treated.

2)Intonation is treated differently. Baroque music has lower leading tones, whereas the modern cello has the Casals “expressive” tuning of higher leading tones.

3)Vibrato

4)The Baroque cello is held at a mover vertical angle, versus the horizontal angle for modern. It is easier to reach higher positions on modern cello.

Who are the good teachers for Baroque cello? Do you teach?

I learned the most from working with singers and violinists. As cellists, we must accompany others. We must learn how to enhance their music.
Jaap ter Linden is an amazing teacher, as well as Phoebe Carrai.
I teach privately and now at the new Baroque program at the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle (http://www.cornish.edu/music/early_music/). We have an undergraduate degree program and performer’s diploma. We hope to offer graduate accreditation soon.

I have noticed a certain amount of difficulty for cellists to approach the sound world of the Baroque cello. Would you comment on the importance of immersion in Baroque style and music? Do you still play the modern cello?

It is so important to be immersed in Baroque style! It is like learning a new language. When you take high school French class for one hour a day, five days a week, it is helpful, but you never really become fluent. If you want to learn a language, you must go to the place where it is spoken. There are so many things beyond the vocabulary to learn. Then, after a while, you can go back and forth quickly.

I do play modern cello: I play Classical and early Romantic music, so there is a continuous spectrum in what I play. Music is always changing, but this change is gradual. I am playing the Shostakovich concerto soon and his trio later today! This variety keeps me balanced. Personally, I need more than one period of music, and it helps to keep things in perspective.

What kind of Baroque cello playing do you do? What would you like to do?

I play in the Seattle, Pacific, and Portland Baroque orchestras, as well as the Seattle Baroque Soloists (an offshoot of Seattle Baroque). I also play in the chamber group Plaine and Easy, which won a competition not so long ago. We play Elizabethan music. I also play in Opus 20 String Quartet, which plays Classical period music on period instruments. I would like to do more solo recitals.

What is your advice for modern cellists who might be interested in learning to play the Baroque cello?

1.It is not easy to play Baroque cello. Just because the notes look easier doesn’t mean anything. You must practice your scales and etudes to become a complete musician.

2.Play as much music as you can. Bass lines can seem formulaic at first glance, but you need to learn when they are different and see the music between the notes.

3.Work with inspirational people – especially singers!

4.Record yourself. There is so much detail to think about, and it is hard to know if you are actually doing things that you intend to (like releasing second notes of a slur). It is good to have external confirmation.

5.Studying with someone is ideal.

6.It is important to read the sources.

What are these sources?

A good place to start is to read the book 100 Years of Violoncello. It has a good list of resources to read.

What cello do you play?

I play a Gustav Greiner, made by Breitenfeld in 1875. My bow is by Ralph Ashmeade.

To learn more about Nathan or to contact him about lessons, visit his website at www.nathanhwhittaker.com.

Amanda Keesmaat, and Her Journey with the Baroque Cello

2011-08-19T03:35:00.000-07:00

I just returned home after a month of wonderful concerts throughout Canada with some incredibly talented musicians. It isn't very often that I play with Baroque cellists, so it was a delight to once-again work with Amanda Keesmaat, a Montreal-based Baroque cellist. Amanda has a beautiful tone and a real sensitivity that add so much to the ensemble. I frequently have people approach me with an interest in Baroque cello, which I do not play, and I thought that my time with Amanda would be the perfect opportunity to ask her some questions that could help others who may be interested in learning to play the Baroque cello.

1)How did you learn to play the Baroque cello?

I was a student at McGill for my artist diploma. I studied Baroque music as an elective, where I took orchestra and chamber music classes. Soon after, I started playing with Orchestre Baroque du Montreal (OBM). McGill had an instrument I could borrow and an excellent group of teachers. I didn't have a private instructor, but I learned over time from other musicians, coachings, isolated lessons, and music directors. Hank Knox is the director of the McGill Baroque orchestra. It took a while just to figure out how to hold the instrument, and later – bit by bit, I learned the details of style. I played for and worked with Betsy McMillan (founding member of Arion), Jaap ter Linden, Phoebe Carrai, and Susie Napper, amongst others. I learned a lot from them.

When I am hired, I listen to the desires of the music directors. Every group has a different idea of sound or musical direction, and I like that. That is how one learns, and it is good to be flexible!

2)What is your musical background?

I started cello when I was four years old. I got my BM from the University of Western Ontario and later went to McGill, where I studied (modern cello) with Antonio Lysy. It was during this time that I started Baroque music. Actually, I joined Baroque Orchestra because my roommate was the violone player. I loved it! Prior to this, I was interested in contemporary music, and I have now played Baroque cello for fifteen years!

3)What are the technical differences between Baroque and modern cello?

Technical: How you get the sound out of the instrument and how to get the string to speak. Wow! It is hard to put it into words. You have gut strings and have to draw the sound out with a pull, rather than with force. You have to coax the sound out, rather than spinning it out.

The bow hold is different. It is held further from the frog – between the frog and the balance point, rather than on the frog.

The cello is supported with the legs: no endpin is used. (Strangely enough, there is no juxtaposition of terminology for “cello” and “da gamba” that has been found.) Because of one's size, one's body dictates the position of the instrument to a certain extent. The Baroque cello is more in contact with the player, whereas the modern cello is kept at a greater distance.

Left hand:
The biggest thing is a concept of tuning and ear training. I play in different temperaments, depending on the decision of the group. I have to be aware of where to place accidentals and how that affects the tuning of the group. It is always important to be aware of what part of the chord the note is for the context of the note and for tuning.

The use of vibrato is always an issue that affects tuning, as well as tone. When I began Baroque cello, I was told to play without vibrato, but as a modern cellist, I had been trained to vibrate everywhere! That was EXTREMELY difficult to eliminate at first, but then I realized that vibrating ALL THE TIME didn't necessarily mean that I had control over the sound, either. For example, it is difficult, if not impossible, to practice intonation with vibrato constantly changing the pitch. That being said, vibrato should not be discarded! It should be used as an ornament or at least very consciously.

4)Who are the good teachers? Do you teach Baroque cello?

There are many great teachers and summer festivals as well. The people who were my mentors and colleagues were great for me. I also teach Baroque cello.

5)I have noticed that it is often the case that those who play modern cello have a certain difficulty approaching the sound world of the Baroque cello. Would you comment on the importance of immersion for “switching hats” between instruments? Do you still play modern cello?

My advice is to be patient and take your time. With enough exposure, little-by-little, one notices things to change with the body that can help to play Baroque music in a more stylishly appropriate manner. In general, you need to be really relaxed to play the Baroque cello. I think that you can do both, but it is difficult. Isabelle Bozzini in Montreal (Quatuor Bozzini) is a good example of someone who does both.

6)What kind of playing do you do on Baroque cello? What would you like to do?

I play mostly bass lines for orchestras and chamber ensembles. I am very happy in the continuo section. I have done more solo playing the past few years, but I am quite busy now with concerts and find it hard to find time for personal projects. In a dream world, it would be nice to spend six months to attack new solo repertoire. I would play as much as possible and know the background for the repertory for my instrument better. That way, if someone requested a sonata from a certain place and time, I could better suggest programming.
Last year I was the invited guest for a concert with the Ottawa Baroque Consort. It was a concert featuring the cello and it's origins. I learned a lot from this and had fun. It was great to do this research and learn new rep! Especially, it was exciting to play with another cellist and talk to the audience about where and when the instrument's journey began.

7)What is your advice for modern cellists interested in Baroque cello – especially if there is no one near them to teach?

1. Experiment with a different bow hold. Hold the bow higher, with the middle two fingers on the hair to get the feel and balance of a Baroque bow.
2. It is really important to have the contact and guidance of a mentor. You can’t really learn Baroque cello without having someone who knows how to talk about the physical feelings, sound and style. Even if you are a professional cellist, you need some input.
3. Listen to as many period recordings as possible. I like Sergei Istomin’s Bach recording.
4. Practice without vibrato and see how you can make the sound carry without that factor.
5. Practise sonatas with another cellist or bass player to listen to the chords. Let the harmonies help you decide how to phrase.

8)What cello do you play?

I play a Baroque cello by Roland Ross (England), 1989 with bows by Louis Begin and Louis Gaucher.

New Friend on Summer Concert Tour: Montreal's Margaret Little

2011-07-25T18:06:00.000-07:00

I am spending this month in Montreal, playing with the talented musicians of Matthew White’s ensemble Les Voix Baroques. Lucky me, I am staying with Margaret Little, a Montreal-based viola da gamba player, who is also in this concert and took the time to tell me about her life in early music. Margaret is one-half of the duo Les Voix humaines (www.lesvoixhumaines.org), whom anyone who has taken a few minutes to peruse the early music section of a CD store would recognize from their numerous recordings (around 30!).

Margaret grew up in a musical family. Her father was an organist and choral conductor who collaborated with the Montreal Consort of Viols with his choir. When Margaret was only eleven years old, she attended a music camp as a violinist, where she studied viola da gamba with Gian Lyman Silbiger. Margaret fell in love with the viol and its music and returned to Montreal determined to pursue her newfound interest. She saved the money for her first treble viol by teaching guitar lessons. (Remember, she was only eleven!)

Margaret met Susie Napper (the other half of Les Voix humaines) after Susie had moved from San Francisco to Montreal. They both had daughters the same age, so they met so the girls could play together. The moms did, too! This was how a magical, musical friendship through Les Voix humaines was born! Margaret says that their main interest is communicating and expression through their music. Their recording career began with their love of the music of St. Colombe. (Many of you may remember St. Colombe as the father/viol player in the movie Tous les Matins du Monde.) These duos are extremely esoteric, and they spent much time figuring out this complicated music and recorded all 67 of them on four double CD’s. They have a good relationship with their recording label, ATMA, and occasionally ATMA will offer suggestions for recordings or help with long-range plans.

Margaret and Susie spend a lot of time together for each project to try new things out and let the music grow and develop. Now, an important part of their musical life is in making arrangements of music for two viols or viol consort. They hope to make these clever arrangements available to the public! They also collaborate with other artists, such as Wieland and Bart Kuijken, Suzie LeBlanc, and viol players in consort. Les Voix humaines has participated in the Montreal Baroque Festival (see www.montrealbaroque.com).

Initially, they performed concerts in Susie’s home in a series of three to four concerts each year. Susie would cook amazing food to accompany these programs. Later, they moved the series to a church in Montreal. Margaret and Susie obtained an agent in 1994 to give them more opportunities to play. They have traveled all over the world with their music: Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, the U.S., throughout Canada, Israel, Japan, China, England, France, Belgium, Holland, Poland, and the Czech Republic. In the U.S., they have performed in Honolulu, St. Paul, St-Cloud, St-Croix, Tucson, Colorado Springs, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, New York City, Cambridge, and Boston. They often coordinate these programs with lectures and workshops, often in cooperation with the Viola da Gamba Society of America.

Les Voix humaines has some goals for the future that we can look forward to. This year will feature consort music by Trabaci, as well as their focus on free improvisation. They will record Bach’s “Art of Fugue” and a duo Bach program – Susie’s arrangement of his Italian concerto for two bass viols.

Montreal is an exciting city, where there is so much early music happening. There are approximately twelve early music ensembles or series in this city! Margaret is one of the people who paved the way for this type of environment, and she is investing in its continued success through the collaborative development of a parent organization, Montreal Baroque. They are developing a website with links to performers and groups and a calendar for all early music performances in the city to help avoid planning conflicts for ensembles, but also to publicize concerts. The society may invite groups from abroad, will mentor young groups, and may offer a series for local groups without their own regular series.

Margaret teaches viola da gamba and Baroque ensemble at the University of Montreal. She primarily plays viol, but she also enjoys the Baroque viola and often performs both instruments in one concert. Margaret recorded a CD for unaccompanied viol and has many solo recitals planned with Montreal lute player Sylvain Bergeron. Her favorite music is sacred music with singers, like the Bach Passions or Christmas Oratorio. She commented, “I like being a part of a big group celebration of things spiritual.” Through her investments in making recordings, concerts at home and abroad, teaching privately and at university, ensuring the city’s future in early music with Montreal Baroque, and future musical goals, she is certainly involved in a big group celebration!

A Match Made in Heaven Pt.1

2011-07-11T14:33:00.000-07:00

My husband called from work the other day with some bad news. He works for Cincinnati Opera, and the keyboard glockenspiel that they rented for their upcoming production of The Magic Flute arrived broken (see bottom photo). He was at a loss for what to do. I suggested that he call James Campbell in Newport. Few people would ever guess that Newport, Kentucky (just across the river from Cincinnati) is home to one of the best American early keyboard makers. James built Catacoustic’s harpsichord, and he generously keeps it in excellent playing condition. Needless to say, Jim saved the day for the opera by fixing the damaged instrument in less than one day.

James and his wife Nina Key-Campbell (harpsichord player) live in a beautiful historic home surrounded by early keyboard instruments – many of which they crafted together. There are four harpsichords (plus one in process), three clavichords, an organ, and an upright piano. It is a beautiful, amazing sight!

In 1963 Jim was a school teacher in California. He had taken piano and organ lessons, and decided that he wanted a harpsichord. He bought a kit, which was the easiest way to make one at the time. After playing the instrument for a while, he decided that he wanted a larger instrument – a French double manual. Jim went to the LA library to research how to make an instrument without the aid of a kit. In 1973, Jim made his first original instrument in Cincinnati. At that time he was an editor for a religious publishing house, and instrument building was relegated to his spare time.
Several years later, he was inspired to make a small virginals by an instrument that was housed at the Cincinnati Art Museum. This point in life saw Jim working for an engineering firm as a model builder. His next incarnation was as a piano tuner/technician and instrument builder.

Jim and Nina met in 1978 at a concert she gave at Clifton Calvary Church. They began collaborating soon afterwards. Nina apprenticed with Jim to learn piano tuning and was his assistant for instrument making.

Jim made a series of instruments up to 1984. He doesn’t even know where all his instruments are. He made several instruments for Nina and a French double for Northern Kentucky University (still in use). He built 25 keyboard instruments and rebuilt approximately 10.

In 1986, he retired from his keyboard work to be an Episcopal priest and educator in Chicago, Philadelphia, and later southern Kentucky. During that time, he made only one instrument. After he retired from full-time church work, he returned to instrument building and repair by making an instrument for a church in Lexington. Nina assisted him for this project, and they married in March of 2009! It is a match made in heaven!

In June of 2009, he began to take care of the harpsichords at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). He worked on instruments at the University of Kentucky, the University of Dayton, and the University of Nebraska (Lincoln).

Jim and Nina are constantly looking for new projects to tackle. Last December they reassembled a tracker three stop organ that is currently in their living room (see photo above). Jim is currently making a new instrument for Nina in his shop. “We felt we needed a Flemish harpsichord, since it is the quintessential instrument of the 17th century, and Jim was doing research and wanted to incorporate his ideas into an instrument.”

Jim is not active in seeking commissions, but he wouldn’t say no. He doesn’t want to be rushed during his retirement. Jim compares it to a commercial for a Scottish golf club maker: “The waiting list is five years long, but there are four people ahead of you.” He has no concrete goals for the future, save to enjoy what he does every day. Jim enjoys making instruments for his wife, working on his model railroad, reading, walking, and traveling.

A Match Made in Heaven Pt.2

2011-07-11T14:31:00.000-07:00

Nina Key-Campbell grew up in the Pacific Northwest surrounded by music. She started to play piano by ear at the age of four and began formal music lessons in the first grade. She studied organ in college, when Arnold Dolmetsch came to visit her school and brought along a small harpsichord. Nina fell in love with the sound of the instrument and locked herself in the studio with the instrument all day, skipping classes to play. The next year an organ professor arrived at the university who also played the harpsichord, so Nina studied both instruments. She received a Fulbright to study organ and harpsichord in Holland with the great Gustav Leonhardt. Nina took full advantage of this wonderful opportunity, taking many classes with the master – and was able to take three classes a week with him!

When Nina returned to the US, she studied at the University of Illinois with George Hunter and was the first recipient of a Master’s degree in harpsichord performance at the school. She married and moved to Syracuse, NY, where she played often. She had a family (two daughters) and purchased her first harpsichord.

Three years later in 1968, she moved to Cincinnati, where her husband was the first music librarian at CCM. Nina taught piano and performed in Cincinnati. She played with numerous formations of early music ensembles: recorders, cello, violin, and singers. She worked with Ben Bechtel (instrument maker and musician) to develop an early music series. Nina taught keyboard and aural skills at Northern Kentucky University for 22 years and tuned pianos for 10 years. In the 1989, Harold Byers, James and Barbara Lambert, and later Rod Stucky joined Nina to form Apollo’s Cabinet (formerly Baroque Chamber Soloists). They still perform concerts at Christ Church Cathedral, the Taft Museum, and other local concert series.

Nina has many musical goals:
1. A solo recital at Christ Church Cathedral on April 10, 2011 to celebrate the church’s new harpsichord purchase.
2. Nina and Jim love to show their instrument collection through open houses. They had an open house in the Spring for the MacDowell Society and another for advanced placement students at Indian Hill schools. They plan to invite friends and neighbors to see the instruments.
3. Scarlatti Project: Nina is doing an in-depth analysis of Scarlatti sonatas with commentaries. She is working with a statistician from Iowa State to run descriptive statistics of idea sequences. There are 563 total sonatas, and she has done 450 total. She presented a paper on this in Spain and would like to write an article and include this information on a website to be available as a resource for researchers and performers.

Jim and Nina are both involved in a joint meeting of the Southeast Keyboard Society and the Midwestern Historical Keyboard Society in Cincinnati in March of 2012. There will be two competitions: the Alienor Competition for new works and the Jurow Competition for harpsichord performance. Scholars will present papers, concerts will be performed, and instrument builders will bring their instruments to display. This will all take place at CCM! We are so lucky to have energetic and talented forces such as Nina and James here in the Greater Cincinnati region!

New Music for "Old" Instruments with Cincinnati Opera

2011-06-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

Cincinnati Opera is creating a brand new production of John Adams' opera A Flowering Tree, a beautiful opera set in India about the power of true love. I was able to sit through part of a sitzprobe (opera lingo for a music rehearsal without staging) in our beautiful Music Hall. I was struck by the variety of sounds and incredible textures of the music with the composer’s skilled use of the orchestra. One instrument that he seemed to delight in using was the recorder. There were two recorder players in the orchestra: Rob Turner and David Dyer. Rob has taught at Catacoustic recorder workshops, and he agreed to answer some questions about this experience playing with Cincinnati Opera.

What types of recorders are you playing? How does it work with balance with the rest of the orchestra?

We're playing the top-of-the line plastic Yamaha soprano and alto recorders that have a woodgrain finish. The pitch of the orchestra is "officially" a=441, and when things warm up it's probably closer to a=442. Since even higher pitches are common in Japan these days, the Yamaha recorders work well in this regard. It is hard for us to hear what the balance is like, but the Yamahas project very well and we are told that the balance is good. There is also a sound designer who has microphones distributed through the orchestra for the purpose of tweaking balance (rather than amplification for its own sake).

John Adams seems to know about how to use the recorder, and I love how it comes through with the orchestra. Have you played much contemporary music for old instruments, such as the recorder or Baroque flute (which I believe you play)? Do you feel that other composers know how to write effectively for the recorder? What is your advice to composers interested in writing for the recorder?

John Adams' use of recorder in this piece is very interesting. And Joana Carneiro, the conductor, is absolutely wonderful! The writing is not, on the face of it, note-to-note, so difficult, and Adams does not use any of the extended techniques that are often associated with contemporary recorder music. HOWEVER, the first recorder entry is at measure 382, and by that time there have already been 66 meter changes, including things like going from 2/2 to a couple of measures of 3/2 to a single 3/8 measure (the relative duration of the quarter-note would be the constant) and back to 2/2 for a measure before settling into 5/8 (subdivided 2:3, then 3:2 for two measures, then back to 2:3 for several more measures) oh, and did I mention that within these all meter changes we're playing quarter-note triplet figures in some of the 2/2, except where it's eighth/quarter or quarter/eighth triplets... My first entry is m. 480, by which time there have been 103 meter changes. OYYYY!!! But it sounds absolutely beautiful!

I've heard the conductor say that this has been the easiest, quickest-to-come-together production of this opera that she's led, including shows in places like Citè de la Musique in Paris. But even some of the regular CSO players have been walking around looking a little shell-shocked. One thing is for certain: it's not Vivaldi! The recorder part also has quite a few percussion cues written in, for maracas, rain stick, etc. This is reminiscent of Carl Orff's "Schulwerk," which uses recorders as well as "rhythm band" instruments to introduce young children to rudiments of music. In this performance the percussion is given to the professional percussionists (thank goodness!!!).

I really have not played much contemporary music for recorder. It's interesting enough to me when I listen to it, but I have always been interested in recorder primarily because of its baroque repertoire, and much less because of the instrument itself. In a way, for me to play in a contemporary piece with a symphony orchestra is probably not so different than it would be for, say, someone whose day-to-day musical life focuses on auto-harp or dulcimer in roots music like that of the Carter Family. The idioms and the musical approach are that different. I do find this opera a fascinating challenge, and have really enjoyed getting to know more members of the CSO, but baroque music is where I really feel "at home."

Among "early" instruments, the recorder is unique: while there is contemporary repertoire for baroque transverse flute, harpsichord, or baroque violin (or viola da gamba?), for instance, familiarity with contemporary music and its techniques is a "must" for recorder players in a way that simply is not the case for, say baroque violinists. Players of other "old" instruments are usually taken seriously for devoting themselves to their instruments' "Golden Age" repertoire, while for recorder players at most conservatories and in almost all recorder competitions a knowledge of contemporary repertoire and extended techniques is simply de rigueur. Perhaps this can be traced back to teacher virtuosos like Frans Brüggen and Hans Martin Linde and
their own interest in contemporary music in the 1950’s-80’s, when they were bringing the recorder back to the attention of the music world. At that time some of the people in the "serious" music world who were most open to the HIP (historically-informed performance) approach were people who were also very interested in contemporary music. Because of the acoustical differences between period and modern instruments and early woodwinds' relative lack of keywork, there are certainly sonic effects that are only available on period instruments. I think that it would be essential for composers to work closely with recorder players in developing a clear sense of the recorder's musical possibilities, especially since our culture reinforces the sense of the recorder as a toy ("play recorder in third grade, and next year you'll get a "real" instrument like a flute or a trumpet or a clarinet") and not as a legitimate instrument like any other, with its own sets of possibilities and issues. In the end, though, I really leave all that to others!

I know that people will be impressed by hearing the recorder as played by professionals, rather than by little grade school kids. What is your advice for someone who is interested in learning the instrument?

For those interested in learning to play recorder, lots of listening to live and recorded recorder music is essential. A good teacher is always helpful, and there are a few around. Some music lovers would agree with the seventeenth-century diarist Samuel Pepys on the subject of the recorder, "the sound of it being, of all sounds in the world, most pleasing to me." For many of those people there's no better way to experience that sound than to play recorder themselves.

Tell me about what you are doing these days. I know you are living in Dayton. How are things there? Are you keeping busy with music? Any instrument making? Briefly talk about what instruments you have made in the past.

I'm living in Dayton, looking after my 88 year-old mother, teaching and performing. While for many years I made recorders and flutes based on period originals found in museums and private collections around the world, I stopped making instruments a few years ago when I could no longer see with the kind of acuity needed to do the work. (Now I can "only" see .0025" with my good eye whereas before it was more like < .001".) So, I'm focused on making music, instead, which was what I meant to do all along. My primary instruments are, and have been for many years, baroque transverse flute and recorder.

For more information about Cincinnati Opera’s upcoming performances of A Flowering Tree, see http://cincinnatiopera.com/performances/a-flowering-tree/.

(Please note photo credits for first and second images go to Jennie Chacon and Chris Yelton, and the third photo credit goes to Cincinnati Opera employee Aimee Sposito Martini. The fourth photo is Rob Turner with his recorder, credit to Phillip Jones.)

Interview with Francesco Vitali, Filmmaker of Voluptas Dolendi: I Gesti del Caravaggio

2011-05-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of corresponding with Francesco Vitali, the fascinating director of the film Voluptas Dolendi that Catacoustic recently screened as the Western Hemisphere premiere - right here in Cincinnati! This exquisitely beautiful film used music and visual art to recreate the mood of paintings by the great Caravaggio.

1) The thing that struck me about this film is that so many art forms are brought together with such high quality. It seems like an overwhelming project for one person! This project intricately interweaves dance, gesture, visual art, history, film technique, early music, and poetry. How did you come up with this concept, and how did it all come together in such a unified artistic manner?

The theatrical performance for harp and dance (Voluptas Dolendi: I Gesti del Caravaggio) was born in 2002 from an idea that harpist Mara Galassi developed with dancer/actress Deda Cristina Colonna, costume designer Barbara Petrecca, and myself as lighting designer. This was initially performed as part of the Marco Fodella Foundation’s 2002 concert season and received great success touring Italy and Belgium through 2006. I later directed this as the film you saw in Cincinnati, and it was also sponsored by the Fondazione Marco Fodella. The film’s title Voluptas dolendi (the pleasure caused by pain) refers to a specific aspect of seventeenth-century aesthetics, typical of Caravaggio’s contemporaries.

The film was born as a synthesis of different artistic expressions: music, dancing, acting, and painting. It deals (through different filming, post-production, and montage techniques) with the problems connected with the staging of a theatrical performance limited to a theatrical space that is well-defined, neuter, and recognizable. This film suggests glimpses of the Baroque, developing like a painting in slow evolution through allusions to Caravaggio’s works. Mara and Deda felt that between the gestures in the paintings of Caravaggio and musical gestures, there should be a form of communication and emotional rhetoric. So, the meeting point was physical gesture, which helped to evoke Caravaggio’s paintings.

My job was to translate this project, through camera and lights, the manner of thinking that already existed in its theatrical performance into a motion picture. I consider this film to be a continuation of the path initiated by Deda, Mara, and myself in 2002 with the original show.

I did not want the film to only be a television shot of the theatrical play. For example, Mara’s harp could not follow Deda as happened in the live show, because the sound of the harp would have responded differently from slot to slot. Mara taught me that an ancient musical instrument requires a precise location for the "natural" sound - not amplified. Thus, in the film I chose the monumental sacresty as a suitable place for her to play her double harp. She remained in the same place from the beginning to the end of the film. Deda, instead, moved around in the 15th-century Cathedral of San Marco, where the film was shot in Milan.

Keeping in mind the theatrical origins of this film, I wanted to maintain a synthetic vision of settings and scenery, processing this vision through a filming method I particularly love: steadycam. I used it for 70 per cent of the scenes, finding interesting suggestions in Alexandr Sokurov’s Russian Ark (2002), especially as concerns its rhythm, which empathetically involves the spectator. The steadicam is a special camera that is hooked on the operator's body, becoming almost a part of the body, and through a system of counterweights allows soft turns without sharp cuts. The operator can easily follow the movements of the dancer, and the viewer enters the movie in a much more empathetic manner.

This film is an imaginary voyage, in which the protagonist Deda Cristina Colonna accompanies us, through acting and dancing, into apparently recognizable places, given the ambiguous architectures evoking ancient palaces or sacred basilicas, revealing then an intimate, neutral nature. Space is continually modified and dried out until its final hiding and annulment. I built a clear image and sense of drama. In this film, the camera explores, approaches, and makes sure that everything that is foreign to the audience during the theatrical performance can be seen more closely, but also more emotionally, and irrepressibly.

Music from Caravaggio’s time, played by the harpist Mara Galassi, sometimes dilates the perception of space and time and sometimes accelerates it. The music creates a suspended level – a limbo, and with its rhythm it guides the spectator in the obscure meanderings of the mind, the emotions felt by the protagonist. The camera moves, approaches, wraps, and investigates, as in a continuous dance. Light witnesses events. As an absolute protagonist, light reveals its double, divine, and material origin, thanks to the contrast with shadows, which sometimes seem to devour both dancer and harpist, cruelly and realistically.

I think the uniqueness of this project is about a specific historical period through the art of Caravaggio, as a starting point to enjoy the music and dance of that time, without falling into banality simply talking about the biography of Caravaggio. Few people know that Caravaggio was a great lutenist. This helps us better understand the context in which he lived and his art.

2) From conception to completion, how long did this project take? What was the time frame for this project? How many people were in your crew? How did this compare with other projects?

The film was shot in five days in the Cathedral of San Marco in Milan with a crew of 22 people between church services. During the daytime, Mara recorded the songs in the sacristy, which was then used by Deda, dancing during the night. Only in two specific moments did Deda and Mara film together. In these two moments the sound and video recording was unique because it was impossible to dub the music played on harp by Mara.

3) In the US, the popularity of Facebook and YouTube has created a demand for marketing Classical music with video in a creative manner. It is becoming quite popular and almost necessary. Do you see this as a trend in Europe with Classical music? With early music? Do you see the impact of social media on film and music in Italy?

I think that technology can greatly help spread this kind of music, especially among the youth. In Italy it happens less than in the U.S. We are fortunately or unfortunately still bound to tradition, and a live concert can never be compared to the post of Facebook or YouTube. These social networks could
be a fantastic start, but depth should always be a rule in each and every century and everywhere, not just an option.

I just returned to San Francisco after 15 years. I was shocked when a dear American friend of mine, an opera singer, told me that the libraries in your country are closing. I think that in Italy this unlikely to happen. At least for now the technology coexists with tradition. I love iTunes, but I also love to touch a CD and handle it to get the feeling of really "owning" something that remains over time. If my computer breaks or the harddrive dies and is not backed up, I lose my virtual files. With a book in-hand or a CD or vinyl record, I still savor and reflect. With technology I run faster and am not sure where I'll end up.

Voluptas dolendi I gesti del Caravaggio has thus far been presented in various places of great cultural significance in the Mediterranean: Mola di Bari, Venice, Athens, Milan, Modena, Trieste, Naples, Palermo, Messina, Siracusa, Padua, Rome, Argentario, Bari, San Giorgio di Nogaro, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Crema, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat; in Europe: Vilnius, Strasbourg - European Parliament, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Dublin; in East Asia: Shanghai, Kyoto, Osaka; and now in America (Cincinnati). In the days between April 10th and May 6th, SKY Classica.tv (satellite channel 728) will show the film six times to their subscribers in Italy.

For more information on the film, see: www.fondazionemarcofodella.it. If you missed the Catacoustic Consort's screening of this film at the Cincinnati Art Museum, you may purchase a copy of the DVD in European format at the Libreria Pecorini by contacting them via email: pecorini@iol.it or at their website at www.pecorini.com.

Baroque Opera Superstar Singer Moves to Cincinnati

2011-04-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

In October, 2011 Catacoustic performed a magical program with male soprano Michael Maniaci. It was a beautiful program of 17th-century Italian music with Daniel Swenberg on theorbo. Michael has a real command of that repertory, and is an effective performer. It was a concert that will remain in so many people's minds for a long time.

I first met Maniaci in Houston around ten years ago when we were performing Monteverdi's Coronation of Poppea with the Houston Grand Opera and Opera Atelier. I was amazed the moment he opened his mouth to sing. The sound and delivery was so powerful and exciting! He has had an amazing career, including winning the Met competition, singing with the great opera houses, such as La Fenice, and just a few weeks ago a concert with the LA Phil. He has a recent recording of Mozart arias with Boston Baroque that has had huge success and critical acclaim. Since we first met, I began scheming on how to bring him to Cincinnati to perform with Catacoustic.

The perfect opportunity presented itself when I was asked by the Student Tribunal at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) to present a Catacoustic concert and masterclass there. Michael studied at CCM with David Adams and has family here in town. It was perfect! Michael graciously accepted my offer to present a concert and was a lovely collaborator. We had a great week preparing the program and sharing it with enthusiastic students and the Catacoustic family.

I was shocked when Michael mentioned that he was thinking of moving from his NYC apartment to Cincinnati. He is constantly on the road and wanted to move from the "concrete jungle" of New York to our beautiful "Queen City." And, he would be close to vocal coaches, his family, Catacoustic, and an international airport.

A friendly guy, and a world-class talent, it has been a pleasure and an honor to have him live here in Cincinnati, and it will be wonderful to share his talent with Catacoustic's audience many more times in the future!

Cincinnati Resident Dedicates Herself to Baroque Guitar

2011-04-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

I met Tina Gutierrez some years ago through Catacoustic concerts. She was very enthusiastic about early music and since has come to every Catacoustic concert. Tina is a Northside (Cincinnati neighborhood) resident and has had music in her life for many years. She runs European Bridal in the Reading bridal district during the day and practices whenever she can fit in the time. As a Classical guitar major in university, she later picked up the Renaissance and Baroque guitars. In addition to working with local lutenist Rod Stucky, she takes intense lessons with Catacoustic lute/early guitar players, when they are in town, (Michael Leopold, Daniel Swenberg, Ronn McFarlane, and David Walker). And, she has now started a group with Alice Nutter (viola da gamba player). Tina recently played in a masterclass in Columbus, Ohio with the great Baroque guitar player Hopkinson Smith. It was wonderful to have a representative from Cincinnati in this masterclass!

Tina, how long have you been playing early plucked instruments? How did you become interested in them, and what do you love about them?

I have been playing early plucked instruments for three years, although I played Classical guitar since I was fourteen years old. As a teenager, I heard lute music on WGUC (Cincinnati's classical music radio station), and I loved it. My guitar teacher, Brian Deyo, had a lute that he would bring around occasionally. I am interested in history, too. I love the purity of sound of the Baroque guitar and lute. When I met my husband, lute maker Larry Brown, it was a natural fit. The exact moment I knew that I had to play Baroque guitar was when I heard the recording of the Harp Consort's Spanish dances. I instantly knew what I had to do with my life. It was perfect that Larry then built one for me.

While Cincinnati's early music presence is now growing, it wasn't always like this. How did you deal with being somewhat isolated? What would you recommend to others who play early music instruments and do not live in centers where there are other people like them to play with?

It made all the difference having a husband who shared the same interest in early music. I recommend YouTube. The internet makes the world smaller. It is so easy to find good recordings and communicate with people of similar interests online. I also recommend going to an early music workshop at least once a year. The community that you meet there makes a real difference, and you can learn so much.

Tell me about your group and what your goals are for it, as well as your personal goals? What would you like to be doing, musically, in five years? Ten years?

We have no set goals. We get together and enjoy ourselves. We plan to have performances to push ourselves to improve. I am a very goal-oriented person, and I need that kind of structure to keep going. In ten years, I would love to be a professional Baroque guitar player. Ten years? I don't know... It takes so long to get really good, I don't know how long it would take. I would love to play music at a serious, high level. Right now I am enjoying working toward that.

You played for the masterclass with Hopkinson Smith last weekend. What did you learn from him? What do you gain from taking lessons from these different players from around the world?

The main thing I learn from most great teachers is how important it is to go back to the basics and make each musical line seem and appear like a simple, clear thought... to have it come off with ease, clarity, and understanding that people are hearing something that says something to them. One of the things Smith said was, "I don't want to hear the guitar. I want to hear the music." The touch has to be clean enough that the noise doesn't have to interfere with the line. The difference between the good players and the great players is tone.

First Ever Student Gamba Recital at CCM

2011-03-14T13:25:00.001-07:00

Micah Fusselman, a doctoral candiate in cello performance at CCM, gave the first ever student viola da gamba recital at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music last week. Micah has been working with me for the past several years, taking the one credit elective viola da gamba class. He has excelled in every way possible. During the second week of class, he came with his viol and asked, "how long until I can play this?" He began playing one of the Bach gamba sonatas. I told him that it seemed that he was already playing it! This was during a period when all the other students were struggling just to hold the instrument. Micah has surpassed being a student and has turned into a colleague. He has played in four Catacoustic concerts and numerous outreach performances.
Micah hopes to finish his degrees (music theory and cello) and leave Cincinnati for a university job, which he will surely attain. There, he also hopes to be able to offer his skills as a gamba player for the community and possibly to the university students. How exciting!
Micah's recital was a virtuoso performance, including the music of Hume, Simpson, Marais, and Schenck. In his concert talk, he said that many people have asked him why in the world he would bother with a non-degree/non-credit recital for an instrument that does nothing to further these pieces of paper and does not help support his two children. The answer at first was "because it is good for me." But, that later proved not to be enough. The answer showed itself. "Because I love the music." Micah's love for the viola da gamba and its repertory was fully evident in his recital last week, and I can only hope that this will not be the first of such events at this extraordinary music school!

Monteverdi Vespers at CCM

2010-11-08T15:57:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music performed Claudio Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610, under the direction of Dr. Earl Rivers. I was pleased that Dr. Rivers asked me to participate in this performance. He has conducted this work at CCM - usually about every five years, and he feels that this is a masterpiece in choral and solo vocal literature and needs to be performed. It is a huge task for a vocal program that is so steeped in the romantic opera tradition. But, things are changing at CCM. I am convinced that it is one of the finest schools in the country for vocalists. They continue to send out the best singers into the field of opera, and it is not so well known that they are sending out singers who also sing early music: Youngmi Kim, Michael Maniaci, David Daniels, Mischa Bouvier, and many more! Their vocal teachers are sensitive to the fact that their students will need to do a be strong in a variety of styles in the professional musical world. Mary Henderson-Stucky, the head of the vocal department, performs early music as a normal part of her repertoire. Robin Guarino, the CCM opera director, would like to offer one Baroque opera each year. It was no surprise that the soloists excelled in the Vespers. It was easy to see some careers in the making.
Dr. Rivers was very interested in absorbing more historically informed style into this performance. He asked Catacoustic regular Michael Leopold to play theorbo, me to play lirone, Vivian Montgomery on harpsichord and organ, Rod Stucky for archlute, and Micah Fusselman for gamba. Elizabeth Motter had her first Vespers experience on harp. Kiri Tollaksen and Shawn Spencer played cornetto.
Dr. Rivers was quite interested to participate in discussions with the continuo players about chord choices and stylistic decisions. Topics such as cadencing on major as a norm, soft resolutions/cadences, and instruments playing rhetorically (imitating singers) - to the extent of it being helpful for us to have text in our parts were exciting to him. I was thrilled to have such an excellent conductor be so open!
The orchestra improved in the intense week of rehearsals, although this style is very difficult for instrumentalists to grasp in only a week or two. I would have loved to have been able to begin work with them several months in advance. Ideas like playing words and imitating singers are foreign ones and can take a while to absorb. Often, "modern" musicians play this music with everything detached, thinking that more space in between notes makes it sound more Baroque. I find that this style of playing makes it rather static. The idea is to play with direction, with articulation determined by the text. The CCM instrumentalists (students and faculty) are becoming more interested in Baroque music at CCM and hope that there are opportunities to work with them in the future!
It was such a pleasure to bring this piece to Cincinnati and collaborate with CCM. The audience was thrilled, and gave an enthusiastic standing ovation. This only bodes well for more early music in Cincinnati!
For more reading on the CCM Vespers performance, see:

http://www.musicincincinnati.com/site/reviews/Splendid_400th_for_Monteverdi_s_Landmark_Vespers_of_1610.html

http://www.musicincincinnati.com/site/features/Quadricentennial_at_Christ_Church.html

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20101119/ENT03/11190318/-Vespers-by-Monte

Recorder Workshop with Anne Timberlake

2010-11-05T07:10:00.001-07:00

Catacoustic hosted Anne Timberlake in a workshop for local recorder enthusiasts last night. Seven people participated, in addition to my bass viol student Alice Nutter, who played bass lines.
Several months ago I asked people what they wanted out of a workshop. I have offered recorder workshops in the past to mixed reviews, so it was important to make sure that the participants get something out of such an event. The response was that it would be good to learn about ornamentation - especially with regard to slow movements of sonatas. Another suggestion was ensemble skills. There are numerous recorder players in the area. You would be surprised to know that there are several local groups that meet to play consorts on a regular basis. I want to create a real community through early music in Cincinnati, which will in turn fulfill part of the mission of Catacoustic.
So, it was perfect when I contacted Anne (currently in Richmond, Virginia) and found out that that very day she was planning a trip back to visit her family in Indiana. She stopped by Cincinnati on her way.
The workshop was excellent. She communicated about ornamentation that made it seem quite accessible. She thought a lot about this topic to prepare for the workshop and had a step-by-step process for everyone to follow. She asked people to prepare a slow movement of a Handel sonata with and without ornaments. Things she talked about:

1) Why does one ornament?
2) When to ornament and when to leave the music alone
3) Types of ornaments - vibrato, mordents, trills, turns, fast scalar passages, rhythmic alteration, short versus long (articulation as ornament), etc.
4) Stylistic appropriateness and grasping the composer's intentions
5) Understanding the bass and rudimentary theory - looking at the bass line for dissonance, parallel octaves and fifths
6) Call and response with ornaments: she would play an ornament and ask everyone to play what she had just done.

Anne played several versions of recordings of this movement and asked people why they liked or didn't like them. She also demonstrated some tasteful and not-so-tasteful ornamentation examples.
Following the ornamentation session, everyone played consorts. Anne got people to talk about musical ideas - that before one plays a piece, you should figure out what the composer is trying to COMMUNICATE. Is the piece a battle or warlike piece? About sighing, about love, etc. After that she talked about having similar ideas of articulation and gestures based on what the piece is trying to communicate. She also got most everyone to take a turn leading the group with cues.
It was a great way to spend an evening, and everyone learned something, which I hope they will take back to their own personal musical lives.

Early Music Holiday Gift Ideas...

2010-10-18T06:01:00.000-07:00

I am often asked for musical gift suggestions this time of year.
Well, one thought is a gift of music lessons or the rental of an instrument to learn. Many people often lament not playing an instrument. Why not pick one up or take voice lessons? Catacoustic has rental viols that are available for this sort of thing and offers frequent workshops for the community. It really is never too late!
If your friend or family member plays early music, then sheet music is a great idea. The Von Heune Music shop or Boulder Early Music Shop offer a wide selection of sheet music for early music instruments or voices.
Also, recordings make a great gift! I have some great ideas for that:

1. If you were at our October concert and fell in love with Michael Maniaci's voice, you can take it home with you with his recently released recording of Mozart arias (Amazon listing: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030GBT0G/ref=s9_simh_gw_p15_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=078WETQRYTCSD1QW84F8&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846)

2. If you liked the Catacoustic concert featuring the cornetto with Bruce Dicky and Kiri Tollaksen, I can strongly recommend Bruce's CD of solo virtuoso music - or any of his many recordings as a soloist or with his group, Concerto Palatino (Amazon listing: http://www.amazon.com/Virtuoso-Music-Cornetto-Tarquinio-Merula/dp/B00000442Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1287407482&sr=1-1)

3. Catacoustic's concert of music from Gainsborough's time included music of Abel and JC Bach, and this can be found in the lovely recording by Charivari Agreable (Amazon listing: http://www.amazon.com/Music-Gainsborough-Carl-Friedrich-Abel/dp/B00004YLIA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1287407696&sr=1-1)

4. 17th-Century Italian Nuns' music is a specialty of Catacoutstic. Much of this music has been recorded by Capella Artemisia. I can recommend recordings by Musica Secreta of Vizzana (Amazon listing: http://www.amazon.com/Lucrezia-Vizzana-Componimenti-Musicali-Secreta/dp/B00007GXPW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1287407979&sr=1-4)
Bruce Dickey's wife, Candace Smith, directs a group in Italy (Capella Artemisia) that specializes in Italian Baroque nuns' music. They have numerous recordings available, as well.

Finally, you could purchase advance tickets for Catacoustic Consort concerts (two left this season - February 26 and April 2). Or, you could make a tax-deductible donation to Catacoustic in your friend's name!

Musicians, Colleagues, and Friends

2010-10-13T07:22:00.000-07:00

I am fortunate to have Michael Maniaci (singer) and Daniel Swenberg(theorbo & guitar) with me for concerts this week. We are playing a concert and masterclass at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) today and a concert on my series tomorrow. What a treat to have a singer the caliber of Michael, who has spent the past few days making Daniel and me crack up with great stories and jokes! In addition to an amazing voice, he is a lot of fun to have around. I have also been fortunate to know Daniel, who has really invested so much in Catacoustic and the future of my music here in Cincinnati. He has become good friends with people he has met here and is playing a key role in Catacoustic having a resident theorbo, so we don't have to worry about instruments getting smashed or refused on airplanes. I am still scheming on a way for Catacoustic to its own resident theorbo PLAYER! In addition to the concerts and masterclass, Daniel is working with Elizabeth Motter, who will be playing the Catacoustic Baroque harp when it arrives later this fall. They are having intense lessons on continuo playing and style to prepare her for her journey of learning this harp and its beautiful repertory.
Catacoustic concerts are a lot of work, but when the chemistry of personnel works, it can be magical. I am so happy to have musicians here who also give back to me, the Catacoustic audience, and invest in a future for our music here!

Cincinnati Art Museum

2010-09-21T09:39:00.001-07:00

Last week, the Cincinnati Art Museum opened their special exhibition, "Gainsborough and the Modern Woman." This show centered around the restoration of a Gainsborough painting of Ann Ford with her viola da gamba in the background and an English guitar on her lap. Benedict Leca, the curator who headed up this show, asked Catacoustic to share music for their opening. What an exciting project! Austin Clark of Louisville came to town to play harpsichord with me. For the Art Museum performance, we played music of Abel and John Christian Bach (the son of the famous J.S. Bach). We had a concert open to the public on Saturday, where we had a video display of Gainsborough paintings during our performance. We also shared music of Linley, Abel, JC Bach, and Graziani for 2 viols, soprano, harpsichord, and Baroque violin. It was a lovely evening.

Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788) is one of my favorite painters and is undoubtedly one of the best portraitists who ever lived. His painting of Ann Ford at the Cincinnati Art Museum which is being unveiled this week, newly restored, is a tourist attraction for lovers of Gainsborough and the viola da gamba. Ms. Ford was a member of the aristocracy and went against the cultural norm to arrange public concerts for herself (not appropriate for a lady). Her father had her arrested twice for this! Gainsborough captures her boldness and strength of will in this painting.
Gainsborough himself was a musician and played the viola da gamba and harpsichord. He loved music possibly more than painting and was good friends with Abel, Linley, the lute player/composer Straube, and J.C. Bach. Gainsborough’s daughter wrote that he was “much led into the company of musicians, with whom he often exceeded the bounds of intemperance… being occasionally unable to work for a week afterwards.” He had a deep friendship with Abel. Upon Abel’s death, the painter wrote:

Poor Abel died about one o’clock today, without pain, after three day’s sleep… We love a genius for what he leaves and mourn him for what he takes away. If Abel was not so great a man as Handel it was because caprice had ruined music before he ever took up his pen. For my part I shall never cease looking up to heaven – the little while I have to stay behind – in hopes of getting one more glance of the man I loved from the moment I heard him touch the string.

Gainsborough much preferred painting landscapes and making music to painting portraits. He wrote “I’m sick of Portraits and wish very much to take my Viol da Gam [sic] and walk off to some sweet Village where I can paint Landskips [landscapes] and enjoy the End of life in quietness and ease.”
If you would like to see the exhibition at the Cincinnati Art Museum, it is open from now through January 2. See more information at cincinnatiartmuseum.org.

Catacoustic's Tenth Season: Where do we go from here?

2010-09-21T09:36:00.000-07:00

An excerpt from Saturday's program:
I was asked this week in an interview for CityBeat how Catacoustic has changed throughout the first ten years. Interesting question… I started Catacoustic to have a musical outlet here at my new Cincinnati home and to continue learning. I have seen musicians make deep friendships here and careers take off. I have developed friendships with many in my audience, and I never expected to fall in love with an audience. Never before have I played concerts with such a warm feeling coming from the audience! We have had a real variety of musical styles in our series – from English Renaissance tunes from Shakespeare’s time to French Baroque opera. What a musical journey! Catacoustic has changed in many ways that I have personally changed – all a journey in life.
Part of the next stage of focus is to develop more professional early music performers here in Cincinnati. What a joy to have Youngmi Aria Kim in today’s performance! We have all seen her blossom in our concerts! I am pleased to have my former student-turned-colleague Micah Fusselman playing today, as well. The addition of the Baroque harp to Catacoustic’s instrument collection (currently consisting of the harpsichord in today’s concert and eight rental viols – one played by Micah) will give a huge boost to Cincinnati’s early music scene, as well as the national early music scene. Cincinnati professional harpist, Elizabeth Motter, has committed to learning this instrument and has already attended the Amherst Historical Harp Workshop to study. Bringing in the best players in the world and developing the next generation is the way of the future, and I am excited to be part of this continued voyage. Thank you for being here for today’s concert to celebrate our own musical past, present, and future.

New Rehearsal Space

2010-09-13T19:44:00.000-07:00

The season opener concert for my tenth season here in Cincinnati with Catacoustic is this week. The harpsichordist for the program, John Austin Clark, just arrived for our intense week of preparation for this program. Incidentally, I have a new home, where rehearsals are taking place. A big part of the reason that I got the house is for Catacoustic to have a home and to have space to make music. I don't know why, but I often find that every time I move, I am extra motivated to practice in my new space. I am enjoying playing in various rooms in the house. Today's rehearsals were extra exciting. I have spoken with other musicians who have similar experiences with new homes. I am looking forward to an early start tomorrow morning in my new music room!

How Naxos and Early Music America Competition Impacted Catacoustic

2010-08-30T10:00:00.001-07:00

I was recently asked by Maria Coldwell, the director of Early Music America, how our winning the EMA and Naxos recording competition impacted the Catacoustic Consort. In only our second season here in Cincinnati, it gave Catacoustic a boost and a seal of approval that what I was trying to do in bringing early music to Cincinnati was on the right track. Cincinnati is a wonderful place for the arts, but when I started Catacoustic ten years ago, Brahms was considered early music. The competition helped me garner respect here at home, as well as nationally and internationally. The most important thing for me at the time was the attention at home that winning a national competition and a cd recording on the prestigious and well-known Naxos label offered. So many groups start up and eventually dissolve - just like small businesses. This extra attention and notice helped push us further faster with the local audience. This win also gave me a personal boost. There are so many ups and downs with the business end of running a music group. It is worthwhile as long as the ups balance out or outweigh the downs. This surely helped tilt the scale!
It is the 25th anniversary year for Early Music America, and through their creativity in helping promote early music ensembles and musicians throughout the country, they have given a real boost to the Catacoustic Consort right here in Cincinnati.

Recording Strategy Blog Website...

2010-08-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I did not attach the address to read about the new "better" strategy for making recordings.
Here it is:
http://networkedblogs.com/74Nqc

A New Strategy for Making Recordings

2010-08-21T13:44:00.001-07:00

Writing my recent blog entry about the reason one makes recordings has really caused me to think. The past ten years have been constantly changing for the recording industry, and we musicians are trying to analyze the best way to go about it. I read a blog this afternoon that suggested that most musicians are approaching their recordings in the wrong way - that the question is not how to sell their recordings, but how to best market themselves with their recordings, even by giving them away. I would love to hear your thoughts about this!

Matthew White and Les Voix Baroques

2010-08-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

I spent the past month in Canada performing with some of the best singers I have ever worked with... One of the programs was with Matthew White's ensemble, Les Voix Baroques. Some years ago I performed several operas with Matthew, and to this day, I have a hard time hearing Poppea with anyone else singing the role of Ottone.
Matthew studied English literature in college, and he grew up singing in a cathedral choir in Ottawa, five services each week. He studied privately with Jan Simons at McGill. Matthew is a countertenor, which is still an unusual voice type, but it is becoming more and more common to hear excellent countertenors. Matthew said that he learned how to survive, musically, in the cathedral choir environment. He was exposed to all kinds of music in the Anglican church. He also heard the countertenor Daniel Taylor, who was a few years older. Matthew wanted to sing with this kind-of voice, and it was natural for him to do so.
Countertenors are singing more in Cincinnati. John Holiday sang in the Catacoustic Bach concert last April. Steven Rickards sang in our first season, and Daniel Bubeck has sung several concerts. Paul Flight sang in this year's May Festival performance of Bernstein's Chichester Psalms. William Sauerland, a gifted countertenor who sang in the well-known ensemble Chanticleer, moved back to his hometown of Cincinnati. Most recently, a countertenor won first prize in the second "Opera Idol" of the Cincinnati Opera.
Matthew is an amazing talent, and I was curious to know more about his ideas for aspiring young singers as well as his goals for his own musical future.
#1)His first suggestion for young singers wanting to sing early music is to go to Europe to get the languages down. Study Italian, German, and French. Knowing how the language functions will save a lot of time when deciphering scores. Also, so much is happening in Europe. It is good to be in that environment for the exposure to early music performance.
#2) Spend time working with both your regular voice teacher and coaches who know what will be expected of you in professional early music circles. Your vocal technique should not be at odds with your musical interpretation. It should be a tool for expressing yourself more easily. Subsequently, find a musical coach and voice teacher who speak a compatible language.
#3)One should learn to teach oneself. There is an enormous amount of free information out there- the most compelling artists are the ones who sound like they have digested the important facts and then made some personal decisions.
#4)Learning "early music style": Go to as many concerts as possible and buy as many CD and DVD recordings as you can afford.

Matthew founded Les Voix Baroques with Chloe Meyers and Amanda Keesmaat as a forum to explore the alto repertory. It has since expanded to be a group that focuses on one-to-a-part vocal music that features solo and ensemble singing, especially Renaissance and early Baroque polyphony. White has since taken ownership of the group. His goals are to make Les Voix Baroques the premiere vocal ensemble in North America featuring vocal soloists singing in ensemble. Much like Collegium Vocale Gent, he sees the ensemble as flexible in size but featuring a regular core of experienced early music soloists who know how to sing together.
Les Voix has made several CD recordings to great acclaim. White says that it is much easier to make CD's in Canada because there is a lot of federal and provincial funding. Their next recording is of Bach's St. John Passion, which is a collaboration with the Arion Ensemble. White's ultimate goals for Les Voix? Two goals that I absolutely respect and know will sustain them for years to come: to sing better and to have fun making beautiful music.
I strongly recommend recordings of Les Voix Baroques to anyone. I especially love their recording of Buxtehude's Membra Jesu Nostri. CD's may be purchased at Amazon.com.

Grant Received for Harp and Theorbo Purchase!

2010-08-05T06:41:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that the Abraham, Katie, Eleanor, and Natalie Feld Memorial Fund as well as the Ruth Ballard Klausmeyer Fund (via The Greater Cincinnati Foundation) has provided a grant to the Catacoustic Consort to go toward the purchase of a Baroque triple strung harp and a theorbo!
This is thrilling news! Elizabeth Motter, a Cincinnati professional harp player, is learning the triple harp (named such for its three parallel rows of strings) and recently returned from the Amherst Early Music Festival, where she participated in the Historical Harp Society Workshop. She is planning to dedicate time and energy to learning Baroque music on this beautiful, difficult instrument. Elizabeth fell in love with the triple harp last year when Julia Seager-Scott came from Toronto with her instrument. This is just the thing that will have a huge impact on Cincinnati's early music scene!
The theorbo purchase will be to ensure that we can have theorbo players here for concerts. It is always a huge risk for Catacoustic's theorbo players (Daniel Swenberg, Michael Leopold, and others) to fly here with their instrument. There are huge fines for over-sized luggage, and one never knows it the instrument will make it here in one piece. The theorbo is an essential instrument for Catacoustic's repertory, and until a professional theorbo player moves here, we need to do what we can to see that it is possible to play with this instrument.
I have commissioned a harp from the English builder, Simon Capp (http://www.simon-capp-harps.co.uk/index.html), and it will be ready for delivery this Fall!
These grants provide a portion of the funding necessary to purchase these instruments. We will have a fundraiser concert soon (date TBA). If you would like to contribute to the harp and theorbo fund by making a tax-deductible donation, please mail a check payable to the Catacoustic Consort at PO Box 198022, Cincinnati, OH 45219. You may also email any questions to info@catacoustic.com.

2010-08-05T06:02:00.000-07:00

I am home for a day before I head off to Vancouver to spend some more time for concerts in Canada. My Montreal experience was wonderful! I played with Les Voix Baroques (led by Matthew White and Alex Weimann) and Le Nouvel Opera (Susie Le Blanc and Alex Weimann). It was wonderful to play with new people, to get new musical perspectives, and to make new friends. The rehearsal days were very long and intense, so I had no energy to come back and do any work, including writing for the blog. However, the music making was energizing at the same time. I am inspired by the high levels of singing and playing. It was also pretty incredible to see how much is happening in Montreal with early music. The province puts a lot of money into arts and culture. There are numerous baroque orchestras and EM chamber groups in Montreal. It is possible to make a living there in early music!
I had breakfast with a good friend of mine one day, Matt Jennejohn. He is making a living there as a cornetto maker, baroque oboist, and cornetto player. I knew him in the mid 90's when we both played music for the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Those were fun days, and then he wasn't even playing Baroque oboe and had just begun playing cornetto (recorder player first). Very good to see him doing well!
The music for LVB was a beautiful program of madrigals - very hard! I played tenor viol and lirone, and there were two violins, cello, theorbo, and harpsichord. It was refreshing to hear a new take on violin playing with these great players! This country is dominated by the IU school of playing (which I love), and it was good to hear a new perspective. The theorbo player (Sylvain Bergeron) was great and loads of fun. The director, Alex Weimann, had an excellent sense of style, and was an excellent conductor! When I travel for concerts, it is normally with people whom I have played before or people who have studied at the same school. Very exciting to have this experience!

Playing with the Canadians...

2010-07-25T17:51:00.000-07:00

I am in Montreal now in rehearsals with several exciting groups, Les Voix Baroques and Le Nouvel Opera. We are actually not performing at all in Montreal, but are performing in other parts of Canada - from Orford to Vancouver. I know at least one friend who is traveling from Oxford, Ohio to the Vancouver concert. Okay, this just happened to work out on her vacation...
It is such a pleasure to play with new people and get new perspectives on music. I am enjoying meeting new people and making new friends. (One of my good friends from university is here singing, too - Sumner Thompson.) I am pretty tired now after a long day of rehearsals, but I will write more later about my time here!

Summer Work for Catacoustic

2010-07-10T19:27:00.001-07:00

Rehearsing and personal practice are only a small part of my job responsibilities as director of the Catacoustic Consort. The summers are my time for finalizing the concerts for the next season. It is also prime time for grant writing. I have written six grants and a final report in the last month! Catacoustic's fiscal year is August 1-July 31, so it is also a time to close the books on the season and refine the financials for the upcoming season. While I may have a general idea of the music for concerts, the summer is when I try to make my musical selections. I checked out ten books from the CCM library this week to choose tunes for my September concert of "Music from Gainsborough's Time." I have been listening to more recordings to become inspired by other musicians' programming choices and musicality. It is also time to set the venues, hire musicians, arrange for musicians' housing and travel, as well as put together the season brochure and press releases. Okay, so I need to stop writing this blog entry and get back to work...

Artistic Intention

2010-06-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

I saw a Facebook posting recently by Cincinnati dancer, Susan Moser:

"Controversy for the sake of controversy is weak art; controversy avoided for the sake of avoiding controversy makes for weak art. As artists we must decide whether to avoid or confront certain questions: How nervous should we make our audience? How provocative should we be? Should we invite people to examine the assumptions at the center of their lives?"

I am active on Facebook primarily because one must be active on Facebook today. It is work for me, but occasionally I am inspired or touched by this internet world of ours. This thoughtful quote resonated with me. I am frequently around artists of different mediums. Mostly musicians and artists are quite selfish- understandably so. We are constantly working on a medium that comes from ourselves: training our bodies for artistic marathons, perfecting our skills, and forcing our brains to focus on specialized materials. With our own myopic focus on our craft and being in an insular world of our own kind, it is easy to lose perspective on our artistic purpose and intention. Why we are doing what we do in the first place, and who is supporting the art with their time and dollars? My own feelings about making music through Catacoustic are that my fellow musicians and I should inspire each other and uplift the audience. Artists and musicians may have different motivations for doing their craft, but it is good to take a step back every now and then for perspective.

Why Does One Make a Recording?

2010-06-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

I was thinking on my long drive back from the Ojai Music Festival, as I was carpooling with Wildcat Viol member Julie Jeffrey: why does one go to the trouble of making a recording? This spawned an interesting discussion.
The Wildcat Viols just released a first recording of English music for three viols. It is a fine recording, and their audience in the San Francisco Bay is responding enthusiastically to it. It took many hours, a lot of work, and many dollars to make the cd. They will probably never recoup the investment they put into the project, and their real love is naturally performing and rehearsing. The studio experience of making the cd is never an enjoyable one. And, really, who enjoys listening for edits? So, I ask again: why make a recording?
1) To get concerts
2) Making recordings makes people consider you as a “legitimate” musician
3) Allows you to reach a larger audience
4) To leave a legacy
Julie pointed out that Jordi Savall’s group Hesperion XX made a recording of Purcell viol fantasies. Two of the musicians on that recording have passed away, possibly due to cancer. Julie had her own cancer scare recently, and this caused her to think of her own legacy and in-part pushed her to finish this recording and to think to the future with an additional recording that Wildcat Viols is now raising money for of Purcell and Locke fantasies.

Interview with Robin Easterbrook, Pacifica Viols Chapter Member

2010-06-12T15:18:00.000-07:00

Robin Easterbrook (standing in photo) was one of the viol players at the Pacifica Chapter viol concert and party. I had met her previously at a workshop. She is quite active in the Bay area viol playing scene, and she kindly agreed to answer some questions for this blog.

What made you decide to play the viol?

I decided to play the viol after one of my Suzuki moms accompanied my students on a strange looking "cello.” I was teaching her daughter violin at the time. The mother's name is Mary Prout. I also had another violin student whose parents play the viol, Richard and Cathy Taruskin (at the time the head of UC Berkeley music department). So, I was intrigued by the beautiful resonating sounds from the gut stings. The sound of the gamba is the most sublime sound in the universe!

Why do you think people in your chapter take up the viol?

I think the beautiful consort music is a big draw. We also have wonderful coaches once a month.

What do you recommend for a region that might want to have more activity like your chapter?

I would recommend them to get more people involved playing the gamba, especially the younger folks. They should do school presentations like we have done in the past.

What is the value in a gamba society chapter and in your events?

The value is that we nurture and help people who are just learning. I am in charge of helping the "newer" players, and have gotten positive feedback they had such a great time! Everyone is so friendly and we see ourselves as a big family. When I first started playing Lee McRae and John Mark helped me so much, so that is why I want to help new learners!

Performance in Barefoot Concert Series

2010-06-10T20:19:00.001-07:00

I performed at the Berkeley Early Music Festival last week with Wildcat Viols in a concert that was part of a new concert series, The Barefoot Chamber Concerts (see http://www.barefootchamberconcerts.com/). I unfortunately did not get a photo of the viol consort, since I was busy playing music, but I did get a photo of the mimosa table at the concert! I did not partake, but it certainly contributed to a very happy concert environment.
Barefoot Chamber Concerts was started by viola da gamba player Peter Halifax in Berkeley, California. Concerts are generally held on Friday evenings at 6pm, so that people can enjoy the hour-long concert after work on their way home. They would have time to make it home for dinner and would be able to fulfill other Friday evening engagements. It is a great idea - perfect for a community like Berkeley. Wine and cheese is available at these concerts.
What a great way to start a weekend!

Marais-a-thon

2010-06-09T22:27:00.000-07:00

I spent today(in between my rehearsals for the Wildcat Viol program) at a concert in the Berkeley Early Music Festival – actually “a concert” is not quite the appropriate word. It was an all-day (11am-7pm) program of the music of Marin Marais entitled The Marais-a-thon. Professional viol players in the San Francisco bay area performed in 15 or 30 minute sections. Presented as a concert in the new Barefoot Chamber Concerts Series (http://www.barefootchamberconcerts.com/), the proceeds from the day’s music went to scholarships for the Viola da Gamba Society of America’s Grants-in-Aid program.
All day, all Marais.
Performers included Colin Shipman and his wife Violet Grgich playing on harpsichord. It was so tender to see this married couple playing this intimate music together! Rebekah Ahrendt played one of my favorite suites beautifully. Peter Halifax played music from the movie Tous les Matins du Monde and kept everyone entertained with his announcements and narration of Marais’ “Operation.” David Morris’ suite moved me to tears with his sensitive interpretation. And, this was only a small sampling of what was offered!
It was intriguing to hear all these musicians playing today. There were so many approaches to technique, sound, and interpretation. It was exciting to hear so many approaches, and several of today’s players said that they work well together and learn from each other. The viol players combine in different groups and work well together in a fun, collegial way.
I hope that concerts like this will happen in Cincinnati. Someday!

Pacifica Chapter of the Viola da Gamba Society of America

2010-06-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

Several days ago I attended the end of year annual "bash" of the Pacifica Viola da Gamba Society Chapter (a chapter of the Viola da Gamba Society of America or VdGSA). This consisted of a pitch-in lunch and an informal concert of many of the members, most of whom were amateur players of many playing levels. Everyone had a great time visiting and making music. There were fifteen different groups that performed for this 2 1/2 plus hour concert. But it was fun, since we could relax with food and drink during this casual program. It was a wonderful and supportive environment to enjoy music and friendship.
My dear friend, Julie Jeffrey founded this chapter, along with Lee McRae, who was also enthusiastically playing in the concert. They were carpooling to a workshop, when Julie asked, “why isn’t there a chapter in San Francisco with all the viol players there already?” Lee responded, “let’s make one happen.” This was in 1988. There are currently close to 100 members in the Pacifica chapter. Incidentally, there are sixteen chapters of the Viola da Gamba Society of America (vdgsa.org)
The benefits of a chapter are the community and the organization which enables members to do projects, scholarships from the national society, scholarships to members for projects and continued education, and monthly workshops. Julie said that the structure of a chapter makes it easier to get support from the national vdgsa and the community and easier to communicate within and to the larger community. The real challenge is how best to serve all members of many abilities: from the young to old and from the beginner to the amateur and the professional.
The Pacifica chapter offers its members:
1)monthly meetings for members free-of-charge with playing opportunities and led by professional viol players/coaches.
2)a monthly newsletter
3)viol rentals
4)scholarships
For more information on the Pacifica chapter, see http://www.pacificaviols.org/.

Early Music in San Francisco

2010-06-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

I arrived on Thursday in beautiful San Francisco for concerts with the Wildcat Viol Consort (Julie Jeffrey, Joanna Blendulf, & Elizabeth Reed). No, there is no funny connection with their group and mine and cats. Wildcat is a canyon just down the road, and "catacoustic" means reflecting sounds. We are performing Purcell viol fantasies in a concert for the Berkeley Early Music Festival and the Ojai Music Festival. The consort sounds amazing, and friends of Catacoustic would recognize Julie and Joanna as frequent guest artists.While Elizabeth has yet to play in Cincinnati, I hope that she will join us soon!
It is wonderful to be in San Francisco: good food, exciting stores, diverse population, and it is nice to escape the Cincinnati summer weather for a few days! What I find especially intriguing is the culture for early music here. This city boasts the SFEMS series (Catacoustic has performed on this series twice, http://www.sfems.org/), the Berkeley Early Music Festival (http://bfx.berkeley.edu/), an astonishing number of professional viol players (last count was 16!), a full-time professional baroque orchestra (Philharmonia Baroque, http://www.philharmonia.org/) with the superstar conductor Nicolas McGegan, and a whopping 43 early music organizations. This city is an inspiring model for Cincinnati. It would be wonderful for my home to become a center for early music like San Francisco! Why not? Cincinnati is a true center for the arts: home to one of the finest orchestras in the world, has an excellent music conservatory, is home of the Fine Arts Fund, has an excellent cost of living, and is within close proximity to two of the leading universities in this country for early music studies (Indiana University and Oberlin Conservatory).
What does it take for a city to become such an exciting center for early music? I plan to spend time here asking people this question.What do you think? What can Cincinnati do? What can Catacoustic do to further encourage more concerts of early music, amateur musicians to take up early music instruments, and professional performers to move here?

Listening to Beautiful Music Today...

2010-06-02T05:46:00.000-07:00

I am often asked what my favorite type of music is. The answer is that it depends... The music I enjoy changes, depending on what is going on in my life and, frankly, what music I am practicing. I do not tend to listen to music for fun. It becomes work. But, I will say what my favorite music is today. I am listening (for fun!) to a recording by Kristian Bezuidenhout of Mozart sonatas performed on the fortepiano. I am rediscovering a love for Mozart through his interpretation of this music! Listening to this recording makes me feel alive and energized. Now that the Catacoustic concert season is at a close, I plan to continue listening to inspiring artists such as Kris to refuel for our upcoming tenth season! Interested in hearing this recording? The cd is entitled "Sturm und Drang," and it is on the Fleur de Son label, catalogue number 57951.

Early Music at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

2010-05-30T05:59:00.000-07:00

Part Two: Lutes and Voices

Rodney Stucky teaches at CCM’s Early Music Lab (EML). Rod teaches a group class that combines voices and early plucked instruments, such as lute, vihuela, and theorbo. The lutes also receive extra private coachings, as part of their participation in the class. He has taught in the EML since the fall of 2002. Numerous singers have completed his class to pursue early music careers, including Catacoustic’s own Youngmi Kim, Mischa Bouvier (also performed several times with Catacoustic, http://www.mischabouvier.com/index.php), Molly Quinn (http://mollyquinn.com/), and Chris Wilke (currently pursuing a doctorate with Paul O’Dette at Eastman in lute and theorbo, http://www.facebook.com/christopher.wilke1). A current student in Rod’s section of EML bought his own lute this year. (The Early Music Lab has a collection of instruments that are loaned to students for the duration of the course.)

Additional information about Stucky:
Rodney Stucky is a lutenist, baroque guitarist, classical guitarist, and vihuelist. He has been active in early music since the late 60’s. His performances include appearances in New York at the Cloisters with the Dupont Circle Consortium, in Washington D.C. with the Theater Chamber Players, directed by Leon Fleisher, and in Paris at the Conservatoire Supérieure with his wife mezzo-soprano Mary Henderson. Locally he has been heard in concert with the Vocal Arts Ensemble, Dayton Bach Society and Philharmonic Orchestra. He is a member of the baroque music ensemble, Apollo’s Cabinet and has directed or co-directed early music ensembles at the University of South Carolina, St. Louis Conservatory of music, and at Interlochen’s summer program. In St. Louis he was a founding member of the “Oriana Singers,” a vocal quartet focusing on music of the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He is currently a co-director of the Early Music Lab at the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati and head of the classical guitar program in the Preparatory Department. He is also author of Guitar for the Young, books 1 and 2, a classical guitar method for young children.

Early Music at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

2010-05-27T06:24:00.000-07:00

Part One: Viola da Gamba Class
I have been teaching viola da gamba at CCM for three years. I took over from James Lambert, who plays double bass in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He is also a frequent musician for Catacoustic Consort performances.
I teach two gamba classes – one beginner class and one for returning (advanced) players. People who have bowed string experience are encouraged to participate, although everyone (must be a music major) is accepted. The beginner class is naturally all about the physicality of how to hold the instrument and how to get a good sound. By the end of the quarter, we are able to play ensemble music. We talk about basic concepts in playing renaissance music, since so many basic concepts in communicating through music have changed through time. The advanced viols spend their time with a bit more technique and more in-depth coaching on playing stylistically sensitive manner. Concepts of rhetoric and effective musical expression are throughout this class. We spend each class playing consorts. The past two quarters this year have introduced the advanced players to tablature. (Tablature is a type of notation for the viol that is, in effect, Braille for the viol player. It shows what strings to play and what fret to cover. Viol tab uses a staff which consists of six spaces and seven lines. Each space represents a string, and letters are used to represent which frets to stop. An “a” on the bottom space would represent the open string, and the “b” on the bottom space would be the first fret on that string.) This is an ideal system for reading chordal music in different tunings, which is exactly what we have done. We have played lira viol trios all quarter in this class – even working on Lawes lira trios, which are VERY difficult!
The degree programs at CCM are quite intense, as it is one of the best music schools in the country. My students are introduced to the viola da gamba and concepts of musical expression through this instrument. Occasionally there are exceptional students who decide that they would like to pursue the instrument beyond the classroom, which is thrilling. But, it is also rewarding for the students to be introduced to the instrument and its repertory in the classroom.
There is typically a class recital at the end of each quarter, involving all the collegiums sections, including the loud band, recorders, voices and lutes, and viols. We had our class recital this past Tuesday, and the viol students were wonderful!
While the CCM early music class is not intended as a major field of study, it offers a fine introduction to a new instrument and musical language that may encourage some musicians to continue to pursue this field of study.

Why does someone take up an "early music" instrument?

2010-05-24T06:03:00.000-07:00

I began playing viol when I was in high school. I played violin and attended Interlochen (a summer music camp), where I took a class entitled “Shakespeare’s Music” handed me a treble viol. I fell in love and haven’t looked back. Numerous early music professionals got their start there. Unfortunately, Interlochen has since ceased offering any early music to their campers. Currently, in the US most early music professionals get their start on a period instrument in university. Another strike against us is that many universities are cutting these programs with today’s economic difficulties. The professional performer is only side of the historical performance world. The other is that of the amateur musician…

Many people decide to take up music later in life, as their careers and families are established. They may have more time to devote to music in retirement or as their professional and personal lives are more established, they want to explore a creative path in music. This musical explorative journey is quite rewarding, as it offers opportunities to make music with friends in ensembles of like or unlike instruments with many people performing in church or in house concerts.

The recorder is often a popular choice for people to start their musical exploration. It is quite easy to play as a beginner, and there is much music to play for solos and ensemble. (Instruments are quite inexpensive, with decent plastic instruments selling at around $20.) One local player is a proficient trombonist, who was pushed to pick up the recorder by his church organist to eventually perform in church services. There is also at least one amateur recorder consort in the greater Cincinnati area. Catacoustic also offers frequent workshops for beginner, intermediate, and advanced players with teachers brought to instruct these players in technique and ensemble skills.

The viola da gamba is another surprisingly popular instrument for the amateur musician. It is easy on the body to play, a rewarding instrument for the beginner, and offers a huge repertory for many levels of ability. There are four players in Cincinnati who play on Catacoustic’s rental instruments. I also teach music students at CCM (University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music) to play the viol in group classes. Catacoustic offers frequent workshops for viol players, attracting players from throughout the Midwest – from Nashville, Cleveland, and Chicago!

As I think to the future of early music performance in this country, I would like to continue to encourage people to find their voice in Renaissance and Baroque music. This will include amateurs and professionals learning early music instruments, as well as attracting more people to concerts and recordings where this repertory is performed. I would like to know your thoughts on the best way to do this. Have YOU ever thought of playing an “early music” instrument? What is the best way to go about doing this?

Recent Concert, Recording, and Movie in London

2009-10-27T17:34:00.000-07:00

I recently returned from a wonderful trip in London, where I played a concert, made a CD, and participated in a video recording. This was all organized by Erin Headley, an American who has been living in England for the past twenty or so years. Erin is solely responsible for the rediscovery of the lirone, which I play (for information on the lirone, see www.catacoustic.com and click on the link “about the instruments”). Erin received a fellowship to research, publish, and record a program of dramatic Roman Catholic laments from the Vatican library. She chose an exquisite program of powerful music that touched musicians and audience alike very deeply.
The musicians involved in this project were a truly international group. There were four lirone players: Erin, Paulina van Laarhoven (from the Netherlands), Nora Roll (Sweden), and myself. We primarily played viola da gamba and improvised accompaniment to recitative. This proved to be a tricky matter. We were all accustomed to playing continuo on lirone, but playing continuo on viol with other viol players was a true challenge. Not only did we need to decide what notes to play, but we had to be extremely sensitive to what gestures we would make with the bow with each other and with the singers. Siobhan Armstrong (Ireland) played double harp. Liz Kenny (London) played theorbo in the concert and recording, as well as Paula Chateuneuf (who played in the concert only). Kris Bezuidenhout (originally from South Africa, currently in London) joined us in the concert and recording. The two excellent singers were Theodora Baka (from Greece) and Nadine Balbesi (an American-Jordanian currently living in Germany).
Erin named the group Atalante, after Atalante Migliorotti, the inventor of the lirone. Our concert was at the Southbank Centre in the downtown area. Erin brought a director (Eric Fraad from eXIreland) to dramatically stage the soulful laments, and the singers were amazing actresses! There were ornate props, including a jeweled crucifix, a huge golden mirror, a skull to represent vanitas (the fragility of life), and a large urn. We also had the most beautiful costumes! A costume designer from Italy created costumes for the singers (the characters were Artemisia, Mary Magdalene, and the aged Helen of Troy). They also created costumes for the instrumentalists, although we only wore these dresses for the movie – not the concert. We had dresses that were made of the finest silks with colors that were matched to our skin tones. We were made to look like allegorical goddess-like figures out of 17th-century paintings of the likes of Poussin or Raphael. The CD was made in a church in Cambridge with the talented music producer John Hadden, and the video portion was made in London at an incredible gothic church that alone created atmosphere for the movie. I anticipated playing behind a music stand with the other instrumentalists, while the singers were the main focus for this activity. However, this was not the case. The instrumentalists were asked to ACT!!! We did a few shots with us playing (no music stands!!), and the remainder of the time was spent with our participating as supporting actors to the singers. Erin hopes that having the CD with the video component (music published in editions, as well) will help Atalante receive concert tours throughout the world. I am extremely impressed with this project, and it makes me realize that I must acknowledge that audiences of the future need a visual, dramatic component to our music. This was a wonderful way to get energy and inspiration for the ninth season of Catacoustic concerts here in Cincinnati.

The Business of The Catacoustic Consort, Part 1

2009-06-02T16:39:00.000-07:00

Artistic Planning
How do I choose a program?
There are numerous factors that lead me to choose a program. The musicians of Catacoustic are basically me and people I choose for the particular project. This is both good and bad. Bad because there is a large expense that is associated with importing early music performers from around the world: travel, housing, and food. But, there is a lot of flexibility that goes along with that. I can program many types of music: Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical and vocal and instrumental. I enjoy bringing in incredibly talented musicians from whom I can learn and grow. For example, my partnership with Michael Leopold of Milano, Italy, has truly helped me grow and learn so much about Italian music, and this transfers to better concerts year-after-year for the Catacoustic audience!

I choose a program based on:
1)being inspired by a talented musician.
The program "The Virtuoso Basso" featured talented bass singer Dan Cole.
2)desire to feature a special instrument.
The "Awakening of the Harpsichord" was the inaugural concert for Catacoustic's new harpsichord. While we occasionally will have a harpsichord in a concert, it normally serves an accompanying function. This concert featured the harpsichord in a solo role, showcasing the many colors and characters of the instrument.
Several years ago, we had a program featuring the cornetto, and this season we will have a concert for the baroque oboe.
3)Genre that speaks to me.
I particularly love vocal music of early 17th-century Italy. Catacoustic's winning a national competition and release of the Italian laments CD only pushed me further into this exploration of this passionate music.
4)Particular piece of music.
Sometimes I listen to a piece and feel like I will absolutely DIE, if it is not programmed in a Catacoustic concert. An example of this is Charpentier's opera La Descente d'Orphee aux Enfers.
5)Historical period that pricks my interest.
17th-century nuns have been a delight to read about, and fortunately, their music is wonderful! Often the interest in the historical context of the music is a natural result of interest in the music, such as 18th-century French women who played the pardessus de viole.
6)Collaborations.
I chose Couperin's Lamentations of Jeremiah (Lecons de Tenebres) was on our season last year. This was a result of our collaboration with Hebrew Union College, the Roman Catholic Community, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with Oberlin College. They were interest in the text, historical context, and musicological background, about which they gave lectures prior to our concert.
We also collaborated with Cincinnati's Esquire Theatre to play a concert of music from Tous les Matins du Monde following a free screening of the film.
While there is always a need to balance many factors, including fiscal responsibility and an understanding of the area where we share our music and the desires of our audience, Catacoustic has had a wonderful amount of variety of programming that has been inspiring, and educational for all!

Extra Expenses for Early Music Instruments?

2009-06-02T11:10:00.001-07:00

I have been having a difficult time coming up with topics to write about in my blog, so this morning I sent a request to my Facebook friends to give suggestions. One topic was "extra expenditures required by players of period instruments versus modern instruments - or - how much money I spend maintaining my instrument."
In general, the cost of purchasing a professional quality viola da gamba is less than a violin or cello. I can buy a fine bass viol for $7-10,000, whereas the pricetag would be double that for a violin or cello of comparable quality. Thank goodness, because as a gamba player I have multiple instruments: two trebles (Renaissance consort instrument and French baroque solo instrument), a pardessus, a lirone, and two basses (consort bass and French baroque seven string). The same thing applies to bows. Ours may cost a bit less, but we need more of them...
I use a nice rosin that can be used for all my viols (and for violins), so the cost is the same. As long as it doesn't break, it lasts forever.
Strings can break frequently, especially in the summer. That is a huge expense, especially for so many instruments. Strings are one of my biggest expenses... Ugh.
I had a problem this year that can affect anyone - bow mites. Two of my bows had been taken advantage of by these pesky creatures. From what I understand, bow mites are the larvae from moths (the same ones that can eat holes through sweaters). They sawed off the hair from my bow. No damage was done to the stick, so I put moth balls in my case and closet and had the bows rehaired. That costed the same as a violin or cello rehair job - around $60 each. Ugh. I have now learned that I must store my bows out in the open, where the bugs - at least THOSE bugs - cannot get to them.
Music is more expensive for the viol. There is much less demand for viol music than for piano or violin. And, you cannot go to the Sam Goody music store to purchase gamba music. I order my music or use the wonderful music library at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, which is a wonderful resource.
For the most part, a luthier who does quality work on violins, cellos, or basses can do repairs on viols. Nick Lloyd, a Cincinnati-based double bass maker does excellent work on my viols.
Frets can wear out frequently, but they are easy to fix and can be replaced with old broken strings.
Early music recordings can be more expensive, although now that recordings are more easily available over the internet, this is a levelling factor.
I don't have other regular maintenance costs. I have occasional openings in seams that are easy for a luthier to fix. I don't use different bridges for summer and winter, which would be a great deal of trouble and expense for all my instruments.

Interview with Suzanne Bona, host of Sunday Baroque

2009-03-10T23:57:00.000-07:00

Suzanne, you are an accomplished "modern" flute player. What is it that influenced you to start a radio program about baroque music?

As a performer, I'd never thought of myself as a "modern flute" player, because I learned and performed all kinds of music in the classical tradition. I was completely unaware of the segregation that can exist between eras and types of instruments. Like many people in the arts, I needed a "day job," and found radio was a perfect fit for me. My first boss assigned me to cover Sunday mornings and told me to "play baroque music," so getting into it was really beyond my control! But the assignment gave me focus and sparked my curiosity, and I immediately began making it "my" program - exploring the music, the composers, the instruments, and the nuances. Because I'd never viewed baroque and early music as separate from the rest, I had no preconceptions, and just sought out whatever sounded good both to me and to listeners.

Cincinnati is fortunate to have you here. Traditionally, this city has focused on a romantic musical tradition, although it seems to be changing with your program, ensembles like Catacoustic, and local ensembles embracing more pre-Beethoven music (CSO's recent Mozart program with Sir Roger Norrington). What brought you to Cincinnati, and what do you think about the standing of "early music" here in this city?

WGUC brought me to Cincinnati, although not specifically for Sunday Baroque. That came later! When we came here, my previous station in Connecticut asked me to continue producing Sunday Baroque long distance because it was a successful, long running part of their schedule. And, seeing that success, WGUC realized it would be a good addition to the local airwaves too, and we agreed on making that part of my job here. Thanks to ensembles like Catacoustic Consort, I think early music is growing and becoming more accepted, little by little, here and across the country. People come to your concerts, hear the exquisite music, see these beautiful instruments like the ones you and your colleagues play, and learn about the people who played them and wrote music for them centuries ago, and they want to know more. Annalisa, you do a great job of bringing people in, making it non-threatening, enjoyable experience. You talk to the audience in layman's terms, translating foreign terms, and that's the right way to open people's minds and embrace new listeners.

How do you feel about the future of classical music and the future of baroque music?

Those perennial rumors of classical music's imminent demise are greatly exaggerated, in my opinion. For decades those dire warnings have made headlines, but it hasn't happened yet. I was a classical music geek as a kid, mostly because my parents exposed me to it, but I have noticed that once we hit our 30’s, my contemporaries started coming around to it little by little, too. Maybe people get tired of the narrow music they liked as teens and twenty-somethings, or maybe they're finally mature enough to broaden their horizons, but maybe it's just a genre that some people have to grow into. I'm also on a soapbox about breaking down the artificial barriers that exist between those who do and don't know about this music. For example, we've done a "MARVELOUS" job creating a code language to talk about music that excludes anyone who isn't familiar with musical terms, or anyone who doesn't speak fluent Italian, German, or French. It's this exclusive little club we've created, and we show you that you don't belong by using words you don't understand and literally speaking other languages. We've also perpetuated an almost oppressively intimidating environment for novices - ostracizing people who clap at the "wrong" time, for example. As a performer, I am truly tickled when someone is moved enough by the music to clap between movements, but many of us act as though it's an insult or major etiquette blunder. I'd love to see the classical music world do everything possible to make the music accessible and the concert experience less intimidating.
Annalisa, here's another way you do a great job - the atmosphere at Catacoustic concerts is relaxed and casual. You always explain what "viola da gamba" means, literally, and you describe who would (and would not) play the various instruments at Catacoustic performances. It's not professorial or condescending; it's courteous and gracious, just as you'd introduce guests to one another at a party.

You share many interpretations of baroque music, including baroque music with period instruments and on modern instruments. Do you see a new attitude of musicians today toward baroque music?

Unfortunately there are so many prejudices and misconceptions about what early music is and who should (or shouldn't) be playing it. I'd love for listeners and performers to simply experience and enjoy music for its own merit, and not get bogged down by notions of orthodoxy. I've never bought into purist dogma on
anything, really. And it frustrates me when people insist there's only one "right" way to do something. Where do you draw the line, really? If we insist on the so-called purest, most authentic experience, doesn't that mean we should sit in cold, dark churches crowded alongside people who haven't bathed? Music is a living art form, and I see no problem using a variety of instruments to play music, whether or not they are authentic to the time the music was written.

Are you seeing a new trend in recordings of baroque music? What would you advise a group like Catacoustic to consider in programming and recordings?

In the two decades since originating Sunday Baroque I've definitely seen a giant leap in the quality of what's available on cd - both performance and technical quality - and a greater variety of what's available. Once upon a time, when the interest in baroque and early music was revived in the middle of the 20th
century, it was an arcane genre and the focus was on scholarly discovery more than technical proficiency. The quality of performances is vastly improved from those early days, partly because more musicians are approaching this music, playing both period and modern instruments, and the skills and training have been absorbed by a new generation. In the past couple of years, though, the record companies have been in some trouble. There are fewer new recordings being released, and more re-releases. That reflects a desire and need to economize; recycling existing recordings is much more efficient and cost-effective than starting from scratch with a new recording project. But the good news is that it's never been easier to self-produce - lots of musicians are marketing their music online and making it available in downloads, rather than relying solely on cds. That's the way to go! Catacoustic does two things in particular that are right on target -- you build programs around "themes" - it creates cohesion and adds a dimension that can help people understand better. You also offer some historical context. Those narratives help bring music to life, especially for people who don't know a lot about the music. So, you're not only making an appealing recording, you are bringing listeners along for the future.

How can our blog readers listen to your radio program and learn more about Sunday Baroque?

90.9 WGUC broadcasts Sunday Baroque on Sunday mornings from 8am-12noon. There's also an online audio stream of the most recent program, updated weekly on Mondays, at www.SundayBaroque.org

An Early Music Christmas – Gift Ideas and Holiday Concerts

2008-11-26T11:25:00.000-08:00

As the holiday season approaches, keep early music at the top of your wish list. The top of my list would of course be Catacoustic’s CD as a gift for friends and family, and at $10 per CD, that is a great deal. Another gift that people have purchased in the past is Catacoustic tickets. You will receive a discount for this gift offer, too! You may buy six tickets for the price of five. E-mail apappano@catacoustic.com for more information.

If you would like to hear early music performed on period instruments, I strongly recommend a drive up to Indianapolis to hear the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra play Handel’s Messiah. Friends of Catacoustic will recognize Sherezade Panthaki (sang in February 2008 Couperin’s Lamentations of Jeremiah and January 2008 Music from the Movie concerts) as one of the soloists. There are two performances:
#1 is 7:30PM on Friday, December 5 at Trinity Episcopal Church, Indianapolis (corner of North Meridian and 33rd Streets)
#2 is 7:30PM on Saturday, December 6 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Church at 10655 Haverstick Road, Carmel, IN (northern suburb of Indianapolis)
Call 317.926.1346 for more information. Tickets are $25 preferred seating, $20 general, and $10 students.

If you are interested in a Christmas gift that will enlarge your library, I recommend the newly available DVD of Tous les Matins du Monde (All the Mornings of the World). Catacoustic performed a concert of the music from this movie last January. The DVD is available at Amazon.com.

I have a substantial CD library of early music recordings, but I find that I end up listening to my favorites over and over. My picks are:

Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri performed by Les Voix Baroques on the ATMA label. Catacoustic soprano Catherine Webster is singing on this stunning album. This music is lush and incredibly moving.

Cavalieri’s Lamentations performed by Le Poeme Harmonique on the Alpha label.

Nova Metamorfosi performed by Le Poeme Harmonique on the Alpha label. Between these two recordings of this talented group, I have practically worn out my CD player!

La Tarantella performed by L’Arpeggiata on the Alpha label. This CD is all Tarantellas, which is a type of dance music that was done to ward off or in response to the bite of the tarantella spider. This is really wild, fun music!

Regardless of what music you have in your life, have a lovely holiday season!

Live Music versus Recordings

2008-11-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

In today’s busy world, where both time and money are precious commodities, why should a person participate in live music concerts?
Recordings are wonderful additions to everyday life. They can be educational tools. CDs can help one relax and provide a background of soothing or exciting music to match or enhance one’s mood. However, the highly edited, embellished or smoothed-over nature of modern recordings can make live performances seem unnecessary.
A live concert allows you to be a part of the process. Chamber music, especially, affords this opportunity. Intimate venues and the relationship between audience and performer offer a dimension that I never knew could exist until I started Catacoustic. This is not something that one learns in music school. I have also discovered the importance of having a dialogue in concerts. Catacoustic’s audience has seen us grow from a small acorn to a healthy oak tree. I think that they feel part of that process, growing with us – in knowledge of music and history, and as active observers.
Live concerts have energy and a sense of spontaneity. You never know what to expect.
As a performer, I much prefer to play in front of an audience than in a recording studio. The music is much more exciting when I have the adrenaline of the live performance.
One uses more senses at a concert: sight (body language, dress, and facial expression), sound, venue, and background contextual information combine with the whole experience to paint a multi-dimensional imaginary picture of the music.
Finally, when I attend a concert, all my attention is on the music. Music is not in the background while I am doing work around the house. Instead, I am savoring each moment as the music brought to life – the interplay of the notes, the physical space, and the dynamic between the performer and the audience, and being part of the process.
What are your thoughts about live music versus recordings?

Musician Spotlight: Webb Wiggins, Harpsichordist

2008-10-14T06:51:00.000-07:00

Webb Wiggins will be the featured musician in Catacoustic's upcoming concert, "Awakening of the Harpsichord." The following is an interview with this exceptional musician:

First, how would you describe the harpsichord?

Essentially, a harpsichord is an inherently un-expressive instrument! There is no sustain or dynamic variation in the sound. There are subtle differences in the timbre of the sound if there is more than one set of strings. The strings are plucked by a plectra (originally of crow quill, now usually delrin). The variety of length of note and the variety of articulation is how we create the illusion of dynamic and expression: ie, a longer note implies and is perceived as louder than a shorter note; a note sounding out of silence implies and is perceived as louder than a note sounding while first note is still sounding.

What drew you to early music?

It was the specific difference between consonant and dissonant harmonies. In the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries most music uses traditional harmony (that which we still enjoy in most popular music of today). When a note foreign to other notes in a chord is introduced, dissonance occurs. These dissonances can occur between chords (weak beats and softer dissonances) or simultaneous with the introduction of a chord (strong beats and louder dissonances). This 'pain and relief effect' truly moves me.

What are some of the types of early music, such as ballads, dance, etc.?

Many new forms were created in baroque music: toccatas, cantatas, opera, dance suites to name a few. The first four are of Italian origin; dance suites are essentially French-based. Most baroque music is either specifically or loosely based on dance rhythms, many from much earlier times. Non-dance-based music is perhaps the other major area - improvisational: pieces either truly improvised (in church services or as preludes to dance pieces). Aside from dances, most other forms of baroque music are multi-sectional, having various styles and moods in one longer piece; the precursor to multi-movement works (sonatas, symphonies, etc).

Tell us how you approach the upcoming “Awakening” concert.

This is a little different from most concerts I play in that I'm essentially choosing most of the music. Unlike most of the ensembles with whom I play, you'll probably hear more seventeenth century than eighteenth century music, since I'm drawn to it, and I think I communicate it successfully.

Who are your favorite composers?

Johann Jacob Froberger (1616-1667) is my favorite. I have the greatest respect for JS Bach of course, and there are many composers I adore who are not baroque. But if I limit this to keyboard music, including Froberger, there's Louis Couperin, Dietrich Buxtehude, Jan Pietersson Sweelinck, Girolami Frescobaldi - all seventeenth century composers. I also have to say I like the decadent French composers at the end of the baroque: Jacques Duphly, Claude Balbastre, Armand-Louis Couperin.

What single piece of music is your favorite?

Can't even begin to imagine. Often I discover my fave in the midst of preparing for a concert, then it's replaced by another piece at the next concert.......

Is there anything else you would like to add for our readers?

I'm very honored to be asked to give this program. I've enjoyed working with Catacoustic in the past and look forward to becoming introduced to Catacoustic's new harpsichord.

2008-09-27T14:15:00.000-07:00

From the first minute I held a treble viola da gamba as a fifteen-year-old high school student, I knew I was meant to play this instrument. As a former violinist, my preference for the treble end of the spectrum led me to favor the treble viol and pardessus de viole. And, a music history class research paper in university led me to teach myself to play the lirone, which I absolutely adore.
The viol has offered me many wonderful opportunities to travel, meet interesting people, and create special bonds of friendship through music. I have found my voice with this instrument and am able to express myself in new and exciting ways. The viol hasenabled me to combine my love of reading and scholarship with my enjoyment of creating things. As a child, I was always organizing the neighborhood kids to put on shows for our families. I still remember performing “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” as a kid, dressed up in a gaudy yellow satin-like dress, a terrible black wig, and silver sequin-encrusted high heel shoes – thinking I must have been just like Marilyn Monroe...
I have been privileged to be able to incorporate a knack for envisioning exciting programs, a love for developing a relationship with my audience, and a passion for the viola da gamba in my ensemble, the Catacoustic Consort. When I decided to devote my life to the viol, I had no illusions that this would be an easy life choice or a career path. I knew that if I wanted work as a viol player, I must create the work. Fortunately, along the way I learned skills in running a non-profit organization that have enabled music to be the focal point of my life.
Several years ago, Catacoustic received donations of eight violas da gamba to use as rental instruments. This made it possible for people in Cincinnati to learn to play the viol and find their own voice through this magnificent instrument. One early music group was started as a result – the Noyse Merchants. Additionally, this is my second year teaching viola da gamba at the prestigious University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
My daily life as a professional viol player is varied: teaching, practicing, and rehearsing for concerts. In addition, for Catacoustic much of my time is spent writing program notes for our concerts, writing grants proposals and blog entries, working on budgets, and meeting with our board of directors. I have been honored to have the viol in my life and to be able to share it with others.

James Lambert, Local Viola da Gamba Player

2008-09-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

James Lambert (Viola da gamba; Cincinnati, OH) is Associate Principal Bassist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He is a graduate of UC-CCM and was a member of the North Carolina Symphony before moving to Cincinnati in 1987. Jim studied viola da gamba with Brent Wissick and Wendy Gillespie and has attended the Amherst Early Music Festival. He has performed as a solo viol player with various orchestras and has played with Apollo’s Cabinet.

We interviewed Jim about his upcoming performance with Catacoustic Consort. The concert, “A New Musical Cosmos,” will be performed on Saturday, October 11, 7:30 pm at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Clifton, and again on Sunday, October 12, 3:00 pm at the St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Glendale.

CC: First, would you describe the viola da gamba?

JL: The viola da gamba is a bowed stringed instrument which was developed in Spain and Italy in the early 1500s. The name means literally "viola of the leg," to distinguish it from the other family of bowed instruments, viola da braccio, or "viola of the arm (the violin family)."

The gamba family is characterized by having 6 strings with frets around the neck, and by holding the bow with the hand under the stick, very much like the bowing technique of some Middle Eastern instruments. The sound can be described as quiet but penetrating and intense.

There are three main sizes of the gamba, corresponding to the ranges of the human voice, and there are some less common sizes larger and smaller than these. All sizes are held between the legs, as the name indicates. There is a huge amount of solo music, especially for the bass instrument, and music for two to six viols of various sizes.

What drew you to early music?

In my “other life” I am a double bassist, and some of the very first music I played in my school orchestra was music of the Baroque era, the "alla hornpipe" movement from Handel's Water Music, and the "Halleluja" chorus from The Messiah. Musically speaking, I have felt the most at home with this period.

Three things about the music immediately attracted me: first, its pleasing melodies, second, its compact form, somewhat like a well-rounded musical argument, and third (and not least), the importance of the bass line, which is the foundation of the entire musical structure.
Later, thanks to public radio and my local public library, I discovered music of the Renaissance and Medieval eras. But it wasn't until my late 20s that I got my first viola da gamba, and from then on my commitment was assured. I could actually participate, instead of observing from the outside.

What are some of the types of early music?

One could speak of two large divisions which hold true for modern music - sacred and secular. Within the area of sacred music there is of course music for the worship service, based on biblical or otherwise liturgical texts. Some examples are Bach's Mass in B Minor or Claudio Monteverdi's Vespers. There is also a body of instrumental music for church use, such as for preludes or processionals. Some examples would be Corelli's Trio Sonatas or Gabrieli's Canzonas for brass choir.

In the realm of secular music you can find music for dancing, singing, military, ceremonial, and particularly from the Renaissance onward, a kind of recreational music for people to get together to play for pleasure. This latter could include madrigals, dance music, or a sort of free form music called fantasias. Around 1700 the instrumental concerto emerged, and of course the most popular example of this is Bach's "Brandenburg" Concertos. As you know, there was no recorded music until the late 1800s, so if one wanted to hear music, one would have to learn to sing or play an instrument, or go to wherever the music happened to be.

Tell us how you approach the upcoming "New Musical Cosmos" concert.

Well, first of all, I have to practice this difficult music! The featured composer, John Jenkins, was a virtuoso of the viola da gamba, and he wrote idiomatically for the instrument and exploited its capabilities to the fullest extent.

The musicians who are taking part in the concert won't actually meet until a few days before the concert, so we each have to be prepared. Then it's just a matter of fitting the individual parts together into the whole. Sometimes I like to listen to a recording to get a sense of how the piece goes, but much of what we're playing has not been recorded, so I will have a look at the full score. That way I can see the others' parts and learn in advance what I must listen for.

Who are your favorite composers?

J. S. Bach, Claudio Monteverdi, G. P. de Palestrina, G. F. Handel, Anton Bruckner, Johannes Brahms, Richard Wagner, for starters.

What single piece of music is your favorite?

Can I narrow it down to 100 favorites? I've played or heard literally thousands of pieces in my life; there's so much out there that I really like. Sometimes I think it's whatever I happen to be playing at the moment. But if backed into a corner, I would probably say Bach's Passacaglia in C Minor BWV 582, for organ - a masterpiece of sonic architecture, a cathedral in sound, and of course, a great bass line!

Is there anything else you would like to add for our readers?

The received wisdom suggests that music "began" with Bach in the early 1700s, that all music before him was a kind of precursor. That is certainly the attitude in the mainstream world of classical music. But there is actually about a thousand years of music extant before then! This music is also full of the passion, devotion, doubt, joy, anger, the whole range of human emotions, that we find in music of more recent times. The music we will play in the upcoming concert represents some of the best of instrumental chamber music of the 1600s. I'm hoping that listeners will find in this old music something new and exciting.

The “Other” Oxford a Key Player in Viol Revival Movement

2008-08-24T11:47:00.000-07:00

In the late 1960’s, the English Consort of Viols came to the small university town of Oxford, Ohio. Those of you who have experienced a Midwest winter know that snowstorms can disrupt a concert, which is what happened to the Consort. They were snowed in during a concert tour at the University of Illinois. This changed the course of numerous lives. The Chair of Miami University’s Music Department, Everett Nelson, knew Richard Nickolson, one of the viol players in the ensemble. Mr. Nelson met him while studying English viol fantasies in London. Mr. Nelson brought the Consort to Oxford to wait out the storm. Due to the bad winter weather, they had a lot of time to read consorts and to play beautiful music together. They did this in the "green room," where students and faculty could listen. The students and music teachers at Miami University were so impressed by the sound of the viols and the quality of the music that many of them wanted to learn to play the viol.
The university’s cello instructor Liz Potteiger and violin instructor Elizabeth Lane were particularly enamored with the viol and traveled to London to study with the founding members of the Consort (Marco Pallas and Richard Nickolson) in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Elizabeth Lane still vividly remembers delightful days spent in their flat playing music with these gentlemen, afterwards enjoying cups of tea. Miami University eventually purchased a consort of Michael Heale viols. This made it possible for many faculty members, college students, community amateurs, and even high school students to begin playing the viol. Liz Potteiger required all her cello students to study the viol in a special viol instruction course. She had as many as three consort classes. Many of Elizabeth Lane’s violin students played gamba, as well.
Love of the viol is contagious, and enthusiasm spread throughout the country from this small Ohio town. Elizabeth Lane’s brother (Warren Walker), a cellist at Kansas State University, heard about the viols at Miami University and traveled to London to study viol da gamba. He came back with a consort of viols made by Michael Heale and later bought a Kessler bass.
After the community of Oxford started their viol activity, they contacted people throughout Ohio to play together, including Suzanne Ferguson and Patricia Olds. They started one of the first Viola da Gamba Society chapters in Ohio, involving viol players from Columbus, Yellow Springs, Kentucky, Cleveland, and Oberlin, who met to play consorts. They spent their weekends in churches and homes playing and sharing potluck meals.
Liz Potteiger passed away in March 1998 from emphysema, and the viol tradition in Oxford sadly came to an end. The instruments were stored in closets and were neglected for many years until recently. Several years ago I met Elizabeth Lane, who facilitated the long-term loan of these instruments to my nonprofit chamber music ensemble, the Catacoustic Consort. The Viola da Gamba Society provided funding to have the instruments repaired, so the local community may use them. We are currently recreating a renaissance of the viol in southwestern Ohio through a new generation of viol players, a result of these resurrected instruments and the guidance of the Catacoustic Consort.
As we look to the future of our beloved instrument, it is important to remember our past and the passion of these early music revivalist trailblazers. I am honored to continue the tradition of the viola da gamba in Ohio.

Harpsichord visit...

2008-07-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

In the fall of 2007 the Catacoustic Consort received a grant from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation and the Abraham, Katie Eleanor, and Natalie Feld Memorial Fund for the purchase of a harpsichord. I was lucky enough to find an instrument that was in fine playing shape thanks to the repair work of Ben Bechtel in Columbus, Ohio. We have since used our new instrument in several concerts and are excited about the programming possibilities that this instrument will afford us - and other music ensembles in the region.
I received a phone call recently that the maker of the harpsichord, James Campbell was in town along with Martha Folts, the woman for whom he made the instrument. In addition, they were with Nina Key, who helped build the instrument. They all came over tomy home to visit this instrument, which was made in 1982 right here in Cincinnati. Soon after making this harpsichord, Mr. Campbell stopped making instruments to become an Episcopalian priest. It was a pleasure to have Jim, Nina, and Martha over. Martha was practically in tears, as she said it was like visiting a family member. She said that the sound has improved greatly and is even richer than she remembered.
Catacoustic is presenting a harpsichord inauguration concert in November 2008, and we hope to have Mr. Campbell back to offer a pre-concert talk to talk about being a harpsichord pioneer in Cincinnati in the 1970's and 80's. Believe it or not, there was a lot of harpsichord activity in the city back then. A historical keyboard society was formed with numerous members. The society hosted conventions, even bringing the famous harpsichordist Gustav Leonhardt to Cincinnati to perform and lecture. (Incidentally, Leonhardt performed on Catacoustic's harpsichord!) Noted harpsichord maker Ben Bechtel was also in Cincinnati making instruments, in addition to Larry Brown, the well-known lute maker. Cincinnati played a key role in the revival of early instrument making!

Summer Concerts on the Road

2008-07-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

June 6, 2008
Summers are a time of purification after a busy concert season with Catacoustic. It is a time of anticipation and creative renewal. I often find myself on the road, playing concerts with other ensembles or teaching at early music workshops. This summer has been no exception. In May, I traveled to Los Angeles to play on the Ventura Music Festival with the Concord Ensemble. Concord is an early music vocal ensemble that formed when I was a music student at Indiana University’s Early Music Institute. The core members of the group are some of my dearest friends, and those of you who are regular Catacoustic concert attendees would recognize Scott Graff, Pablo Corá, and Dan Carberg from the singers. I am proud to say that the program we performed was inspired by two separate Catacoustic programs: Amore (Monteverdi’s 7th & 8th book of madrigals), and The Sirens of Ferrara (17th-century Italian music for three sopranos). How exciting to know that our programming in Cincinnati is influencing the tide of early music programming across the country! Another musician in this concert was Daniel Zuluaga on theorbo, who played in our January 2008 concert of music from Tous les Matins du Monde. This was a magical week of music making, eating fabulous food, long talks about music and life, and enjoying the change of pace of life in the exciting city of Los Angeles.
June 24, 2008
I just returned from concerts in Oregon with one of my dearest friends, Joanna Blendulf. Daniel Zuluaga played in this concert, as well. This world of early music professionals is a small one! We performed music for two pardessus de viole (the smallest member of the viola da gamba family – a hybrid combination of the gamba and violin). Joanna and I have known each other since we were teenagers, when we first met each other at Interlochen Arts Camp. A lovely friendship and musical partnership has since blossomed. Joanna and I have a very special musical partnership, which one is fortunate to ever find in life. Our musical ensemble could be compared to two friends who have known each other for years. When they get together to talk, the conversation flows naturally and freely, with inspiring things being discussed. People in the audience commented, "It was like there was one person with two bows!" I would have to agree. Playing with Joanna is inspiring. We make each other into better musicians. Our concerts were in Eugene and Portland, and we will present similar programs in Cincinnati and San Francisco in April 2009. Our week of music making led us to decide to record this musical program. So, you can look forward to a new Catacoustic CD in the upcoming year!

Catacoustic News

Report from 1st Catacoustic Scholarship Winner, Elizabeth Motter, on Attending Seattle's Accademia d'Amore

Some Sources for Baroque Cello from Elisabeth Reed

Baroque Cello Summer Continued with David Morris, Joanna Blendulf, and Elisabeth Reed

More Cello Blog Postings to Come...

Baroque Cello Masterclass with Jaap ter Linden

Nathan Whitaker, Baroque Cellist

Amanda Keesmaat, and Her Journey with the Baroque Cello

New Friend on Summer Concert Tour: Montreal's Margaret Little

A Match Made in Heaven Pt.1

A Match Made in Heaven Pt.2

New Music for "Old" Instruments with Cincinnati Opera

Interview with Francesco Vitali, Filmmaker of Voluptas Dolendi: I Gesti del Caravaggio

Baroque Opera Superstar Singer Moves to Cincinnati

Cincinnati Resident Dedicates Herself to Baroque Guitar

First Ever Student Gamba Recital at CCM

Monteverdi Vespers at CCM

Recorder Workshop with Anne Timberlake

Early Music Holiday Gift Ideas...

Musicians, Colleagues, and Friends

Cincinnati Art Museum

Catacoustic's Tenth Season: Where do we go from here?

New Rehearsal Space

How Naxos and Early Music America Competition Impacted Catacoustic

Recording Strategy Blog Website...

A New Strategy for Making Recordings

Matthew White and Les Voix Baroques

Grant Received for Harp and Theorbo Purchase!

Playing with the Canadians...

Summer Work for Catacoustic

Artistic Intention

Why Does One Make a Recording?

Interview with Robin Easterbrook, Pacifica Viols Chapter Member

Performance in Barefoot Concert Series

Marais-a-thon

Pacifica Chapter of the Viola da Gamba Society of America

Early Music in San Francisco

Listening to Beautiful Music Today...

Early Music at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

Early Music at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

Why does someone take up an "early music" instrument?

Recent Concert, Recording, and Movie in London

The Business of The Catacoustic Consort, Part 1

Extra Expenses for Early Music Instruments?

Interview with Suzanne Bona, host of Sunday Baroque

An Early Music Christmas – Gift Ideas and Holiday Concerts

Live Music versus Recordings

Musician Spotlight: Webb Wiggins, Harpsichordist

James Lambert, Local Viola da Gamba Player

The “Other” Oxford a Key Player in Viol Revival Movement

Harpsichord visit...

Summer Concerts on the Road