Monthly Archives: November 2008

Newsletter 29 November 2008

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Houston Early Music

presenting the world’s finest period ensembles and soloists … bringing to life music from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance to the Baroque and Classical periods. Experience with us early music played on original instruments, by musicians reviving performances of the past.

Liber unUsualis

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Nowell: Christmas Songs Old & New

7:30PM, Monday, December 8, 2008
Trinity Episcopal Church
1015 Holman (at Main)

Houston Early Music will present the Boston-based vocal ensemble Liber unUsualis in a program of holiday music for four voices: a unique and broad-ranging collection of pieces from the Middle Ages and Renaissance combined with modern choral works based on ancient texts. The program, entitled Nowell: Christmas Songs Old & New, intertwines carols, villancicos, motets, and lullabies from across Europe with modern works such as Hugo Distler’s “Es ist ein Ros entsprungen,” John Joubert’s “There is no rose” and John Harbison’s “O magnum misterium.” The performance will be 7:30PM, Monday, Dec. 8, 2008 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 1015 Holman at Main.

Since its founding in 1996, Liber unUsualis has soared to prominence for its warm, compelling, and assured performances of Medieval and early-Renaissance music. The ensemble’s mastery of medieval vocal technique and its inventive programming have drawn enthusiastic audiences throughout the United States and Europe, where it regularly performs. The Boston Globe has praised Liber unUsualis for its “deeply moving” performances and its “hair-trigger sensitivity to what the words had to say.” These are the very qualities that have won for the group a grant from The Fund for U.S. Artists at International Festivals and Exhibitions (2004), First Prize at the International Young Artist’s Presentation – Early Music (Belgium, 2002), the Professional Development Award from Early Music America (2002) and semifinalist status at New York’s prestigious Concert Artists Guild Competition in 1999.

Tickets are $30 for general admission, $25 for seniors, $10 for students, under 15 free. Tickets may be purchased at the door or by calling 713-432-1744.

Our full season schedule is at http://www.houstonearlymusic.org/front/season

Contact

Houston Early Music P.O. Box 271193 Houston TX 77277-1193 Phone 713-432-1744 email info@HoustonEarlyMusic.org Web http://www.HoustonEarlyMusic.org

tca_black_h Houston Early Music is funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Please make sure that info@HoustonEarlyMusic.org is registered in your contacts list or with your spam filter to ensure that delivery will not be blocked. If you wish to modify or cancel your email subscription, please see the links at the bottom of this email. For new subscriptions visit http://www.houstonearlymusic.org/lists/

Invest in a Season of Early Music!

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In times of economic uncertainty, it’s good to be able to count on an investment with guaranteed returns of pleasure and inspiration. We are offering a reduced-price subscription to our continuing season. Your investment in Houston Early Music helps us bring the finest early musicians to Houston audiences, supports our our commitment to educational outreach, and sustains the reputation of Houston on the international arts scene.

For a limited time, we are offering subscriptions to the four remaining concerts of our season at:

  • General: $100
  • Senior: $85
  • Student: $40

This is a savings of up to $20 over single ticket prices.

Sign up at the ticket desk at our next concert 

Tue., Nov. 11, 2008, 7:30PM
RICHARD EGARR, Harpsichord
J.S. BACH’S WELL-TEMPERED KLAVIER, BOOK 1
First Unitarian Universalist Church
5200 Fannin

Richard Egarr biography

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BIOGRAPHY

“WHEN I HEARD THAT ENGLAND’S ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC HAD HIRED KEYBOARDIST AND CONDUCTOR RICHARD EGARR, I WAS ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED… I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR A CONDUCTOR LIKE EGARR TO COME ALONG FOR SOME TIME… HE’S ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING AND DELIGHTFUL MUSICIANS OF OUR TIME.”

–National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered”, March 2008 Continue reading →

RICHARD EGARR: Concert program and notes

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PROGRAM NOTES

The Supreme Lesson -Bach’s Wohltemperirte Clavier…1722

clip_image002The Well-tempered Clavier, Or Preludes, and Fugues through all the Tones and Semi-tones, both with the major third or Ut, Re, Mi, and with the minor third or Re, Mi, Fa. For the use and practice of young musicians who desire to learn, as well as for the particular diversion of those who are already skilled in this study; made and composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, Kapellmeister for the time being to the Duke of Anhalt-Cöthen and director of his chamber music, Anno Domini 1722.

Continue reading →

Newsletter 6 November 2008

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If you have difficulty reading this in email, please see our web site
http://www.houstonearlymusic.org/archives/category/newsletter

Please share this email with friends who may be interested in our programs.

Houston Early Music

presenting the world’s finest period ensembles and soloists … bringing to life music from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance to the Baroque and Classical periods. Experience with us early music played on original instruments, by musicians reviving
performances of the past.

In this newsletter:

  • Next concert and program notes
Tue., Nov. 11, 2008, 7:30PM
RICHARD EGARR, Harpsichord
J.S. BACH’S WELL-TEMPERED KLAVIER, BOOK 1
First Unitarian Universalist Church
5200 Fannin

See Program Notes and more information on the concert

 

HARPSICHORDIST RICHARD EGARR PERFORMS J.S. BACH’S WELL-TEMPERED KLAVIER, BOOK I

Houston Early Music will present internationally-renowned harpsichordist Richard Egarr in a performance of Book I of J.S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Klavier using what is now widely believed to be the composer’s own tuning system.  While there is still vigorous debate as to what Bach actually meant by “well tempered,” Egarr believes  the master indicated the tuning he preferred in what would appear at first glance to be a decorative figure at the top of the title page. Using this system Egarr takes his audiences with him on a journey through the monumental collection – from the calm harmonic purity of the first prelude to the final craggy, chromatically charged fugue. 

The performance will be 7:30PM, Tuesday, November 11 at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 5200 Fannin.  Egarr will give a preconcert talk at 6:45PM.

Egarr, acclaimed Music Director of the Academy of Ancient Music, is one of the most versatile musicians performing today. He has worked with all types of keyboards and performed repertoire ranging from fifteenth-century organ works through Dussek and Chopin on early piano to Berg and Maxwell Davies on modern piano. He is in great demand as a soloist, chamber musician and conductor. Dubbed “the Bernstein of early music” (NPR) for his extraordinary charisma and outstanding ability to communicate with his audience, Egarr is noted for his close study and quest for historical authenticity.

Tickets are $30 for general admission, $25 for seniors, $10 for students, under 15 free. Tickets may be purchased at the door or by calling 713-432-1744.

Harpsichord used in this performance – Flemish double based on an instrument by Ruckers (early 17th century) by Gerald Self of San Antonio.

Our full season schedule is at http://www.houstonearlymusic.org/front/season 

Contact

Houston Early Music
P.O. Box 271193
Houston TX 77277-1193
Phone 713-432-1744
email info@HoustonEarlyMusic.org
Web http://www.HoustonEarlyMusic.org

   tca_black_h
Houston Early Music is funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Please make sure that info@HoustonEarlyMusic.org is registered in your contacts list or with your spam filter to ensure that delivery will not be blocked. If you wish to modify or cancel your email subscription, please see the links at the bottom of this email. For new subscriptions visit http://www.houstonearlymusic.org/lists/