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Newsletter 6 November 2009
Posted by Webmaster
on November 06, 2009
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In this Newsletter:
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Next Concert:
Sun., Dec. 13, 2009, 5:00PM THE ROSE ENSEMBLE Celebremos el Niño – A Mexican Baroque Christmas Christ Church Cathedral Pre-concert talk at 4:15PM
Ample free parking is available in the Cathedral Parking Garage across San Jacinto Street (northbound) opposite the Cathedral. Houston Early Music presents The Rose Ensemble in Celebremos el Niño – A Mexican Baroque Christmas on Sunday, December 13 at 5:00 p.m., at Christ Church Cathedral as part an annual tradition, the Hispanic Heritage Series. The internationally known group brings a rare collection of early Mexican music, featuring over two centuries of festive Christmas dances, ballads and villancicos from the great cathedrals of Puebla and Mexico City. “This is remarkable music that is not heard that often,” says Nancy Ellis, artistic director of Houston Early Music. “We are delighted to bring The Rose Ensemble to Houston for the very first time.” Founded in 1996 by artistic director Jordan Sramek, The Rose Ensemble is a recipient of the 2005 Chorus America Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence and a first-place winner in the sacred music category at the 2007 Tolosa International Choral Competition. The group specializes in bringing to audiences a repertoire that spans over 1,000 years in more than 25 languages. In addition, they are well-known for their research in Hawaiian, Swedish, Middle Eastern and American vocal traditions. “Why do what everyone else is doing?” asks Sramek. “We aim to explore the lesser-known areas of early music.” In addition to being known for their rich research, the Minneapolis-based group is also famous for its energetic performances. “We can be simultaneously scholarly and entertaining,” quips Sramek. “And we have had the good fortune to work with some of the best musicologists of our time who have created wonderful transcriptions for us.” Celebremos el Niño – A Mexican Baroque Christmas provides a perfect example of the kind of far reaching programming that characterizes the Ensemble’s approach. “On a historical level, things can get really exciting. These composers saw Mexico as an open playing field. With fewer restrictions from the Catholic church, we see more compositional experimentation. We see the use of native dance rhythms in the liturgy to entice people to come to church. Seventeenth-century street and dance music became fashionable, even in high mass, during the Mexican Baroque era. Spanish composers used the vivid rhythms and energy of the xácara to drive forward the plots of operas and to introduce theatrical excitement into church music,” says Sramek. “Villancicos even depict the song and dance of African slaves in the Spanish colonies.” The group of ten singers and three instrumentalists tour nationally and internationally. “We are excited to bring this joyous program to Texas,” says Sramek. “We are always delighted to perform in a city such as Houston that has such a substantial early music scene.” Artistic director Jordan Sramek will present a pre-concert talk at 4:15 p.m. TicketsTickets may be purchased through our new online ticket service. Prices at the door are $35 for general admission, $30 for seniors, and $10 for students (with student ID.) Free admission for children under 15. |
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If you have friends interested in our programs, please be sure they also know of this change and ask them to join the list. If you don’t use email, please let us know by phone 713-432-1744 or mail at Houston Early Music, P.O. Box 271193, Houston, TX 77277-1193. We will accommodate your needs. |
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Houston Early Music Online Ticket ServiceHouston Early Music is pleased to announce that you can now purchase tickets to our performances online, using major credit cards. |
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ContactHouston Early Music |
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Houston Early Music is funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. |
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Press Release: Celebrate the Holidays in Mexican Baroque style with The Rose Ensemble
Posted by Webmaster
on November 06, 2009
HOUSTON EARLY MUSIC
P. O. Box 271193
Houston, TX 77277-1193
Media contact:
Susan Love Fitts, 936-597-8825
susanlovefitts@consolidated.net
Celebrate the Holidays in Mexican Baroque style with The Rose Ensemble
Houston Early Music’s Hispanic Heritage Series spotlights early music of the Americas
HOUSTON, TX— November 5, 2009 – Houston Early Music presents The Rose Ensemble in Celebremos el Niño – A Mexican Baroque Christmas on Sunday, December 13 at 5:00 p.m., at Christ Church Cathedral as part an annual tradition, the Hispanic Heritage Series. The internationally known group brings a rare collection of early Mexican music, featuring over two centuries of festive Christmas dances, ballads and villancicos from the great cathedrals of Puebla and Mexico City. “This is remarkable music that is not heard that often,” says Nancy Ellis, artistic director of Houston Early Music. “We are delighted to bring The Rose Ensemble to Houston for the very first time.”
Music review: Red Priest entertains with unique technical wizardry
Posted by Webmaster
on November 03, 2009
from Houston Chronicle
Music review: Red Priest entertains with unique technical wizardry
By CHARLES WARD ARTS WRITER
Oct. 29, 2009, 5:55PM
If any Baroque-music purists survived the Houston debut of Red Priest, Tuesday’s concert at Midtown’s Trinity Episcopal Church would have been their personal Nightmare on Main Street.
Actually, the four-member, Britain-based ensemble called the evening Nightmare in Venice and, in the spirit of Halloween, featured music composed in Stylus Phantasticus, a 17th-century style noted for its free-form, fantastical moods and unexpected musical effects
Red Priest recorders, violin, Baroque cello and harpsichord opened with a concerto by the original red priest, Italy’s Antonio Vivaldi. ForLa Notte (The Night), the players entered in black hoods and robes, one musician from the side of the church’s chancel and the rest from the church’s rear. They played the horror film-like special effects with ghoulish glee and fabulous virtuosity. Continue reading…