To download a flyer and application form for an event, click on the title, where available.
Saturday 16 November 2024 |
Music and Ritual in a Sixteenth Century Florentine Convent
with Laurie Stras
A workshop for upper voices with keyboard and/or viol or harp accompaniment at Swafham Prior, near Cambridge
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Janet Tanburn |
Saturday 25 January 2025 |
Epiphany Party 2025
with Philip Thorby Beccles - venue details and flyer available shortly
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In 2023
The
Epiphany Party: “Madonna and Child”
This
year, music in honour of Mary and the infant Jesus, including works
by Victoria, Praetorius and Melchior Franck, formed the basis of our
musical diet. This festive music was led by the wonderfully inspiring
maestro Philip Thorby. Once again, a sumptuous shared lunch was
provided by Jennie Cassidy and many others.
William
Byrd: a choral workshop to mark the 400th anniversary of his
death
With
David
Allinson
David focused on liturgical music Byrd published
towards the end of his life. The
Feast of Candlemas, or Purification, falls in early February, and so
we sang settings of the texts which are proper at the celebration of
Mass for that feast, which commemorates the presentation of Jesus in
the temple. The music of Byrd’s Gradualia
is mercurial –
expressive, challenging and immensely rewarding.
Additionally we
sang parts of Byrd's Mass for Four Voices.
We were a large
group of singers, and as always with this tutor, it was a splendid,
challenging day.
The venue, Storey's Field at Eddington,
north-west Cambridge, was new to EEMF: a spectacular new building
whose massive main hall has an excellent acoustic.
'Back
to the future': An exploration of composers prior to and leading up
to Byrd
A
choral event with Angus Smith
At
Castle
Street Methodist Church, Cambridge
William Byrd stands out as
a landmark figure in English music but we do not want to view his
achievements in isolation. This workshop honoured the unbroken
development of music through the previous 200 years, covering a
fascinating and inspiring range of unaccompanied choral music,
ranging from an anonymous 11th century Alleluia to Byrd’s Veni,
sancte spiritus and Miserere mihi Domine, via composers such as
Dunstaple, Frye, Taverner and Parsons.
In
2022
For the first time since Covid lockdown we gathered in
person for the traditional Epiphany Party.
Philip
Thorby ran a very enjoyable and hard-working day for a chamber-sized
gathering in Beccles. No
shared lunch was possible this year because of restrictions, but we
hope to be back to normal next year.
Music
for all the Saints: an online presentation by Patrick
Craig
Renaissance
Composers and Artists were often drawn to the lives of the Saints for
inspiration in their work and many of Patrick’s favourite
pieces feature Saints in their texts. He paired these works with art
from across Europe and explored the lives of the men and women who
inspired
such faith and creativity.
‘O
sing unto the Lord a new song!’ Psalm motets of the
Renaissance
A
polyphony workshop for singers with David Allinson
The Psalms
of David are a cornerstone of Judaeo-Christian culture; a storehouse
of rich idioms and images. These poems of praise and prayer, of
lamentation and thanksgiving, were written to be sung; some even
mention instruments and dancing. In this workshop we sang a selection
of settings by 16th century composers for whom the Book of Psalms
provided an unimpeachable source of texts, even as the storms of
Reformation and Counter-Reformation raged across Europe. The motets
reflected the longing and lamentation of the Psalms, but the day also
included straightforwardly joyful music, making for a varied
repertoire of song by composers including Morales, Byrd, Palestrina
and Cardoso.
Madrigals
– a summer progress
Tutored
by Angus Smith in the delightful Old Chapel, Elsworth, Cambs.
The
16th century is often seen as the first ‘Golden Age’ of
English music, but in this workshop Angus Smith unveiled the
achievements of some lesser-known composers who had connections with
East Anglia and whose compositions equalled and occasionally
surpassed those of their better-known contemporaries.
Angus
is a founder member of the Orlando Consort, and he is also the Oundle
International Festival's Creative Projects Associate. He has a long
history of introducing early music repertoire to amateur and youth
choirs. He is a Choral Ambassador for publisher Stainer & Bell.
Missa
Dominus Regnavit
A
glorious 16-part polychoral work by the Flemish composer Lambert de
Sayve (1548 or 1549 – 1614) who served at a number of Austrian
courts including the Imperial chapel
This workshop was for
four four-part choirs of voices, cornetts, sackbuts, curtals, viols
and organ, with other strings and recorders. Our tutor was Philip
Thorby, who led us through the impressive work at some speed in order
to cover all movements in the limited time. So our full concentration
was demanded.
The venue was the former Church of St Peter's
by the Waterfront, College Street, Ipswich, now a dedicated Arts
Centre. This was EEMF's first visit to Ipswich for some time. It was
a memorable day and we hope to use this venue again.
In
2021
Venice in the 1500s
Philip
Thorby gave four illustrated talks online about his passion for
Venice in the 1500s. MEMF, TVEMF and EEMF jointly organised the
series.
Read
a summary of the four talks.
An
emerald in a work of gold
In
this workshop for singers, held online by Zoom, we delved into the
extraordinary diversity of music found in the private manuscript
collection belonging to sixteenth-century bibliophile Robert Dow.
Rory McCleery, founder and director of The Marian Consort, was our
tutor and guide on this occasion.
Music
of Celebration – a weekend of music-making in Thaxted
2021
marks
the 400th anniversary of the death of Michael Praetorius. Our
programme included the spectacular 16-part In
dulci jubilo,
as well as Giovanni Gabrieli’s In
ecclesiis
and
Heinrich Schütz’s 4-choir setting of Psalm 150 – all
scored for trumpets, trombones, oboes, sackbuts, cornets, strings and
continuo as well as solo and choir singers. In addition, we
celebrated the unlocking of music-making from coronavirus
restrictions.
We were especially privileged to work with
tutor Patrick Craig again.
The
Circle of Bright Fire
An
exploration by Zoom of Hildegard of Bingen's music and writings
With
Bill Carslake
Bill brought his own particular insights and
matching interests as musician, composer and writer into this
fascinating appreciation of the works of Hildegard.
In
2020
Epiphany Party: RESONENT ORGANA!
At Blyburgate Hall, Blyburgate, Beccles
“Let instruments sound, drums be struck, and the hearts of men exult with joy!”. Scenes from the Christmas Story set to music by Cesare Gussago and Agostino Soderini. From Annunciation to Visitation, Nativity to Epiphany, the story is told in colourful and joyful eight-part motets for voices and instruments. Philip Thorby led this annual workshop, with delicious food prepared as always by Jennie Cassidy and members.
Machaut
and the Magic of the Medieval
A
workshop for all voices and instruments, ancient & modern. This
workshop offered an introduction to some of Machaut's most famous
works, alongside a few less familiar numbers and a brief foray into
the earlier Montpelier Manuscript where music from the previous
generation provides us with some context. We covered the poetic song
forms of virelais & rondeau, including the well known Ma
fin est mon commencement. We
also tackled the hocket, including Hoquetus
David, composed
in one of Machaut's more backward looking moments.
At
St Andrew’s parish hall, Marks Tey, Essex, with tutor
Lizzie Gutteridge.
For a list of earlier events go to www.eemf.org.uk/Events_archive
[Contacts] |