Please pardon my delay of nearly a week before telling you about this truly class act – but I’ve had other fish to fry and some urgent deadlines to meet. SO much music; SOOO little time!
One of the Holy City’s most delightful (and often least heralded) resident musical entities is the College of Charleston’s early music ensemble, the Charleston Pro Musica. Directed by distinguished ancient music scholar and performer Steve Rosenberg (also Early Music Department Head), the group enjoys a well-deserved international reputation. It’s a variable and very flexible bunch whose repertoire encompasses a wide range of instrumental and vocal music from the Medieval era through the Baroque. They’re busiest during Piccolo Spoleto, when they perform repeatedly for the duration of the festival.
A couple of years ago, a four-person sub-ensemble known as Brio was formed, built around the striking and absolutely unique voice of countertenor José Lemos. Having gotten his college training right here in Charleston, he’s now a rising star in the world of Baroque opera – and we’re blessed that he comes back to perform here several times a year. Brio is a group that specializes in early Spanish vocal music, with emphasis on the songs of the Sephardic Jews – music that shows Arabic and other pan-Mediterranean influences; you can also tell that it’s a precursor to what we now call Flamenco music. This engaging young singer not only has a voice you’ll never forget, but his natural Hispanic temperament and passion (he’s from Brazil) make him an ideal interpreter of this music.
But Brio’s not just all about José. Beginning with Rosenberg, the group can claim three more of the best early music names in the business. Hey, whether it’s a gemshorn, recorder, or any other member of the flute family, Steve can play the heck out of it – not to mention various early guitars. Strings sorceress Mary Anne Ballard – also a member of the well-known Baltimore Consort – handles the various members of the ancient viol family, plus the Rebec: ancestors to our modern orchestral stringed instruments. Percussion wizard Danny Mallon is a one-man drum band, playing as many as four different instruments at once. You should hear the symphony of sounds he can get out of a simple tambourine.
Together, they lived up to their name last Monday night, performing with terrific zest and skill … you just KNEW these folks were having a ball together. Their program – well over a dozen songs along with some instrumental numbers – closely matched the contents of a really smashing CD that Brio made for the recently resurrected Dorian label – a record company long known for the excellence of its ancient music recordings. José – his voice smoldering and dripping emotion – had us all in the palm of his hand. Steve dazzled with his sprightly spirit and virtuosity (and yes, he did his “two-recorders-at-once” trick!). Mary Anne gave us sweet and searing sounds from her assorted viols, and Danny made more different kinds of beguiling rhythmic noise than you could count.
Stay tuned to Eargasms and I’ll see to it that you know when they’re playing next … ‘cause if you haven’t heard these amazing musicians, you MUST. They’ll charm your socks off, on top of teaching you something. Come talk to me if you’d like to hear their CD – like the group, it’s a total winner.
Quote for the week:
“That which is written without effort is read without pleasure.” — Samuel Johnson
Ancient Music, “Con Brio”
Please pardon my delay of nearly a week before telling you about this truly class act – but I’ve had other fish to fry and some urgent deadlines to meet. SO much music; SOOO little time!
One of the Holy City’s most delightful (and often least heralded) resident musical entities is the College of Charleston’s early music ensemble, the Charleston Pro Musica. Directed by distinguished ancient music scholar and performer Steve Rosenberg (also Early Music Department Head), the group enjoys a well-deserved international reputation. It’s a variable and very flexible bunch whose repertoire encompasses a wide range of instrumental and vocal music from the Medieval era through the Baroque. They’re busiest during Piccolo Spoleto, when they perform repeatedly for the duration of the festival.
A couple of years ago, a four-person sub-ensemble known as Brio was formed, built around the striking and absolutely unique voice of countertenor José Lemos. Having gotten his college training right here in Charleston, he’s now a rising star in the world of Baroque opera – and we’re blessed that he comes back to perform here several times a year. Brio is a group that specializes in early Spanish vocal music, with emphasis on the songs of the Sephardic Jews – music that shows Arabic and other pan-Mediterranean influences; you can also tell that it’s a precursor to what we now call Flamenco music. This engaging young singer not only has a voice you’ll never forget, but his natural Hispanic temperament and passion (he’s from Brazil) make him an ideal interpreter of this music.
But Brio’s not just all about José. Beginning with Rosenberg, the group can claim three more of the best early music names in the business. Hey, whether it’s a gemshorn, recorder, or any other member of the flute family, Steve can play the heck out of it – not to mention various early guitars. Strings sorceress Mary Anne Ballard – also a member of the well-known Baltimore Consort – handles the various members of the ancient viol family, plus the Rebec: ancestors to our modern orchestral stringed instruments. Percussion wizard Danny Mallon is a one-man drum band, playing as many as four different instruments at once. You should hear the symphony of sounds he can get out of a simple tambourine.
Together, they lived up to their name last Monday night, performing with terrific zest and skill … you just KNEW these folks were having a ball together. Their program – well over a dozen songs along with some instrumental numbers – closely matched the contents of a really smashing CD that Brio made for the recently resurrected Dorian label – a record company long known for the excellence of its ancient music recordings. José – his voice smoldering and dripping emotion – had us all in the palm of his hand. Steve dazzled with his sprightly spirit and virtuosity (and yes, he did his “two-recorders-at-once” trick!). Mary Anne gave us sweet and searing sounds from her assorted viols, and Danny made more different kinds of beguiling rhythmic noise than you could count.
Stay tuned to Eargasms and I’ll see to it that you know when they’re playing next … ‘cause if you haven’t heard these amazing musicians, you MUST. They’ll charm your socks off, on top of teaching you something. Come talk to me if you’d like to hear their CD – like the group, it’s a total winner.
Quote for the week:
“That which is written without effort is read without pleasure.” — Samuel Johnson