Early Music Now is a one-hour program showcasing music from the Middle Ages, Renaissance and early Baroque: from sonorous medieval chant and polyphony to delightful renaissance madrigals, dances, and consort music to magnificent baroque cantatas and keyboard music. Host Sara Schneider brings knowledge, charm, and passion to her presentation of seven hundred years of music history. From the latest recordings by today's vibrant young ensembles, to classics from the dawn of the early music revival, Early Music Now makes this repertoire accessible and enjoyable to a wide audience.
Sun, Moon, and Stars: To celebrate the total eclipse, we'll hear texts about celestial bodies, set to music by composers Thomas Tomkins, Francisco Lopez Capillas, Johannes Ciconia, and Giovanni da Palestrina. We'll also hear selections from the opera, Phaeton by Jean-Baptiste Lully.
Israel in Egypt: Handel's oratorio, Israel in Egypt was first performed in London in April, 1739. We'll hear selections from a recent release from Apollo's Fire, directed by Jeannette Sorrell. We'll also hear a performance of Handel's Organ Concerto in F major, "The Cuckoo and the Nightingale", which premiered during a performance of Israel in Egypt.
A Medieval Pilgrimage: This week we're listening to a medieval musical drama for the Easter season, the Play of the Pilgrims to Emmaus. Ensemble Organum performs this 12th-century work from a Sicilian manuscript that was created during the reign of Roger II.
Feast of the Pheasant: The Burgundians knew how to party, and the Feast of the Pheasant is known as one of the most extravagant social occasions of the 15th century. This edition of Early Music Now features a recreation of music that might have been heard at the feast, which took place 570 years ago.