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.
Vox Femina: Music was the driving force for the two female composers on today's show. We'll hear sonatas by Isabella Leonarda, who spent her entire adult life in a convent, plus songs by Francesca Caccini, who was the highest paid musician at the Medici court in Florence.
Cinco de Mayo: This week's show takes us to Mexico's cathedrals and countryside, where we'll hear polyphonic music by Francisco Lopez Capillas sung by the Westminster Cathedral Choir. We'll also hear selections from Missa Mexicana featuring the Harp Consort, including works by Miguel Perez de Zavala and Juan Garcia de Zespedes.
To Mom with Love: To celebrate Mother's Day on today's show, we'll hear from Barbara Strozzi, who combined the life of a singer and composer with motherhood, plus a work by Hildegard of Bingen, who was a spiritual mother to her nuns at Rupertsberg. Our performers include Hesperion XXI, Capella de la Torre, Anonymous 4, and Sequentia.
Recent Releases: This week we're showcasing German music from the Protestant and Catholic traditions. We'll hear selections from A Monk's Life featuring The Brabant Ensemble, a new recording from Capella de la Torre that provides contrast. And, Abendmusik presents Lutheran church music by Dieterich Buxtehude and Franz Tunder.