Voices and Viols 2007 Report

John Cunningham

The Voices & Viols project met eight times in 2007. The first session was remarkable in attracting 30 people including three interstate visitors (Lucy, Meredith and a singer) and in the performance of an entire early baroque entertainment: Delizie di Posilipo, with dance movements (but without dancing). In addition to Posilipo, activities for the year included study of five each pieces in 3, 4 & 5 parts, nine consort songs, five substantial madrigals, eleven sacred concerti and verse-anthems and on five occasions, cries of London, Paris & the country. In one session we re-enacted some of Monteverdi's alchemical experiments and performed some alchemist music.

One minor innovation successfully introduced in the latter part of 2007 was to begin the session with an easy three part number. Now that almost all viols have those clip-on microphones for their tuners, late comers can surreptitiously tune at the back of the church; thus we can start promptly on the advertized starting time of 1.30 without further disruption.
V&V regularly attracts about seven viols and seven singers plus a sprinkling of lutes and wind. One ambitious project has been to perform Egressus Jesus of Giaches de Wert with the orchestration including the huge continuo section recommended by Praetorius. We almost achieved this spread over three sessions, our efforts diluted by the 440-415 conflict; on one occasion, the continuo comprised lute, bandora and virginals. The viol participation in V&V is satisfactory. Only some of the on-average seven singers who attend V&V are strong and confident, we rely on the same few. The biggest challenge facing V&V is to attract a few more singers to achieve a chorus effect when needed.

Of 45 pieces of music studied in 2007, twenty were new and were studied in one session only. Five were new and were studied twice or thrice. Twenty had been run in previous years of V&V. A theme which will run through the 2008 program will be "The Rose and the Lily" another theme will be introduced later in the year and we will return to some earlier themes from time-to-time, suggestions for repertoire are always welcomed. There will be no major event in January 2008 comparable with Posilipo but some ambitious session is proposed, perhaps themed around the ceremony of espousal of Venice to the sea.

Voices & Viols Project 2006 Report and 2007 Program

John Cunningham

2006 has been the most fruitful year of V&V since its inception in 2000. There has not been a steady progress over that time, but members are increasing in their skills and familarity with an increasing range of forms and genres. In 2006 the project regularly attracted groups of 6 viols and 6 or more singers out of a floating population of perhaps 25 musicians. There were three special sessions, two involving the Italian madrigal group "Venetian Red". In one session, about half of Monteverdi's "Altri Canti d' Amor" (book8) and an identically scored Schutz sacred concerto "Herr wie lang" was rehearsed with two violins, 4 bass viols and 6 vocal parts; in the other, a complete reading of Bach's "Actus Tragicus" cantata 106 with 2 viols, 'cello & 2 recorders. A third special session was convened for the professional singer Inara Molinari to perform the Monteverdi book 7, concerto "Con che soavita" at a soiree of the EMA. The accompaniment comprised 3 groups, including violin string quartet, viol ensemble, theorbo & organ. In all three of the special sessions, we were fortunate to welcome harpsichordist Diana Weston who also hosted two of the sessions in her fabulous studio.

Of the other six sessions, two mark another departure which is to be formalized further in 2007. Wind players have been attracted to V&V. While many of our friends have 415 recorders, more exotic instruments such as curtals, cornetti and trombones tend to be fixed at 440. Two sessions in 2006 were held at 440 pitch specifically to attract the wind. Two will be held in 2007 and will be billed: "Voices, viols & friends". In all other sessions, foreign instruments except a lute will not be used and the pitch standard will be our customary 415. Because St Saviour's church is so dark in winter, the June Voices, Viols & Friends will be held in the bright and resonant church hall.

During 2006 thirty six pieces of music were studied; two were studied on two occasions and fifteen had been studied in earlier years of the project. Thus, works are not sampled once only, we return to them when members are able to interpret them better. The several genres may be classified into six groups. The largest group of 15 items studied in 2006 comprises English lute songs apt for voices & viols, English consort songs, Verse Anthems and Cries. Every year, we have managed to read one of these sitting around a table-book, in 2006 we had a lutenist at the table, but so-far, we have attempted only the easiest.; in 2007 we should be ready for another challenge. Five verse anthems were briefly aired in 2006, in 2007 the Tomkins "Thou art my King, O God" which features bass singers, will be heard. We should polish some of the others. The well-known Gibbons' Cry of London was run twice in 2006 from parts prepared by our own Ruth Kelly. Singers have now got the idea how they work; in 2007 we will have two sessions of cries, we will get the Gibbons up to speed, look at the Dering Country Cries as well as some lesser cries of Ravenscroft and another run of the mediaeval cries of Paris.

The year 2006 began with two Italian madrigals, one in 10 parts and another in 15. The number and skill of the singers was only just sufficient to make them work. Later in the year we had more success with a chorus from the intermedio "Olimpia abbandonata da Bireno" by Priuli, with 8 vocal parts doubled by viols and another three concertino parts for Violin, Cornetto and Curtal. Although more difficult than the 1589 set, we eventually made a better sound. In 2007, rather than continuing to struggle with works in 11 and 16 parts, we have already enjoyed the Sylvan and Maritime delights of Posilipo, a festa a ballo in four part harmony. In 2005 we read half-way through Monteverdi's third book of madrigals á5, we were too busy to return to it in 2006 but we will look at a couple more before the end of 2007, also Vieni Himeneo written by Andrea Gabrielli for the ceremony of Espousal of Venice to the Sea will be performed in the June session.

We commenced serious exploration of Sacred Concerti, the continental equivalent of the English Verse Anthem in the last session of 2005 with one part of Schutz' bipartite "In lectulo per noctes – Invenerunt me" SWV 272. In several works, Schutz writes three concertino parts either for viols or alternatively for winds, sometimes specifying trombones or in this one: reeds, curtals or fagots. By the end of 2006 we have run both parts in two sessions each at 440 with the appropriate winds and at 415 with viols alone. We have used an organ and another viol in the continuo. In an excerpt from the Resurrection Story, a quartet of low viols formed the Evangelist's continuo according to Schutz' directions.

Spanish & new-world church music was explored in the latter half of 2004 and one full session in 2005. In 2006 only one item was aired. Although the music is of the highest quality, the music of the Spanish Inquisition is not the drawcard to the uninitiated that I had hoped. In winter 2007 the participation of reeds, cornets & trombones in contrast to the viols will heighten the fervour of this music as it would have in Toledo, Seville and Guatemala 400 years ago.
The fifth of the six types of genres is the mostly four part national song-forms of the renaissance: Tenorlieder, Villancicos, Frottole &c. These are preferably performed by a small group of two singers, two or three viols and perhaps a lute. It has been difficult to plan for such works. Some talented members of the group are inclined to stay away believing their skills would be underutilized or unnecessary, yet encouraging all members, listening to others and constructive criticism will help the group to improve. Depreciation of miniature masterpieces has given rise to the notion that V&V is a "big-band" event and the expectation that every session must include works in 5 or more parts with all voices doubled. It seems that in order to attract the requisite talent, a couple of big-band events must be presented annually; this is not in itself a problem, but members will not be able to appreciate certain works unless appropriately small forces are employed. Therefore we may sometimes perform such works twice with half the group sitting-out and listening each time. Fortunately opportunities arise; for example in 2006 one of our members had staying next-door an amateur singer on sabbatical leave from Canada. A V&V session was organized at short notice and several items of this type were performed with the right cast. V&V members will be familiar with the Excell spreadsheet which records our activities. Recently, extra sheets of library items, particularly English consort songs & Tenorlieder have been added. Singer members are encouraged to select and practice any of these or a different one and request to perform it. Anyone else may request to have a go in the same session. After an all-in run through, efforts are made to reduce the ensemble to an artistic level. The same piece may be run again with a different cast.

The final genre, Musica Reservata; not a style of music, rather the special, the rare, the arcane. Some people are inclined to think of all V&V music in this way, that is, as unusual or marginal, yet, the fact is that in every age, vocal forms have been the norm and instrumental music the exception, this is as true in our own age as it was in the 16^th & 17^th centuries. In order to help people see that the other five genres were truly more mainstream than consorts and French pieces de violes, I have sought out a few arcane and special items by way of contrast to highlight the mainstream status of madrigals for viols and accompanied church music. The reservata pieces can be appreciated intelectually as well as aurally. A theme running through the 2006 program was the Hapsburg dynasty. Chosing the Hapsburgs made selection easy because they were such powerful, ubiquitous and durable patrons of the arts. They were found across Europe from Austria to Spain & the new world, even originally naming our part of the world Austrialia (with the Austrian "i") and fixing one of our state borders. We performed music for their coronations, funerals and festivities.

Lassus provided us with three types of reservata, the terrifying Trionfo del Tempo in 10 parts – but not a simple 2 X 5 split, rather every possible combination of 3 & 4 voices sounded against another such combination. An example of a tonal fugue wherein a minor 6^th is answered by a major 3^rd, a theme solmized mi fa mi denoting misery and famine, typical of conditions on planet Earth. The astronomer Kepler cited this work "In me transierunt" in his Harmonices Mundi to illustrate the harmony of the spheres. Although Kepler would not have thought in terms of the vacuum in interplanetary space making sound impossible among the spheres, he nevertheless understood that sound as we know it could not exist in this frictionless realm. Hence the harmony of the spheres is a metaphor that the mathematical principles which govern music also apply in the heavens. One of Lassus' youthful essays in chromatic harmony, the Sibylline prophecies, completes our introduction to the complex spirit of Orlando di Lasso. In 2007 as well as a couple more Sibylls we will look at one of the tears of St Peter. Other reservata for 07 will be alchemist music eg the alchemical fugues of Atalanta fugiens, she of the three golden apples, by Count Michael Maier plus a good deal more music by a most famous composer who for professional reasons, took 7 years off from composing to practice alchemy, who and why will be revealed gradually in more clues up to the big event.

In order to balance the above mentioned small music, an attempt will be made to take Praetorius at his word, re the performance of sumptuous motets such as the 7 voiced Egressus Jesus of Giaches de Wert; which according to the most thorough account of early 17^th century performance practice, Syntagma Musicum III, [amazingly never translated into English or any other modern language] Praetorius describes his take on this exceptionally beautiful motet; a continuo section which is more surprizing than Monteverdi's in "Con che soavita", 2 theorboes, 3 lutes, 4 harpsichords/spinets ! 2 citterns and a great bass viol. The seven voice parts are covered by 7 viols and 2 flutes. Only sufficient singers are required to ennunciate the dialogue between Jesus and the woman of Chanan.

I have not named all the interesting and talented people who make V&V happen, better for you to come along and meet us. We are always looking for singers who are ready to accept the challenge of V&V. Members of the AVdGS will experience one of the most normal functions of their instrument during the period of its popularity.
Tentative dates for 2007 are:

20 Jan - Pospilipo successfully done
10 Mar - Consort Songs
05 May - Street cries and verse anthems
02 Jun - A big ban event with wind etc.
15 Sep - Schutz sacred concerti
03 Nov - Two Musical Alchenists
24 Nov - Verse anthems and a Cry