Upcoming meeting
SATURDAY, APRIL 5, AT 1:30 PM
"Theme and Variations" led by Lewis Baratz
The concept of theme and variations was an important musical device during the Renaissance and Baroques eras. Working with a newly invented melody, an existing melody, an underlying harmonic progression or repeating bass line, or even a bit of plainchant, composers could create entirely new musical works. Vom Himmel hoch, the Cavallero, and Browning are perfect examples of how a pre-existing tune becomes the structure of a new piece. Canzona La Belivacqua and La Sguizzerotta are fine examples of imitative counterpoint, where new themes continuously appear and are immediately presented in all voices, while the Pavane La Venissienne is built on the ostinato bass pattern known as the passamezzo antico.
Recent meetings
SATURDAY, MARCH 8, AT 1:30 PM
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​NYRG welcomes back Dr. David Hurd, Organist and Music Director at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, to lead our March session. Dr. Hurd is widely recognized as one of the foremost church musicians and concert organists in the country, with a long list of awards, prizes, honors and achievements to his credit. From 1976 to 2016, he worked at The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in New York City, first as Director of Chapel Music and later also as Professor of Church Music and Organist.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, AT 1:30 PM
"Transformative Journeys of New Hope in New Worlds: Homage to Immigrant Composers" led by Deborah Booth
We will explore music by Guillaume Dufay and Cipriano de Rore as well as the pieces we have been working on throughout the year by Stonings, Bach, and Lully. We will begin with a plaintive rondeau by Dufay mourning the loss of places and people as travelers leave their home region or country to find new homes. Then we will play a madrigal by de Rore who was born in Belgium but traveled to Italy, as did many other Franco-Flemish composers after Josquin, bringing the polyphonic Netherlandish musical style to Italy and learning the Italian styles of madrigals and instrumental canzonas. If time permits we will end the session with folk tunes from South and Central America honoring today’s immigrants in light of their worsening struggles due to present government repression.