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17th Century English Songs & Dramatic Dialogues Inspire
The MUSICIANS IN ORDINARY Concert On February 28
Nymphs and shepherds cavort in song when The Musicians In Ordinary
perform Saturday, February 28, 2009, 8 p.m. at the Heliconian Hall,
35 Hazelton Ave. (north of Scollard Street in Yorkville; Bay St.
subway). Tenor Darryl Edwards joins soprano Hallie Fishel and lutenist
John Edwards in a concert titled Fair, Cruell Nymph: Songs and
Dialogues from 17th Century England.
Tickets are $20, $15 seniors and students, and may be purchased
at the door. For information, call 416-535-9956,
e-mail
musinord@sympatico.ca
or visit
www.musiciansinordinary.ca.
The concert title comes from a dramatic scene by Alfonso Ferrabosco
II (ca. 1572-1628), depicting the flirtation between a shepherd
and a nymph. In addition to Ferrabosco’s dialogues, the program
will include the likes of music to masques by Ben Jonson (by Ferrabosco)
and John Milton (by Henry Lawes, 1596-1662). Songs bear such evocative
titles as So beautie on the waters stood, To the heav’ns now
I fly and Tell me, O love.
Hero’s Complaint to Leander by Nicholas Lanier (1588-1666) offers
a very dramatic scena in imitation of Lamento d’Arianna by
the great operatic trailblazer, Monteverdi.
As well, the program will include music by William Lawes (Henry’s
brother, killed in the Civil War of 1642-1651), Robert Johnson (who
wrote for Shakespeare’s troupe) and John Wilson (who also worked
for The King’s Men, to which Shakespeare belonged).
Tenor Darryl Edwards has appeared to critical acclaim in oratorio,
opera and recital in England, Germany, France, Italy, Corsica, the
U.S. and across Canada. Recent and upcoming engagements include
Kodály’s Psalmus Hungaricus with the National Arts Centre
Orchestra, the Verdi Requiem at Dalhousie University, Halifax;
Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir,
the Mozart Requiem with the Toronto Philharmonia, and Handel’s
Messiah with the Elmer Iseler Singers.
Critics praise him as a "rich-voiced, cultured tenor who mastered
the high notes effortlessly" (Coburg Tageblatt, Germany), and an
"effective communicator who expressed the text with sensitivity
and fervor" (Hamilton Spectator). Among his recordings and broadcasts
are performances on U.S. National Public Radio, the CBC Radio 2,
and the Canadian Music Centre’s Centrediscs.
A 17TH CENTURY ANECDOTE ABOUT WILSON AND THE LAWES BROTHERS:
"Wilson, and Harry and Will Lawes were at a Taverne one night;
Wilson being in the worst case of the three, swore he would Quarrel
with the next Man he met, who was a meere stranger and a sober gentleman;
whome he thus accosted; are not you a Catholicke? Yes marry I am;
Then ya're a Knave says he; the Gentleman having passed a little
way, stepps backe to him; and bids him not to swallow an Error,
for says he, I am no Catholicke: why then ya're a scurvy Lying Knave
sayes Wilson. Upon that out flew their swords, but the Lawes parted
them presently." – From Jests and Stories by Sir Nicholas L’Estrange.
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