TICKETS

Can you believe tomorrow is May 1? We can’t. To celebrate the new month, here’s a May song from twelfth century Provence, but with a twist: In this performance, from Camerata’s trailblazing CD New Britain, it morphs into a Spanish-language Christmas carol from the American Southwest. Thus does musical energy, and the creative spirit, persist across the oceans, and the centuries. Forward into spring!

And stay tuned – next week we will have a special preview of Songs to the Lute, our upcoming online concert of French lute songs featuring lutenist Nigel North and our own Anne Azéma, which will be streaming from May 15 – 31.

TICKETS

Translations:

Calenda Maia, R. de Vacqueyras, Provence, ca. 1200
Neither Calends of May, nor beech leaves, nor bird songs, nor gladiolas – there is nothing that rejoices me more, noble and gay dame, than the messenger coming to me and speaking of your beautiful body that gives me the renewed pleasure of love, and takes me back to you, true lady; let the jealous one tumble!

Cuando por el oriente, New Mexico, 1953
When dawn came up from the east, our lady went out walking. Oh, what joy, my soul; blessed be thou, Queen of Heaven! * “Come,” said saint (Joseph), “We beg you, friend, to take us in. Sir, please give shelter to this young girl who is pregnant.” * Pregnant and beautiful maiden, who has ever seen such beauty. Oh, friends, these are flowers, and I can feel that there will be no more idiots in this world. * They took refuge in a fortunate shelter, where they were surrounded by a bull and a mule. What a joy to see these happy animals — there are beasts that can teach a thing or two to humans. * When the kings entered, without a by-your-leave, they made a square for a dance. A little black one, an Italian, a student, and a Portugee jumped around from place to place.

As snow falls over chilly Boston on this mid-April day, we turn to music to remind ourselves what spring is supposed to feel like…And so, in anticipation of the upcoming May 15-31 lute song recital by Anne Azéma and star lutenist Nigel North, here’s a lighthearted love song by Pierre Guédron, a superb melodist whom our Emeritus often refers to as the French Cole Porter of 1600. 

Guédron, who deserves to be much better known, will be one of the featured authors during the Azéma-North online event, titled simply Songs to the Lute. If you haven’t already purchased your admission to this cornucopia of early French delights, we invite you to do so now!

TICKETS

The Fine Print (please read!)  Songs to the Lute will be available for streaming at any time between May 15-31, 2021. There is no limit on the number of times you can watch the program during this time. You will receive an email on May 15 containing the link to the video when it is ready to view. If you purchase your ticket after May 15, you will receive the email directly after your purchase.

As our communications sometimes go into spam and junk folders (or your Promotions folder, if you use that feature in Gmail), please make sure to check those places if you can’t find our emails.