The inaugural Early Music Series showcased a series of solo recitals and ensembles from across the Renaissance and Baroque periods. 

 

A Handel on Jazz Trio (9th May, 2pm)

Tom Ridout - Recorder
Billy Marrows - Guitar
Flo Moore - Double Bass 

The Handel on Jazz Trio is a recorder-led chamber jazz ensemble, formed for the 2018 Lancaster Jazz Festival Youth Commission, which Tom won with his plan to rework the Handel Recorder Sonata in F Major for improvising jazz musicians. The trio has performed around the country including at the Lancaster Jazz Festival, Uckfield Festival and the SRP (Society of Recorder Players) Fringe Festival.

As well as playing reworked Handel, the trio also offers a unique intimate look at some of Tom's own compositions, as well as jazz standards and other well-known music, with a focus on group interplay and improvisation.


Programme:


Prelude - Ridout
Sonata in F Major for Recorder and Basso Continuo, HWV 369 
Movements transcribed, reworked, or arranged for Jazz Trio by Ridout
In Perpetuity - Ridout
Odyssey - Ridout

Bellot Ensemble, Monteverdi's Venetian Legacy (16th May, 2pm)

Edmund Taylor, Violin
Chris McClain, Violin
Pablo Tejedor-Gutierrez, Cello
Danny Murphy, Theorbo
Matthew Brown, Harpsichord 

Bellot Ensemble

Programme:

Claudio Monteverdi
Settimo libro de' madrigali Sinfonia & Balletto
Biagio Marini
Sonata sopra 'La Monica' Improvised Canario
Tarquinio Merula
Op. 12 No. 22 Ballo detto Eccardo 
Francesco Cavalli
La Calisto Sinfonia
Barbara Strozzi
'Che si pu貌 fare'
Giovanni Legrenzi
'Lumi, potete piangere'
Marco Uccellini
'La Bergamasca'
Claudio Monteverdi
'Zefiro torna'
Antonio Vivaldi
Op. 1 No. 12 'La follia'

The Portrait Players, Les Femmes Illustres (23rd May, 2pm)

Described as 鈥渂eguiling鈥, The Portrait Players formed at the end of 2022 for a concert of Handel鈥檚 Cantatas and German Arias. Featuring Claire Ward (soprano), Kristiina Watt (theorbo/lute) and Miriam Nohl (cello/viola da gamba), the trio brings 17th and 18th century repertoire to modern audiences with engaging programmes, informed by historical characters.


Programme:


HONOR脡 D'AMBRUIS
(1660-1702)
Le doux silence de nos bois

 

S脡BASTIEN LE CAMUS
(1610-1677)
D茅lices des 茅t茅s 

 

MICHEL LAMBERT
(1610-1696)
Laissez-moi soupirer 

 

HENRY PURCELL
(1659-1695)
O let me weep 
From rosy bowers

Katarzyna Kowalik, French Collection (30th May, 2pm)

Katarzyna Kowalik is a Polish/British, London-based harpsichordist performing actively as a soloist and with many period ensembles in the UK and across Europe.


Programme


JEAN-PHILIPPE RAMEAU
(1683-1764)
Premier Livre Pi猫ces de Clavecin

 

PIERRE-CLAUDE FOUQUET
(1694/5-1745)
Le Carillon de Cithere
 
ANTOINE FORQUERAY
(1671-1745)
Le Carillon de Passy
 
ELISABETH JACQUET DE LA GUERRE
(1665-1729)
Harpsichord suite in A minor
 
FRANCOIS COUPERIN
(1668-1733)
Les Barricades Myst茅rieuses
Le R茅veil-Matin
 
JOSEPH-NICOLAS-PANCRACE ROYER
(1705-1755)
L'Aimable
Le Vertigo