Conference Agenda

Singing from the original notation is the ultimate historical performance practice. Singing in old clefs, with no barlines, forces us to listen hard to the other voices, add accidentals on the fly, and recognize homorhythm, imitative entries, and cadences.

We will sing three pieces from the Libro Primo de la Croce, a serious early madrigal by Sebastiano Festa, a comic villottea by Francesco Patavino, and a serious late frottola by Marchetto Cara. The experience of singing them will provide a window into the similarities and differences among the three genres, providing a glimpse into the origins of the madrigal (or its pre-history, depending on your point of view). We will discuss the historical issues after singing.

The session is modeled on the long tradition of original notation sessions at the AMS annual meeting, formerly led by Valerie Horst and sponsored by Early Music America.  All kinds of musicians are welcome, including beginners.  We will provide everybody with copies of pages from the print, with rehearsal letters added.