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2019.12.05 Western WindYellow Star at the Court of Mantua: The music of Salamone Hebreo (c.1570-1630)

Salamone Rossi Hebreo, from a distinguished Italian Jewish family that could trace its origins back to the year 70 in Rome under Emperor Titus, was born around 1570. He was a violinist, singer, and composer at the ducal court of Mantua where he was employed by the Gonzagas. Rossi occupies a unique place in the evolution of Italian Baroque music as the creator of the trio sonata style, and in Jewish music as the first composer to set Jewish texts in the European musical language of his time.

Linda Lee Jones, Elizabeth van Os, sopranos
Eric S. Brenner, countertenor
Todd Frizzell, David Vanderwal, tenors
Eli Blaisdell, baritone
Rebecca Pechevsky, harpsichord

Since 1969, the internationally acclaimed vocal sextet The Western Wind has devoted itself to the special beauty and variety of a cappella music. The Ensemble’s repertoire reveals its diverse background – from Renaissance motets to Fifties rock ’n’ roll, from medieval carols to Duke Ellington, from complex works by avant-garde composers to the simplest folk melodies. In addition to maintaining a demanding performance schedule, which has included such venues as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, ArtPark, The Ordway Theater, The Metropolitan Museum, The Frick Museum, The Jewish Museum, Folger Shakespeare Library, Library of Congress, and the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Western Wind regularly conducts Workshops in Ensemble Singing. The workshops, attended by vocalists ranging from novice to professional, address the particular challenges of singing in small, largely un-conducted ensembles.

As part of its non-profit mission to spread the joy of music to people of all ages, The Western Wind coordinates a highly-acclaimed arts-in-education program in the New York City public school system called The Western Wind Goes To School for children ages 8–18. The curriculum ranges from the fundamentals of music notation and rhythm to highly refined interpretation of challenging vocal repertoire. Since 1989, The Western Wind has produced a series of radio programs distributed throughout the United States by National Public Radio and Public Radio International. The programs address topics ranging from settings of love songs throughout the centuries to a musical narrative of the Jewish High Holy Days. The Western Wind has also produced twenty recordings, twelve of which have been released on Western Wind Records, the group’s own record label, distributed in the US and Canada by Albany Music Distributors. www.westernwind.org

1:15 - 2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.

The Chapel at St. Bartholomew's Church
50th St. and Park Avenue

 

Midtown Concerts sponsors lunchtime performances of music of the 18th century and earlier. Ensembles are chosen by a panel of early music specialists from the metropolitan area.

Time: Thursdays, 1:15–2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.

Concerts are in person at St. Malachy's Church, 239 West 49th Street, Manhattan, AND live streamed.