Synopsis:
While the first Germans were landing at Jamestown in 1608 (five glassmakers and three
carpenters, aboard an English ship), composers in Germany were deep in the brilliant
waters of the early baroque Italianate school. A young Heinrich Schütz, one of the greatest
17th century German composers, was preparing to go to law school, but instead went to
study music in Venice a year later with Giovanni Gabrieli. He was not the first to seek an
education in Italy – Hans Leo Hassler studied with Giovanni's uncle Andrea Gabrieli in
1584, and Gregor Aichinger was G. Gabrieli's student beginning around the same time. The
Italian influence was not limited to those who went to Italy for training – Michael
Praetorius, Johann Hermann Schein, and Jacob Praetorius (II) were among those who
soaked up the Italian musical styles without leaving Germany. These composers all
adopted Italian musical forms ranging from madrigals to vocal concertos to huge polychoral
antiphonal works.
The Countertop Quartet, a vocal ensemble comprised of two counter-tenors, a mezzo-
soprano, and a soprano, will explore the music that grew out of this German fascination and
mastery of the Italian compositional styles in the early Baroque period. For this concert,
the group will include five vocalists, joined by a period instrument ensemble of
lute/theorbo, viols, and recorder. Many of the works will be performed as they would have
been heard in the 17th century, with instruments playing some of the voice parts. This
performance will present a slice of German vocal music history around the time of the
Jamestown landing (and a few years before and after), including works by M. Praetorius
(from his 9-volume Musae sioniae published between 1605-1610), Aichinger, J.
Praetorius, Schein, and more.
While the first Germans were landing at Jamestown in 1608 (five glassmakers and three
carpenters, aboard an English ship), composers in Germany were deep in the brilliant
waters of the early baroque Italianate school. A young Heinrich Schütz, one of the greatest
17th century German composers, was preparing to go to law school, but instead went to
study music in Venice a year later with Giovanni Gabrieli. He was not the first to seek an
education in Italy – Hans Leo Hassler studied with Giovanni's uncle Andrea Gabrieli in
1584, and Gregor Aichinger was G. Gabrieli's student beginning around the same time. The
Italian influence was not limited to those who went to Italy for training – Michael
Praetorius, Johann Hermann Schein, and Jacob Praetorius (II) were among those who
soaked up the Italian musical styles without leaving Germany. These composers all
adopted Italian musical forms ranging from madrigals to vocal concertos to huge polychoral
antiphonal works.
The Countertop Quartet, a vocal ensemble comprised of two counter-tenors, a mezzo-
soprano, and a soprano, will explore the music that grew out of this German fascination and
mastery of the Italian compositional styles in the early Baroque period. For this concert,
the group will include five vocalists, joined by a period instrument ensemble of
lute/theorbo, viols, and recorder. Many of the works will be performed as they would have
been heard in the 17th century, with instruments playing some of the voice parts. This
performance will present a slice of German vocal music history around the time of the
Jamestown landing (and a few years before and after), including works by M. Praetorius
(from his 9-volume Musae sioniae published between 1605-1610), Aichinger, J.
Praetorius, Schein, and more.
| Jamestown During the Early Music Festival, June 25th |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Singers & Instrumentalists:
Simon Zaleski is in his sixth and final year of study at the Peabody
Conservatory of Music, as a graduate student working toward degrees in
harpsichord, composition, and musicology. He also holds two BM degrees
from Peabody, in piano performance and composition. As a Baroque and
Renaissance specialist, he has performed on harpsichord, organ, baroque
viola, tenor viol, and recorders with the Peabody Renaissance Ensemble,
Peabody Consort of Viols, Baltimore Baroque Band, Baltimore Shakespeare
Festival, and multiple Peabody Baroque Ensembles as well as on various
student recitals and the Thursday Noon Recital Series at Peabody. He also
sings baritone with the Peabody Singers and is the organist at Hampden Mt.
Vernon United Methodist Church. A recipient of two Provost’s
Undergraduate Research Awards from Johns Hopkins, he also just
completed his master’s thesis on German musica poetica, taking a look at
the background and performance practice of German “rhetorical music.” At
Peabody, he is the musicology TA for Dr. Susan Weiss; and will be leaving
this fall to pursue a Ph. D. in musicology at Duke University, where he was
awarded a University Scholars Fellowship and a James B. Duke fellowship.
Conservatory of Music, as a graduate student working toward degrees in
harpsichord, composition, and musicology. He also holds two BM degrees
from Peabody, in piano performance and composition. As a Baroque and
Renaissance specialist, he has performed on harpsichord, organ, baroque
viola, tenor viol, and recorders with the Peabody Renaissance Ensemble,
Peabody Consort of Viols, Baltimore Baroque Band, Baltimore Shakespeare
Festival, and multiple Peabody Baroque Ensembles as well as on various
student recitals and the Thursday Noon Recital Series at Peabody. He also
sings baritone with the Peabody Singers and is the organist at Hampden Mt.
Vernon United Methodist Church. A recipient of two Provost’s
Undergraduate Research Awards from Johns Hopkins, he also just
completed his master’s thesis on German musica poetica, taking a look at
the background and performance practice of German “rhetorical music.” At
Peabody, he is the musicology TA for Dr. Susan Weiss; and will be leaving
this fall to pursue a Ph. D. in musicology at Duke University, where he was
awarded a University Scholars Fellowship and a James B. Duke fellowship.
| Naomi DeVries Pomerantz (Alto) |
| Chris Dudley (Countertenor) |
| Philip Sherman (Countertenor) |
| Rachel Barham (Soprano) |
| John Bohl (Countertenor) |
| Ellen Myers Kliman (Soprano) |
| Matthew Smith (Tenor) |
| Tina Chancey (Bass Viol) |
| Andrew Arceci (Bass Viol) |
Andrew Arceci, has performed with
the Washington Bach Consort, Opera
Vivente, Harmonious Blacksmith,
Carmina, the Vivaldi Project, the
Washington Kantorei, the Handel Choir
of Baltimore, Pro Musica Rara, and the
Baltimore Shakespeare Festival. He
has performed the viola da gamba
solos in Bach’s St. John Passion
with the Baltimore Baroque Band
(Peabody), and Bach’s St. Matthew
Passion with the National
Philharmonic. Mr. Arceci recently played
for Gesualdo Translations, which was
broadcasted on DeutschlandRadio
(Germany). As a composer, his Suite in
d minor (for viola da gamba and
chamber orchestra) was premiered in
March 2007 by the Peabody Camerata,
and later presented by the Peabody
Sinfonietta. His solo work, You (for
unaccompanied viola da gamba), was
recently aired on Taipei Broadcasting
Station (Taiwan). In May 2008, Mr.
Arceci graduated from the Peabody
Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins
University with a B.M. in Double Bass, B.
M. in Viola da Gamba/Violone, and an
Academic Concentration in Art History
from the Johns Hopkins University.
the Washington Bach Consort, Opera
Vivente, Harmonious Blacksmith,
Carmina, the Vivaldi Project, the
Washington Kantorei, the Handel Choir
of Baltimore, Pro Musica Rara, and the
Baltimore Shakespeare Festival. He
has performed the viola da gamba
solos in Bach’s St. John Passion
with the Baltimore Baroque Band
(Peabody), and Bach’s St. Matthew
Passion with the National
Philharmonic. Mr. Arceci recently played
for Gesualdo Translations, which was
broadcasted on DeutschlandRadio
(Germany). As a composer, his Suite in
d minor (for viola da gamba and
chamber orchestra) was premiered in
March 2007 by the Peabody Camerata,
and later presented by the Peabody
Sinfonietta. His solo work, You (for
unaccompanied viola da gamba), was
recently aired on Taipei Broadcasting
Station (Taiwan). In May 2008, Mr.
Arceci graduated from the Peabody
Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins
University with a B.M. in Double Bass, B.
M. in Viola da Gamba/Violone, and an
Academic Concentration in Art History
from the Johns Hopkins University.
Tina Chancey directs Hesperus, the early/traditional
music ensemble that brings the past alive through
collaborations with film, theater, dance and world
music. A specialist in bowed strings from viola da
gamba to Irish fiddle, she teaches, tours, records,
produces recordings and is currently writing on the
topic of improvisation, using a Theatresportz model.
In June she received a Lifetime Achievement Award
from Early Music America.
music ensemble that brings the past alive through
collaborations with film, theater, dance and world
music. A specialist in bowed strings from viola da
gamba to Irish fiddle, she teaches, tours, records,
produces recordings and is currently writing on the
topic of improvisation, using a Theatresportz model.
In June she received a Lifetime Achievement Award
from Early Music America.
