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Upcoming

2014 Events

Gamba Obscura
(Énsêmble Reclüsê)

Early music for strings and harpsichord

Thursday 7:30pm May 1, 2014
Dowd Fine Arts
Instrumental Rehearsal Hall
SUNY Campus (corner of Graham Ave. & Prospect Ter.)
Cortland, NY

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CORTLAND, NY

The Early Music group Gamba Obscura will present music of the 16th and 17th centuries on Thursday May 1st, beginning at 7:30pm, in the newly refurbished Dowd Fine Arts Instrumental Rehearsal Hall on the SUNY Cortland Campus. Performers include:

Kate Cushing - bass viola da gamba
Alex Rakov - bass viola da gamba
Tom Klenck - bass viola da gamba
Stephen B. Wilson - harpsichord

Viola da gamba (a viol on the leg), was once a provider of many people's mental, emotional, spiritual and even physical well-being. While singing can provide many people with a completely satisfying musical experience, the sad fact is, one cannot buy a beautiful voice. Plus, normally a person cannot sing in chords or imitate counterpoint all by himself. The music of this concert is not a kind that attempts to pit one person against another, as a soloist against an orchestra. It is rather a perfect conversation, where each one is given the voice, the chance and the time, to build together something that is impossible for a single person to produce. An in-house viol consort was bringing people together in the most satisfying ways well before cell phones and Christmas shopping. The viol consort was a central musical feature both at court and in the country houses of England and Europe. While different sizes of viols – a treble, an alto, tenor, bass and great bass-- are normally required to cover the whole range of voices, we enjoy the sound of the three bass viols so much, that we feel this enjoyment needs to be shared.

Those interested in learning more about the viola da gamba, are certainly encouraged to peruse some brief but satisfying articles at http://www.earlymusicworld.com/id30.html or even wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_da_gamba.

Concert Program 

Adrian Willaert (circa 1490 - 1562)        
  - Ricercar 

Jacob Obrecht   (ca. 1457 - 1505)          
  - Tandernack 

Thomas Lupo     (c.1571 - 1627)            
  - Fantasia No 26

Mr. Chetwood    (early 17th cent.)         
  - Fantasia 2 

Elway Bevin     (c.1554 - c. 1638)         
  - Browning
            	
Kühnel   (3 August 1645 - ca. 1700)        
  - Partita 4 (Allegro, Allemande, Corrente, 
               Sarabande, Gavotta, Giga)

John Hingeston (ca. 1606 - December 17 1688)      
  - Set in G minor (Fantasia 1, Almain 2 )
  - Set in G major (Almain 3 , Almain 4 )
  - A minor Suite (Fantasia, Almain, Courant,Almain)
  - Set in D major (Fantasia, two Almains )

Johann Gottlieb Nicolai (15 October 1744 - ca.1801)   
  - Sonata A minor (Prelude, Aria, Courante, Giga, 
                    Sarabanda und Variatio, Ciaconi Adagio)