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Five Boroughs Music Festival Presents Alkemie With Composer Elliot Cole
By: A.A. Cristi Oct. 15, 2019
Five Boroughs Music Festival (5BMF) presents medieval ensemble Alkemie together with composer Elliot Cole for the World Premiere of "Beautee & Bountee: An Arthurian Refraction" on Saturday, November 23 at 7:30 p.m. at The Noble Maritime Collection (1000 Richmond Terrace, Bldg D) on Staten Island and Sunday, November 24 at 4:00 p.m. at Areté Venue & Gallery in Brooklyn (67 West Street).
Combining old words and new music through an original setting of the 14th-century stanzaic romance, Morte Arthur, Cole and Alkemie weave together spoken word, monophonic songs, motets, and instrumental commentary to tell the age-old stories of Arthur, Guenevere and Lancelot - exploring themes of love, honor and duty that still resonate today. Co-commissioned by 5BMF and Alkemie, Cole's new work features reimagined melodies that are fused and intertwined by Alkemie's collection of period and modern instruments, including medieval fiddles and reeds, psaltery, recorders, harps, harmonium, guitar, and percussion.
Additional 5BMF performances in the 2019-20 season include a celebration of Beethoven's 250th anniversary with new-music piano trio Longleash in Beethoven Reflections on January 10 and 12; a program presenting Cuban early music ensemble Ars Longa de la Habana on March 18 in collaboration with GEMAS (Gotham Early Music Scene/Americas Society) and the Baryshnikov Arts Center; and Astride Peace and War: John Jenkins, Master of the Musick Art, a multi-concert "mini-festival" exploring the works of English composer John Jenkins, performed by viol consorts Parthenia and LeStrange Viols on May 29, 31, and June 1.
Program Information
Saturday, November 23 at 7:30 p.m.
Noble Maritime Collection
1000 Richmond Terrace, Bldg D
Staten Island, NY 10301
Sunday, November 24 at 4:00 p.m.
Areté Venue & Gallery
67 West St.
Brooklyn, NY 11222
Featuring:
Tracy Cowart, voice, harp
David McCormick, viele
Elena Mullins, voice, percussion
Sian Ricketts, voice, recorders, douçaines
Niccolo Seligmann, viele, psaltery, percussion
With guest artists:
Elliot Cole, composer; voice, guitar, harmonium
Ben Matus, voice, dulcian
Tickets:
Tickets range from $15 to $25 and can be purchased at http://5bmf.org/alkemie/.
Program:
1. The first thing to remember
2. "Lordinges that are lef and dere"
3. "Sir, your honour beginnes to fall"
4. Tournament (fantasia on Tribum, que non abhorruit from the Robertsbridge Codex)
5. "King Arthur then spekes he" - "Of beautee and bountee"
6. Eventually, the truth comes out
7. The Queen laments that their love should end this way - "Wele away"
8. Lancelot springs up
9. "The queen by the fire stood"
10. This is the tragic stroke
11. "Alas" quod Lancelot, "Wo is me"
12. Lancelot fights Gawain
13. Mordred in England
14. "At night when Arthur was brought in bed"
15. Arthur's men erupt
16. Arthur has one last instruction
17. "Broder woe is me"
18. "Abbess to you I knowleche here"
19. Flos regalis virginalis (from MS Oxford, Bodleian Library, Corpus Christi College, 489)
20. Finale
Videos