Music Before 1800's Announces 2016-17 Season at Corpus Christi Church

NYC early music series Music Before 1800's 42nd season is one of remarkable breadth. The series hosts eight concerts in its long-time home-base (and acoustically superb) Corpus Christi Church.

Three March concerts will take place at the more intimate Kosciusizko Foundation. Series founder and director Louise Basbas, who was recently awarded the 2016 Howard Mayer Brown Award for lifetime achievement in the field of early music from Early Music America, looks ahead:

"Music Before 1800's 42nd season presents 13 centuries of music. I'm proud to say that this is a new record for the series! Audiences will hear 9th century German and Anglo-Saxon incantations, as well as a world-premiere of a motet by guest composer/conductor James Bassi sung by the Choir of Corpus Christi Church. Composers range from Buxtehude and Byrd, to Rameau and Rosenmüller, and include fugues by Bach and Mendelssohn. Texts feature Hercules and other heroes; two suicidal pagan queens, Dido and Cleopatra; and strong women, including the Blessed Virgin Mary. We're especially pleased to welcome our first ensemble from Cuba (something that seemed quite far-fetched when we started in 1975), and also performers from Milan, Montreal, Paris and, of course, NYC. The celebration begins on October 16 with Juilliard 415 and conductor/violinist Rachel Podger performing concertos of the Italian Baroque." - Louise Basbas, Founder/Director Music Before 1800

@ CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH, 4PM

Oct. 16
Juilliard 415 with Rachel Podger, violinist/conductor (NYC)
A più strumenti: Virtuoso Concertos of the Italian Baroque

Nov. 13
Bruce Dickey, cornetto; Monica Huggett, violin;
Hana Blažíková, soprano (Portland, OR)
Breathtaking

Dec. 18
Blue Heron with Scott Metcalfe, director (Boston, MA)
Christmas and the New Year in 15th-century France and Burgundy

Jan. 15
ACRONYM with Jesse Blumberg, baritone (NYC)
Valley of Tears: Bass Cantatas and Instrumental Sonatas by Johann Rosenmu?ller

Jan. 29
Alla Francesca, voices and instruments (Paris)
Trobar et Joglars: Medieval Troubadour Songs and Dances

Feb. 12
Choir of Corpus Christi Church with James Bassi, guest conductor (NYC)
The English Renaissance and the Catholic Tradition

Feb. 26
Ars Longa, baroque ensemble (Havana) ***[NYC DEBUT]***
Gulumbá gulumbé: Resonancias de África en el Nuevo Mundo

Apr. 30
Sequentia (Paris)
Benjamin Bagby, Hannah Marti, Norbert Rodenkirchen; voice, harps & flutes
Monks Singing Pagans: Songs of Heroes, Gods, and Strong Women

@ KOSCIUSZKO FOUNDATION, 7:30PM

Mar. 2
Pallade Musica (Montreal)
Tanya LaPerrière, violin; Elinor Frey, cello;
Esteban La Rotta, theorbo; Mélisande McNabney, harpsichord
Imperfect Circle: Chromatic, Circular, and Wandering Music

Mar. 16
Elizabeth Blumenstock, violin; Beiliang Zhu, viola da gamba;
Aya Hamada, harpsichord (NYC)
Jean-Philippe Rameau's Pièces de Clavecin en Concert

Mar. 30
Diderot String Quartet (NYC)
Bach to the Future: The Legacy of the Fugue

For tickets, go to www.mb800.org or call 212-666-9266

Louise Basbas is the founder and director of the series. Music Before 1800 is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. MB1800 is also supported, in part, by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.