Folger Consort Announces Holiday Concert Featuring Seasonal Music of Germany

Folger Consort, the early music ensemble in residence at the Folger Shakespeare Library, performs eleven concerts of Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming: Seasonal Early Music of Germany, Friday, December 15 through December 23, 2017 in the festively decorated Elizabethan theater in the heart of Capitol Hill. Commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, the intimate program of seasonal German music from the Renaissance and early Baroque features the music of Praetorius, Schütz, Schein, among others. Folger Consort artistic co-director Robert Eisenstein will be joined by the vocal ensemble in residence of Washington National Cathedral, Cathedra as well as viol consort Arcadia Viols, and acclaimed organist Adam Pearl.

Individual tickets are $50 and may be purchased at the Folger box office at (202) 544-7077 or online at www.folger.edu/consort. Discounts are available for students, senior citizens, military personnel and families, teachers, and groups.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

With a Lutheran hymn by Michael Praetorius, the great German music theorist and composer from the early 17th century, giving this concert its title, the program commemorates five hundred years since the Protestant Reformation. Exploring German music from the late 15th to 17th centuries, Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming encompasses a historical timeline that includes the writing of the Ninety-five Theses through the end of the Thirty Years' War. The program features evocative liturgical music appropriate for the season by such composers as Heinrich Isaac, Ludwig Senfl, and the greatest German composer before J.S. Bach, Heinrich Schütz, and also dives into the blooming of the German instrumental tradition and its earliest Baroque manifestations with lively suites and intricate canzonas by Johann Hermann Schein, Andreas Hammerschmidt, and Samuel Scheidt.

ABOUT ARCADIA VIOLS

Arcadia Viols, a consort of viols, or ensemble of violas da gamba, has been associated with Arcadia Players of Western Massachusetts since its founding in 2009. The ensemble has performed in many venues in the Northeast and beyond, including Stratford Music in Ontario. In 2011 and 2015, the consort performed at the Boston Early Music Festival Fringe Festival. Recent performances include J.S. Bach's "The Art of the Fugue" at Clark University in Worcester, MA, and at Tufts University; "Lachrimae" in Hadley, MA, and "The Wonder of Will" with Stile Antico and the Folger Consort at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, and in the series "Music before 1800" at Corpus Christi Church in New York City. This past season, the ensemble performed its program of adventurous music from the 17th and 21st centuries, "Viols on the Edge" at Bard College at Simon's Rock, Mount Holyoke Summit House Concerts and Tufts University. Arcadia Viols joined the Crescendo chorus of Limerock, CT in performances of a program of "Elizabethan Music and the Sounds of Hamlet."

ABOUT CATHEDRA

Established in 2010, Cathedra has already achieved high acclaim, not least for its "beautiful, blended sound" (The Washington Post). Specializing in music of both the Renaissance and Baroque and a champion of the modern-day composer, Cathedra is a highly skilled ensemble of professional singers and instrumentalists, dedicated to bringing the highest form of musical expression to music from across the ages.

Under the artistic leadership of Maestro Michael McCarthy, the ensemble is resident at Washington National Cathedral. Exploring new boundaries of both repertoire and presentation, Cathedra tailors its programming in such a way as to offer authenticity and originality that is both unique and compelling.

SPECIAL EVENTS:

Early Music Seminar with Robert Eisenstein

Wednesday, December 13, 6:00pm

Robert Eisenstein, co-artistic director of Folger Consort, shares insights about Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming, celebrating the rich heritage of Lutheran Church music and music from the early Baroque period in Germany, including Michael Praetorius, Heinrich Schütz, and others. Tickets for this event are $20, with a light fare reception included.

Pre-Concert Discussion: WETA's Robert Aubry Davis

Friday, December 15, 7:00pm

Artistic co-director Robert Eisenstein and national radio personality Robert Aubry Davis (WETA) lead a lively pre-concert discussion. Admission is free, with a ticket for the evening performance.

Community Sing

Sunday, December 17, 4:00pm

Folger Consort musicians lead audience members in learning holiday songs from the Medieval to the Baroque. Suitable for all ages and skill levels. Admission is free.

German Embassy Night and #HereIStand Exhibit and Reception

Tuesday, December 19, 6:15pm

Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 212 East Capitol Street, NE 20003

Prior to Tuesday evening's 7:30pm concert, Consort audience members are invited to a free reception and exhibit across the street from the Folger Shakespeare Library hosted by the Embassy of Germany. The #HereIStand exhibit employs cutting-edge media transcending the digital/physical divide to engage, inspire, and spur reflection on the 500th anniversary of the start of the Reformation.

ABOUT FOLGER CONSORT & FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY:

Celebrating over 40 years at the Folger Shakespeare Library, Folger Consort has delighted audiences with a stunning array of early music spanning roughly 600 years of repertoire. With a variety of world-class guest artists, from virtuoso soloists to large choirs and orchestras, Folger Consort has performed masterpieces from the most renowned composers to hidden treasures from those who might otherwise be lost to history. With season concerts in the intimate setting of the Folger's Elizabethan Theatre, as well as grand spaces such as Washington National Cathedral and the Kennedy Center, Folger Consort has also toured nationally and internationally to Shakespeare's Globe and other prestigious venues.

Among other awards and critical acclaim for its performances and recordings, Folger Consort has received five awards for Best Classical Chamber Ensemble from the Washington Area Music Awards. Janet Alexander Griffin serves as Artistic Producer, and David Mozur is the Folger Consort Manager. For more on Folger Consort, visit www.folger.edu/folger-consort.

Folger Shakespeare Library is the world's largest Shakespeare collection, the ultimate resource for exploring Shakespeare and his world. The Folger welcomes millions of visitors online and in person. We provide unparalleled access to a huge array of resources, from original sources to modern interpretations. With the Folger, you can experience the power of performance, the wonder of exhibitions, and the excitement of pathbreaking research. We offer the opportunity to see and even work with early modern sources, driving discovery and transforming education for students of all ages. Shakespeare belongs to you. His world is vast. Come explore. Join us online, on the road, or in Washington, DC. Learn more at www.folger.edu

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