The Musicians in Ordinary present:
HIS PERFECTIONS LIKE THE SUNBEAMS
Music from the life and on the untimely death of Henry, Prince of Wales (1594-1612)
Henry, the eldest son of James I, was the best king Britain never had. If he had not died of typhoid at the age of 18, his hapless brother Charles would not have come to the throne, blundered into the English Civil War and lost his head. By all accounts, Henry was a talented young man. Most important for us, he surrounded himself with the latest avant garde musicians, like Alfonso Ferrabosco II (born in England), Angelo Notari (an Italian composing in the new Baroque style), Giovanni Coprario (really John Cooper, born in England and writing in an English style) and Robert Johnson (composer for Shakespeare’s plays). As the poets Thomas Campion and John Donne commemorated his passing with elegies, we mark the 400th anniversary of Henry with music by his household musicians. Hallie Fishel, soprano and John Edwards, lute and theorbo are joined by Christopher Verrette, violin and Justin Haynes, viola da gamba.
For further information:Â http://www.musiciansinordinary.ca/
