What makes the following group so special is that they strive for uniform intonation and rhythmic clarity (more so than other northern drums). Furthermore, they feature the addition of Kit Landry, a female vocalist whose 8va doubling really alters the tessitura of northern-style music in an exciting way. You will not be able to see Kit in the video (by tradition, women stand behind the men and do not drum), but you will certainly hear her!
My Ojibwe friends from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario performing a hand-drum contest song:
This, by the way, is what makes us Americans, in case you've been wondering.
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Emanuel Bach: Sinfonia in G Major, Wotquenne 182 / Nr. 1, mvt. I
mvt. II
mvt. III
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A little something extra-- for those of you who may be fans, here's another ripe treat from the Garden:
Vivaldi: "per Pisendel," RV 242
You're welcome.
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Honestly, for years Europa Galante was not my favorite group (though, Fabio Biondi has always seemed like a cool dude). Lately, however, they've been winning me over. I've never been a fan of posting less than a complete work, but these movements are so well-recorded...
Domenico Scarlatti - Sinfonia en ut majeur - presto
allegrissimo
Oh, those funny Italians.
There really is no questioning Domenico Scarlatti. There just isn't. Seriously.
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Some more Europa Galante in C Major for you, Mr. Foo-foo? Fine!
Vivaldi: Concerto en ut majeur, pour 2 violons (dans l'imitation de tromba marina), 2 flûtes à bec, 2 trompettes, 2 mandolines, 2 salmoe, 2 théorbes, violoncelle, cordes et basse continue, RV 558 - allegro molto
Well, that was nice.
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Need I say anything?
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JP Rameau was repugnantly genius. There, I said it.
As most of you know, I DO NOT approve of his pseudo-contrapuntal technique. His obsession with harmonic verticality is, most often, a limitation. He was, on the one hand, naïve, with his "discovery" of the "underlying science of music;" On the other hand, a charlatan, one of the few figures cynical enough to use the Enlightenment as a marketing ploy.
Nonetheless, I have to confess that I rather enjoy some of his stuff.
Danse from Les Boréades
You know, we could all learn a lot from Marc Minkowski. He is so calm and reassuring; a great and straightforward way to get your musicians to rock out. And Les Musiciens du Louvre do, in fact, rock out here, I think it's fair to say.
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Now, just to contrast, here Rameau writes in what is essentially standard contrapuntal practice for the 1730s and 1740s. This could almost be the music of Telemann, if it wasn't so clearly a French rondeau (one of the three ancient "form fixes").
Certainly, no one would dispute the excitement of the previous performance. Character aside, however, you will find that there is quite simply more to listen to here, musically speaking.
That, my friend, is a little something I like to call counterpoint.
Another enjoyable bit of Rameau
See, I'm a reasonable person.
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And now a little aural perspective for those of you poor souls who have been reading my blogs...
Here is music in Werckmeister III tuning:
Here is music in 1/4 comma meantone:
Here is music in 1/6 comma meantone:
By the way, I'd just like to take this opportunity to point out that you can't fuck with Domenico Scarlatti... or crushed velvet suits...
Now listen to something beautiful, and love it, you silly bastards:
François Couperin - Les Barricades Mistérieuses