Event Title:

Organization:

  Concert

  Oakland

Start Date:

  1/10/2025

End Date:

  1/10/2025

Start Time:

  6:30 PM

End Time:

  7:30 PM

Event Info: 

  Barefoot Chamber Concerts ("an enterprise noted for both its quality and informality" - San Francisco Classical Voice) welcomes the return of an annual tradition: the best English viol consort music played by the legendary Barefoot All-Stars: Peter Hallifax, Julie Jeffrey, David Morris, Marie Szuts, and Lynn Tetenbaum with special guests Wendy Gillespie, treble viol, and Andrew Canepa, organ. This year's concert takes the form of a battle between the two Titans of early 17th century viol music: William Lawes and John Jenkins.

Lawes and Jenkins both had the unusual experience of working for the court of Charles I, a man with great wealth and power who loved the viol and its music. However, Lawes died at the age of 42 at the Battle of Chester during the Civil War, whereas Jenkins lived on even after the king was executed, and was eventually pointlessly employed by the court again after the monarchy's restoration, by a king who had no interest in viol music.

Colleagues they were, for a decade or more, but with radically different styles. Together they elevated the viol consort to new heights: Jenkins playing by the rules, ingeniously manipulating them to create works of exceptional beauty and imagination Lawes breaking the rules, forging a unique musical language with compelling masterpieces that follow their own mad logic.

"Jenkins or Lawes?" has become a thing: as in "Beatles or Stones?", "Mezcal or Scotch?", "Taylor Swift or Beyonce?". Here is an entire concert with just these two apex composers: you can choose, or choose to stay on the fence, as you like.

We recommend reserving seats, as this annual event has become extremely popular. We are especially delighted to welcome organist Andrew Canepa to the consort: adding an organ to viol consort music was a standard option in this period. This year we are pleased to be able to observe this practice, the organ joining us, as one contemporary wrote, "Evenly, Softly, and Sweetly According to all".

http://barefootchamberconcerts.com

Location:

  Saint Mary Magdalen Church

Room:

Address:

  2005 Berryman Street

Phone:

  510-220-1195

City:

  Berkeley

State/Province:

  CA