Masters of the Irish harp – the epitome of Celtic culture – had heroic status as far back as the Middle Ages. The instrument, usually made from a single piece of willow and strung with copper wire, had an exceptionally sweet sound that is praised in many a poetic ode. In the Renaissance, the Irish harp became the favourite of the Tudor aristocracy. In fact, James I had two royal harpists in his service, and until the French triple harp was introduced in 1629, the Irish harp was the only type played in royal circles. It must have been the instrument for which William Lawes wrote his divine consort music, the musicologist Peter Holman postulated in 1987. But it was 2023 before anyone tested his theory. AMUZ presents the continental première of this unique experiment by Siobhán Armstrong with The Irish Consort, star violinist Bojan Cicic and top theorbo player Elizabeth Kenn, along with a selection of consort music, dances and divisions by Lawes, Dowland, Brade and their contemporaries.
Program
W. Lawes: Selection of harp consorts | Music by J. Dowland, J. Campion, J. Coprario, W. Brade and others
Performers
Bojan Cicic, violin | Reiko Ichise, viol | Elizabeth Kenny, theorbo | Siobhán Armstrong, Irish harp & artistic leader