The King’s Music & Tavern Songs
An EMSI favourite Ensemble Caprice, led by the indefatigable Matthias Maute, returns with music from Purcell to Handel, interwoven with traditional music from the British Isles.
From Purcell to Handel, this program enters the vibrant musical world of the British Isles, where the elegance of the court, the brilliance of the theatre, and the vitality of popular tradition were never far apart. Refined arias of longing and lament stand beside sparkling recorder concertos, ground-bass variations, and dances whose roots reach into taverns, streets, and country gatherings.
The recorder becomes both virtuoso voice and storyteller, moving freely between grace and mischief, courtly poise and rustic swing. Purcell’s theatrical imagination, Handel’s Italianate brilliance, and the earthy energy of anonymous tunes from the 18th century meet in a single, beguiling musical language.
Throughout the program, high and low constantly trade places: a noble lament can sound disarmingly intimate, while a popular tune may suddenly reveal the refinement of chamber music. With Ensemble Caprice, Matthias Maute, and soprano Janelle Lucyk, this concert celebrates music that is sophisticated, playful, deeply expressive, and irresistibly alive. Let the dance begin — and raise your glass!
Tentative programme:
Jacob van Eyck (c. 1590–1657) – Engels Nachtegaeltje
Henry Purcell (1659–1695) – Three in One upon a Ground
George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) – Lascia ch’io pianga — from the opera Rinaldo
Fra tempeste — from the opera Giulio Cesare
George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) – Concerto per flautino, two violins and basso continuo
Allegro – Adagio – Allegro
Anonymous (18th century) – Johnny Cock thy Beaver
Budro
The Duke of Norfolk
Francesco Geminiani / Arcangelo Corelli (1687–1762 / 1653–1713) – La Follia
Henry Purcell (1659–1695) – O let me weep — from the opera The Fairy Queen
Remember me — from the opera Dido and Aeneas
Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713) – Concerto per flauto (Tempo di Gavotta)
Henry Purcell (1659–1695) – Dance Suite
A New Scotch Tune – If Music Be the Food of Love – Fairest Isle – Chaconne from The Fairy Queen
