As early as the Middle Ages, masters of the Irish harp – the pinnacle of Gaelic culture – enjoyed heroic status. The instrument, usually made from a single piece of willow and strung with brass 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. King James I of England even employed two royal Irish 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. That must have been the instrument for which William Lawes wrote his divine consort music, musicologist Peter Holman suggested in 1987. But it took until 2023 for someone to put it to the test. AMUZ presents the continental première of this unique experiment by Siobhán Armstrong with The Irish Consort, star violinist Bojan Cicic, theorbo star Elizabeth Kenny and a selection of consort music, dances and ‘divisions’ by Lawes, Dowland, Brade and 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