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ENSEMBLE INFO

Ensemble Contact:

Email:

Penelope@fiori-musicali.com

1983

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

PIED PIPER – a life remembered. We are seeking support for 4 concerts, all inspired by the remarkable contribution to early music of DAVID MUNROW – one of the great pioneers of ‘early music’. Munrow (who died 50 years ago this May) was an inspiration to thousands. His regular radio slot PIED PIPER had countless listeners enthralled, as he deftly opened up a world of lesser known repertoire to a wider public. Not confined to any one area of music, Munrow’s passion spilled into many genres. His infectious enthusiasm & ability to communicate (not to mention his consummate virtuosity, effortlessly shifting from one instrument to another) ensured that early instruments were no longer ‘musical archaeology’. For Munrow music from the middle ages & renaissance was not a dead art unearthed by scholars, but alive, vibrant and significant. We take a peek into the rich musical legacy of this outstanding musician. First up is 11 June at St Lawrence, Broughton – here the splendid 15th-century wall paintings & chained copy of Erasmus’s Paraphrases inspire Fiori to meld dance music from the Low Countries, made popular by Munrow, with sacred pieces by Praetorius from Wolfenbüttel, near Hanover (Pied Piper country). Guillaume DuFay was another composer Munrow threw a spotlight on. DuFay's astonishing Missa Se la face ay pale is the centrepiece of our concert on 28 June in the isolated, deserted church at Wolfhampcote – a place time has forgotten On a grander scale, we bring the opulent sound of Andrea Gabrieli’s polychoral writing to the iconic church of St Mary the Virgin, Fotheringhay on 16 August (a nod to Munrow's disc Monteverdi's contemporaries). And on 20 September our Pied Piper’s final appearance is at Holy Cross, Pattishall – a bucolic programme that shamelessy integrates the thrilling madness of St Vitus with the brilliance of Vivaldi in a feast of inventive chamber concertos featuring Munrow’s immortal flauto. Munrow’s instrumental wizardry and vast knowledge of music, together with his approachable and immediate style, touched a whole generation. Just as the piper of Hamelin magically entranced the plague of vermin (and later the children) to follow the sound of his dulcet piping, so Munrow communicated the subtle but powerful art of music. Our series pays homage to this remarkable figure. Like him, our mission is to be able to afford to go on bringing amazing music to audiences in interesting venues near them – especially to audiences outside the big cities (who may be rurally isolated, financially stretched, infirm or simply elderly) so they too get to hear some of today’s finest early music specialists creating this exciting period music live.

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