E S T I VA LGALWAY EARLY M U S IC

May 19-22, 2011

Musicians and their PatronsFrom the Irish harpers of the 17th century to the

court musicians of Europe(with a stop in a medieval alehouse or two)

Galway Early Music would like to thank itssponsors and friends, without whose support the

Festival would not happen.

Charlie Byrne’s BookshopMichael & Claire Cuddy

Tom GrealyRiona O’Dwyer

Siobhán ArmstrongDelo Collier

Lydia Meryl

MEDIA SPONSORS

SILVER PATRONS

GRANT AIDED BY

Adare GuesthouseKings Head PubJudy Greene

Kimberly LoPreteOlio y Farina

GOLD PATRONS

WITH SPECIAL THANKS TOThe Rector & Vestry of StNicholas Collegiate Church,with heartfelt thanks toCatherine Moore-Temple

The director and staff of theGalway City Museum, withspecial thanks toBreandán Ó hEaghra

Galway City Council Galway County Council

FRIENDS

The square symbols in the brochure & on the poster are QRcodes. If you have a smart phone and a bar code reader app(free to download), scan the QR code and see what happens!

From the Irish harpers of the 17th century tothe court musicians of Europe, with a stop in amedieval alehouse or two, the Galway EarlyMusic Festival, May 19-22, works its musicalmagic once again.With the old saying in mind,"He who pays the piper calls the tune", this year’sfestival touches a sensitive subject: therelationship between musician and patron.Whatwas the social status of a medieval, renaissance orbaroque musician and composer? How doesmusical innovation happen when a patron has toapprove? And what happens when the patronsdisappear?

.Six couples are seated in arestaurant.Their relationshipsare each in crisis. The FullMonteverdi draws the eyeand the ear into theemotional depths of theirdespair.

One of the most movingcollections of Renaissancevocal music brought to life asa contemporary dramaspecifically for the screen.Claudio Monteverdi’sFourth book of Madrigals(1603) explores differingemotional states ofabandoned lovers throughthe most dramatic andamazingly modern music forvocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows thesimultaneous break-up of six couples, from shocking revelation, vengefulanger and erotic longing for reconciliation, as an ensemble film.Vulnerable and disarming, it draws viewers into its intensely movingportrait of contemporary love.

After the film, Robert Hollingworth, Director of I Fagiolini willhold an informal discussion and question & answer session.

FILM

The Full Monteverdi

Thurs, May 19, 8 pmNun’s IslandTheatre

Monteverdi specialist Robert Holling-worth founded I Fagiolini in 1986.Directingthis group has taken up most of his time sincebut he has directed other ensembles at homeand abroad, most recently the BBC Singers,NDR Chor, the Academy of Ancient Musicand St James’ Baroque.

I Fagiolini perform TheTwistedWorld ofPatronage on Friday,May 20 at 8:30 pm inSt Nicholas Collegiate Church

Photo: Eric Richmond

John La Bouchardière’s critically acclaimed film,featuring vocal ensemble I Fagiolini

This QR code takes you to theofficial Full Monteverdi trailer

CONCERTS

What happens to the musicians and the music when their patrons aregone? The Irish social structure that had supported harpers and bardsreceived a death blow in 1603 with the flight of the Earls. But itwas a slow death and up to the end of the 18thcentury some rem- nants of the aristocratictradition of harp music and poetry remained.And even after the last of the harpers wasgone, some of the music was preservedorally and in pub- lished sources.

This concert presents a selection of this music,some of it performed and sung for the firsttime on the appropriate historical instrumentsince it was noted down. The earliestprinted collection, William & John Neal’s ACollection of the Most Cele- brated Irish Tunes, waspublished in Dublin in 1724. In 1792, EdwardBunting began his life-long work collecting musicfrom all the harpers still playing, and searching forsingers of the songs that the harpers played instrumentally.Bunting published much of his collection, but the truly exciting sourcelies in his manuscripts – the notation that he took down as he listened,which survive in the Queens University library, Belfast.

After the Earls17th- & 18th-century Irish harp & vocal music

ÉamonnÓBróithe (sean nós),SiobhánArmstrong (harp)Friday, May 20, 1 pm

Chapel of the Poor Clares, Nun’s Island

Irish harpist SiobhánArmstrong plays historical harps ofmany kinds and is particularly keen on encouraging therevival of Ireland's early harp. She founded and chairsthe Historical Harp Society of Ireland. Her own Irishharp is a facsimile copy of Ireland's national emblem –the medievalTrinity College harp – strung in brass and18-carat gold wires.Besides her solo work,she plays andrecords internationally with the main early musicsoloists, directors and ensembles, usually in Europe.

Éamonn is an uilleann piper and yraditional singeroriginally from Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. Hebegan learning the uilleann pipes from the late LeoRowsome of Dublin in 1972 and subsequentlydeveloped a passion for Gaelic song. He moved toConamara in 1980 and he now lives in Galway.Éamonn has performed and lectured widelythroughout Ireland as well as in Scotland, Englandand France.He is featured on several recordings and

has written articles for various publications.

CONCERTS

In the 16th century, some composers wrotemusic for their employers as part of their job,others dedicated volumes in the hope ofobtaining patronage, while others took amore political view. Giaches de Wertdedicated his 8th book of madrigals not tohis own employer but to the duke at aneighbouring court whose virtuosic ensemble hisown boss had described as ‘assinine’.Wert’s pupil,Monteverdi, was pushed too far by his patron,unleashing a furious letter to him, complaining ofhis conditions at the court. His peerless cycle,‘Incenerite spoglie’ commemorates the death of Caterina Martinelli, abrilliant young singer ‘patronised’ by the duke in more ways than wasstrictly healthy.

William Byrd’s greatest patron was Queen Elizabeth but as a Catholic, healso relied on the support of Catholic families: this light-hearted,animalian ode was written for one of them. Byrd himself was thededicatee of one ofThomasTomkins’ finest madrigals in a volume uniqueamong English publications in dedicating each song to a composer,friend or family member.The evening finishes with a staged performanceof a work written for the Valencian court at a time when Spanishmusicians found patronage increasingly difficult.

The TwistedWorld of PatronageI Fagiolini

Robert Hollingworth (director),Anna Crookes (Soprano),AnnaDennis (Soprano),Nicholas Smith (tenor),Charles Gibbs (bass)

Friday, May 20, 8:30 pmSt Nicholas Collegiate Church

Despite the constant labelof ‘that innovative youngensemble’, in 2011I Fagiolini will celebratetheir silver jubilee.The onlyearly music ensemble everto win the Royal Philhar-monic’s Ensemble prize(2005), they are in fact as athome with contemporaryas Renaissance music.Theirbrand has become thought-

provoking and unusual productions of solo-voice ensemble music fromTallis in Wonderland and The Full Monteverdi to their maskedL’Amfiparnaso and contemporary (unconducted) opera,The Birds.

They have performed all over the world from the Lincoln Center toSouth African townships, but this is their first appearance in Galway.

Photo: Eric Richmond

English masques were elaborate musical stageentertainments: a blending of dance, stagecraft, dramaand music towards a common end: the celebrationof a special event in an act of courtly homage tothe monarch; an event which by its magnifi-cence flattered the man who paid for it all.The speaking and singing parts wereperformed by professional actors and singersbut often the masquers who danced the setpieces were courtiers themselves; such as theQueen consort of James I,Anne of Denmark,who frequently danced with her ladies. Kingswere known to dance as well—both HenryVIII and Charles I performed in the masquesat their courts. Irish harpers were active at theEnglish court at this period and the early Irishharp was featured in some masques. Much of themusic was later arranged for solo instruments in-tended as mementos for the masque participants, and itis primarily these versions that we will hear, performedon violin, harps and bass viol, together with some of the most ravishingsongs of the genre. One of the most famous set and costume designersfor the Masque was the architect Inigo Jones. The concert will be illus-trated with slides of some of his sketches.

The King Dances17th-century patronage & politics on the music stage

The Irish ConsortSiobhán Armstrong (director & historical harps),

Róisín O’Grady (Soprano), Claire Duff (violin), Nicholas Milne (gamba)

Saturday, May 21, 8:30 pmSt Nicholas Collegiate Church

The Irish Consortwas founded in 2006and is directed by Siobhán Armstrong.This flexible group explores both Euro-pean Renaissance and baroque repertoiretogether with Irish music of the sameperiod, often juxtaposing the two worldsin concert.This unique approach leads tounusual and delicious instrumental andvocal flavours and textures, bringingneglected corners of dynamic musicalworlds to life in all their ravishingcomplexity.The Irish Consort first cametogether to perform at the Galway Early

Music Festival in 2006 with the programmeGael agus Gall (Irish and Foreign),and returned in 2007 with The Life and Times of Grace O’Malley,

the 16th-century Irish Pirate Queen.

CONCERTS

Friday,May 20

8:30 pm

1 pm After the Earls: 17th- & 18th-Century IrishHarp andVocal MusicÉamonn Ó Bróithe & Siobhán ArmstrongChapel of the Poor Clares, Nuns’ Island€15 / €10 conc / €7 youth

The TwistedWorld of Musical PatronageI FagioliniSt Nicholas Collegiate Church

€20 / €15 conc / €7 youth

DAY BY DAY

Thursday,May 19

8:00 pm The Full Monteverdi - FILM with post-filmquestion & anwer session with RobertHollingworth, director I FagioliniDirector John la Bouchardière, I FagioliniNuns’ IslandTheatre€5

Official Opening of the FestivalNuns’ IslandTheatre

6:30 pm

Monday,May 16 - Saturday,May 28

Imago Musica - Art ExhibitionAbove the Bakehouse, Lombard St

Mon-Sat:10 am -4 pm

Sun: 11-2 pm

TICKET BOOKING

Online: www.galwayearlymusic.comFrom 9 May: Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop,Middle St

At Door of concerts

FESTIVAL TICKET: €60 / €45 concession(includes all concerts and Dunsandle Castle)

Bus to Dunsandle Castle €10/€8 on-line

PROGRAMME

Sunday,May 22

11 am

MUSIC IN THE MUSEUMGalway City Museum, Spanish Arch

12:30-1:00 Renaissance Music and Dance

1:30 - 3:00 Irish HarpTasterWorkshopwith Siobhán Armstrong

3:30 - 4:30 Prehistoric Music IrelandSimon and Maria O’Dwyer

12:30 - 4:00

The Three Hard Questions - Family EventMisericordia & Clive FairweatherThe Ruby Room, Kings Head PubFree Admission

Saturday,May 21

8:30 pm The King Dances: 17th-Century Patronage& Politics on the Music StageThe Irish ConsortSt Nicholas Collegiate Church€20 / €15 / €7

Walking Tour of Medieval GalwayWilliam HenryStarting atThe City Museum €5 at the door

4:30 pm

10:00 am Sung Mass with Organ in Galway CathedralRay O’Donnell (director & organist) and Gal-way Cathedral ChoirGalway CathedralThis is a religious ceremony to which festivalgoers are welcome.

3:00 pm The Secret of the FernsMisericordia and Clive FairweatherDunsandle Castle, CraughwellIncludes refreshments, tour of castle.€15 / €12

Have a meal atCava, Dominick St

Festival Hospitality Sponsor

CONCERTS

The jongleurs who played in the pub forpennies on Saturday have been lucky to behired by the Lord of DunsandleCastle to entertain his guests! In our finalevent Misericordia with Clive Fairweatherre-create a medieval session of music, songand storytelling in the atmospheric 15th-century Dunsandle Castle, Craughwell,Co. Galway.

Clive tells three stories:The Secret of theFerns - French folk-tale collected byHenry Pouratt in LeTresor Des Contes,TheChicken's Nightmare - Geoffrey Chaucer,The Canterbury Tales c.1380 and ThePriest's Familiar in Jean Froissart's Chroni-cles.

The event includes refreshments and tour of Dunsandle Castle.

The Secret of the FernsMisericordia

StephenTyler (hurdy gurdy, cittern),Anne Marie Summers (pipes, gothic harp, voice),Clive Fairweather (storyteller)

Sunday, May 22, 3 pmDunsandle Castle, Craughwell

Anne Marie Summers and Stephen Tyler havebeen playing and recording together as a duo for overa decade.They are accomplished multi-instrumen-talists, and their wide range of instruments allowsthem many different sound textures to match thedifferent musical traditions of medieval Europe.

Misericordia regularly perform at concert venues andearly music festivals throughout Britain and Europeand have made various recordings.

Clive Fairweather isone of theWestcountry’sleading traditional story-tellers. He has workedwith English Heritage,

NationalTrust, and Misericordia.With a deepinterest in folk history, Clive has a repertoireof over 400 stories.

Travel InfoWe have a bus going to the Castle at 2:30 pm. Book yourplace on-line for €8. €10 euro on the day. If you are driving& have a smart phone & bar-code reader (free to download)

the QR code, right, brings you to googlemaps.

This sound installation is anexploration of natural harmonicsand overtones to create a ‘healingtune’. The sounds are playedacoustically, without the use ofsynthesised electronics, on Irishhorns, a conch shell and harmonicflute. It is hoped that ‘healingharmonics’ will ease a tired or

troubled mind and body.

The tune was inspired by Fraoch,who,in legends,was healed by seven bronzehorns played at Queen Medb’s palace in Cruachan, Co.Roscommon,circa the 1st Century BC

A new release byAncient Music Ireland. Recorded in the CrimlinValley,Co.Galway.Length 12.25 mins. The piece will be repeated in a constant cycle.

VISUAL ART

Imago MusicaeMonday, May 16 - Saturday, May 28Above The Bakehouse, Lombard St

Aoife Bheilbigh,Laura Burns, AnnVaughan,Sorcha Ní Chróinín

When Galway Early Music asked someyoung up & coming local artists if theywould like to work using early musicas their muse, their response was enthu-siastic. For the most part, the musicwas unfamiliar and exotic – the musicof Europe and Ireland c. 1400 – c 1750.Each artist was given music that repre-sents a particular time, place and typeof music. The artists were completelyfree to use, react to or interpet the music in any way that they chose.Theresult is a fascinating exhibition of visual art together with the music thatinspired it.

All the recorded music is by ensembles or performers who are either performing inthis year’s Festival or have performed in Galway in the past.

Healing HarmonicsMonday, May 16 - Saturday, May 28Above The Bakehouse, Lombard St

Phillip Conyngham – dord íseal, dord ard (BronzeAge horns), Simon O’Dwyer –dord íseal, (BronzeAge horn), segell flute, triton conch,A local robin – background.

Simon O’Dwyer will give a live performance onSat.,May 21 at 3:30 in Galway City Museum.

We would like to thank David Niland and Celestine Rowlandand all at Galway Business School

FREE EVENTS

Family EventThe Three Hard Questions

Saturday, May 21, 11 amThe Ruby Room,The Kings Head Pub

Misercordia & Clive Fairweather

Not all musicians were at court.There were musicians in the villagesquare and in the alehouses.Their pa-trons were the merchants and farm-ers, who hired them for weddingsand celebrations. It was a hard life,but if music is in your blood, there’snot much you can do about it –you’ve got to play!

There were good times as well. Perhaps an hour or two with good com-pany, amongst whom is a storyteller. Then the music raises the roof andthe listeners are carried away on the words of the storyteller!

Misericordia with Clive Fairweather re-create a medieval session ofmusic, song and storytelling for all the family. Clive tells three stories:TheThree Hard Questions - from Trecento Novelle by Franco Sacchetti (1330- 1400), Brother Timothy and the Donkey - Gesta Romanorum c.1340,andThe Butterfly Dream - Inquisition Register of Jacques Fournier, Bishopof Pamier c.1325. The music will include complex istampitas from 14thcentury Italy, love-songs from France by Guillaume de Machaut, andpilgrim dances from Spain.

Music in the MuseumSaturday, May 21, 12:30 - 1:30

Galway City Museum, Spanish Arch

Galway Early Music’s own ensemble,Seoda, start the fun in the museum, witha lively selection of music and dance.

We’ll be teachingsome simpledances that every-one can try, so wehope you willcome along and join in! The ensemble includesrecorders, bagpipe, percussion and harpsichord.Seoda is always looking for new members. If youare interested, contact info@galwayearlymusic.ie.

Galway Cathedral has been home to theCathedral Choir since the building’s ded-ication in 1965.The choir,which is opento teenagers and adults,provides themusicat all major feasts and liturgical occasionsin the Cathedral, as well as at the regularSunday 11.15am mass throughout theyear.Its repertoire covers ten centuries,in-cluding Gregorian chant,Renaissance polyphony, Viennese masses and somecontemporary music.The choir has been directed by Raymond O'Donnell

since January 1994.

Early Irish Harp TasterWorkshopSaturday, May 21, 1:30 - 3:00 pmGalway City Museum, Spanish Arch

SiobhánArmstrong introduces the Early Irish Harp - its history,constructionand stringing - and then gives participants a chance to learn to play a tune.This workshop is open for all to observe.Those who wish to play the harps shouldcome early as there are limited places. We askthat participants contribute€7. Observers arefree.

Siobhán Armstrong is the director of theHistorical Harp Society of Ireland and one ofthe pioneers of historically informed perform-ance on this unique harp with brass, silver and sometimes gold strings.

Always one of the most popular events of the Festival, SimonO’Dwyer’s story of the beginnings of music in Ireland, fromstone whistles and shell horns to the magnificent bronze age

horns and beyond is a tour de force.

Ireland’s Oldest MusicSaturday, May 21, 3:30 - 4:30 pmGalway City Museum, Spanish Arch

Sung Mass with OrganSunday, May 22, 10 amGalway Cathedral

This is a religious ceremony which you are welcome to attend

A wonderful event for all the family.

FREE EVENTS

historyShor tA

Galway Early Music was founded when a group of Galway musicianstravelled to Lismore, Co Waterford, for the Lismore Early Music Festi-val. It was there that the idea was born: why not bring this rich andsometimes exotic music to the medieval city of Galway - what bettervenue? The first festival was in 1996 and this is our 15th.

Through the years the Festival has been proud to present such excitingensembles and performers as Jordi Savall, Andrew Lawrence-Kingand The Harp Consort, Red Priest, Ensemble Unicorn, The IrishBaroque Orchestra, Resurgam, Ensemble eX and many, many more.The Festival is known for its lively programming and its attention tothe place of Irish music and musicians in the Medieval, Renaissanceand Baroque European music scene.

Galway Early Music is run by a voluntary committee.

More Informationwww.galwayearlymusic.com tel. +353-(0)87-9305506

e-mail: info@galwayearlymusic.com

1.Nuns’ IslandTheatre2. Chapel of the Poor Clares3. St Nicholas Collegiate Church

4. Kings Head Pub5. Galway City Museum6. Bakehouse, Lombard St

Venue Map