They’re here!
Gosh, I am so pleased, thankful, proud, excited, all the adjectives to share this with you! A big thanks to Galen for doing sound, and Zach for his awesome videography skills! Another huge thanks to Professor DiFranco, Trinity Church and Dr. Adrienne Bloss at SU for making this happen.
Being able to see, hear and feel the “Benedictus” come to life is a dream come true for me. This music is so old and special and I am thankful that I can perform it on the guitar. I remember transcribing it from the original lute tab (I will explain this in more detail in a future post!) and thinking how special it is. Isaac moves so effortlessly from color to color, my modern ear wants to hear these colors as key changes but I know this is before tonality as we know it existed.
Recording the “Benedictus” at Trinity Church was perfect. I’ve known for awhile with the 500 years later project that I wanted to record this sacred music in…sacred places. If I am awarded the Fulbright grant, I plan to record this music in spaces where the Neusidler family might have performed it. For example, the Fugger family’s, St. Anne’s church in Augsburg. Hans Neusidler’s son, Melchior was employed by the Fugger family as a lutenist.
Even though I am not in Germany, I wanted to begin the cultural exchange by recording some of this music in American sacred places. Trinity Church was perfect. Trinity is serene, sublime and optimal to complete the purpose of this music: to connect humans with the divine.
“Wascha Mesa and Der Hupff Auff” are not sacred pieces and have been recorded on guitar more recently but, they are extremely catchy. I believe that these two short dances are light, fun and attractive. Julian Gray describes them as, “potato chips – they are small, delicious, and you just want more!” It is an example of the positivity I want to spread with the 500 years later project.
500 years later 