When soprano Ellen M. Wilson and
classical guitarist Armin Harrison first
began performing the music of Renaissance
composer John Dowland, little did they know
they would soon have the ability to bring
this 500 year-old composer’s music to
hundreds of El Pasoans, many of whom have
never heard of the composer, let alone his
music.
Songs from the Labyrinth, a 2007 CD release
by rock star Sting, has brought Dowland’s
music to the attention of many popular-music
fans, and Ms. Wilson and Mr. Harrison hope
to build on this interest in order to draw
further attention to Early English music. |
|
Ms. Wilson and Mr. Harrison discovered they
shared a penchant for Renaissance and
Baroque music when discussing possible
repertoire for an EPCC faculty recital back
in 2004. “Ellen brought in a book of Dowland
songs in which the lute parts had been
transcribed for guitar. I was fascinated by
the intricate interplay of melodies between
the vocal and instrumental parts.”
“Across the Ages: Music of the English
Renaissance and Baroque,” a program of John Dowland and Henry Purcell music for voice
and guitar, had been performed by the duo
around El Paso in 2007 and early 2008 and is
a great example of the type of collaboration
that often happens between musical
colleagues at these two schools. Ms. Wilson
is a lecturer in voice at the University of
Texas at El Paso and she has also been on
the adjunct music faculty at El Paso
Community College (EPCC) and Mr. Harrison is
on the music faculty of EPCC, where he heads
the music program and teaches classical
guitar to a rapidly growing studio. A
recording of this musical program is in the
works.
Visit the webpage for Ellen M. Wilson:
http://ellenmwilson.com/ |
|
|
PROGRAM |
|
Across
the Ages: Music of the English
Renaissance and Baroque
Ellen M. Wilson, soprano
Armin Harrison, guitar
|
|
Songs of
the English Baroque |
I Attempt from Love’s Sickness to Fly
Music for Awhile
What Shall I Do?
Dido’s Lament
When I Have Often Heard |
Henry Purcell (1658-1695) |
|
|
A Song of
the Spanish Renaissance |
|
Guadarme las Vacas |
Luis de Narvaez (ca. 1500-1550) |
|
|
Songs of
the English Renaissance |
Come Again
Come Away, Come Sweet Love
Weep You No More, Sad Fountains
Queen Elizabeth’s Galliard
Shall I Sue
Awake, Sweet Love, Thou Art Return’d
Melancholy Galliard
Flow My Tears
If Floods of Tears
Fantasia
The Lowest Trees Have Tops
It Was a Time When Silly Bees Could
Speak
Stay Time Awhile Thy Flying |
John Dowland (1563-1626) |
|
