Concordia Consort: El Siglo de Oro, Nov 13 in Arlington

Concordia Consort presents a rich program of Spanish music titled “El Siglo de Oro” (The Golden Age) on Friday, November 13 at 8 PM at Calvary Methodist Church, 300 Massachusetts Avenue in Arlington, MA. Admission is by suggested donation of $15, $12 for students, seniors and early music society members. There is ample on-street parking, or take the #77, MBTA bus from Harvard Square. For further information, please call 978-264-0584 or visit Concordia’s web page.

This Spanish program actually covers several “golden” eras, beginning with the Medieval melodies from the convents at Las Huelgas and Montserrat and traditional Sephardic songs, rooted in a time when Christians, Moors and Jews lived together peaceably.

From the Middle Ages, the Consort steps forward to songs from the Cancionero de Palacio (housed in Madrid’s Biblioteca Real) by the 15th-century acclaimed poet/playwright/musician, Juan del Encina. This manuscript, dedicated to the Catholic Monarchs, holds several hundred short works, mostly in Castilian, with 63 attributed to Encina. Most of these follow the popular villancico form, some with melancholy tunes about lost love, others with a “devil-take-all” stance.

Next on the trail of composers who brought Encina style and forms into the 16th century, this third set includes a nonsense song about a spinner, joyful Easter hymn, a lively dance in an unusual rhythm, and Josquin’s delightful parody of a Spanish singer in the choir at Milan.

At last the ensemble ventures into the 17th-century with the beautiful French chanson Doulce memoire and a set of Diego Ortiz’ divisions on that melody, a lute improvisation on the popular ground La Monica, a battle between dueling recorders, and an invitation to a knock-out block party.

Concordia’s members include Sheila Beardslee, director & bass viol; Nouri Newman, Renaissance flute and recorders; Brian Warnock, recorders; and Eileen Cecelia Callahan, soprano; as well as guest Douglas Freundlich, lute. Mr. Warnock and Mr. Freundlich are Arlington residents.

Concordia Consort, founded in 1995, is the performance ensemble representing Recorders/Early Music Metrowest, the MetroWest’s participatory early music program. Since its founding, Concordia has contributed period music for more than 200 services at churches throughout New England. Concordia has been heard in live broadcast on WCRB, WHRB and WGBH Radio and has performed in concerts at historic King’s Chapel and Old North Church in downtown Boston, for the Concord Museum, at Middlesex Community College, MIT Chapel, Williams College and other venues.

Concordia was the guest ensemble in The Boston Boy Choir’s 2001 holiday concerts. The group was featured in two concerts during the Museum of Science’s acclaimed Leonardo da Vinci exhibit, and was tapped for First Night performances in Boston and Portsmouth NH. Concordia performs regularly for the Wakefield Opera House series in Sanbornville NH.

Named Ensemble-in-Residence at Trinity Episcopal Church in Concord, Concordia frequently shares programs with Ars et Amici vocal ensemble. Concordia’s CD, Ay me, Ohime, featuring English and Italian 16th-17th century music with soprano Eileen Cecelia Callahan, was released in 2009. Concordia’s members have toured Italy several times in the past decade with Ars et Amici, performing in Rome, Florence, Siena, Orvieto, Cortona, Bolzano, Venice and Padua.