"Welcome to Early MusiChicago -- your source for news and information about Early Music in the Chicago area and elsewhere.

Learn about Early Music at the Composers, Instruments, Genres, Organizations, Web Resources, and Publications pages.

Get to know area performers at the Musicians, Ensembles, People, PhotoAlbum, and Recordings pages.

"Special page for early music, with over 1200 MIDI and MP3 files for pieces by over 220 composers. [requires JavaScript]. " (You must also register as member to make use of the midi files. Ed.)

"I've worked with Kevin Fryer since 1999, and together with the client we enjoy creating an overall visual scheme designed to compliment, but not compete with the instrument itself. I've applied the same sensitivity to the integrity of tonal and visual qualities in a number of highly successful collaborations with other instrument makers. " ...

"Spaenaur is recognized throughout North America as a leading wholesale distributor for industrial fasteners, hardware components and tools. Spaenaur operates out of a 115,000 sq. foot warehouse in Kitchener, o­ntario and has positioned itself as a master distributor serving Distribution, MRO and Production markets.

One of Spaenaur’s key strengths is its catalog. Spaenaur’s catalog consists of 1,784 pages that contain over 70,000 standard and hard-to-find products and is regarded as o­ne of the best fastener resource guides in the industry." ...

Harpsichord & Fortepiano, published twice a year, is intended for everyone interested in the world of early keyboard instruments: devotees -- the professional and the amateur -- players, makers, restorers and listeners. Since its relaunch, the 9 published issues of Harpsichord and Fortepiano have included over 50 articles, covered 10 major festivals, reviewed over 40 books and musical scores and over 130 recordings. Articles are about: ... collections (for example, the Neumeyer Collection in Germany), ... instruments (a survey of the keyboards in use in Haydn's Vienna), ... performers, both historical (Isolde Ahlgrimm) and living (Igor Kipniss, Jane Chapman), ... performance practice (a special edition focusing on continuo), ... repertoire (John Field and contemporary music), ... building, making and restoring instruments etc. Our contributors are from around the world -- from, for example: Argentina, the States, Canada, Europe, Australia -- and include established scholars such as Richard Maunder and Philip Pickett, as well as younger scholars such as Giulia Nuti and Robert Webb. Articles can be short and informal, or long and scholarly -- whatever best suits the subject. We have covered festivals from Boston to Bruges, Melbourne to Montreal. H&F is essential reading for all those interested in early music and early keyboard instruments (including the clavichord). In addition, it is able to provide a forum for new ideas and new thinking. ...

" Nota Bene Period Orchestra was founded in 2001 by Daniel Zondervan, Michael Purves-Smith and Richard Cunningham. Their intention was to treat Waterloo Region (Ontario, Canada ed.) music lovers to 17th and 18th century music as audiences experienced it at the time. Playing on authentic or replica instruments, Nota Bene's professional musicians come as close as possible to recreating what Bach, Vivaldi and others from the early Baroque to the early Classical period intended us to hear."

" Welcome to ArkivMusic! Our mission is to make it easy for you to find and buy classical music recordings. If you can't find what you are looking for, please let us know. We're here to help you find the music and performances that you really want, and deliver them right to your doorstep! " ...

Site specializing on early dance news and resources. Visit website for more details. (ed.)

"Celebrating 29 years in business. Our customers say that we have the best catalog in the business. We Specialize in Muzzle loading guns, kits, parts, accoutrements, rendezvous gear & primitive Americana." Of particular, their inventory of period screws and nails may be of interest to some. (ed.)

... in this o­nline shop you will find all strings you need for your plucked or bowed instrument

• strings for historical plucked instruments: lutes, Theorboe, baroque guitar,
  romantic guitars, renaissance guitares, Vihuela, baroque mandolin
• strings for historical bowed instruments: viols, pardessus, violone , baroque violin, baroque viola, baroque cello
• strings for Aoud & Saz
• strings for modern bowed instruments
• guitar strings
• harp strings
• some predefined search pages will help you to need o­nly a short time to find the correct strings "
  
  Visit website for more information. (ed.)
  

Carey Beebe is probably the most traveled and best known Australian harpsichord maker. After a music degree and three performance diplomas he became more interested in harpsichord construction, and trained at the prominent American workshop of D. Jacques Way. In 1982 he was made the youngest ever International Agent for Zuckermann Harpsichords Inc, but since 1999 has been working exclusively with Marc Ducornet and THE PARIS WORKSHOP.

"Opera Atelier holds a unique place in the North America theatre community, producing opera, ballet and drama from the 17th and 18th centuries. These productions draw upon the aesthetics and ideals of the period, featuring soloists of international acclaim, period ballet, original instruments, elaborate stage décor, exquisite costumes and an imaginative energy that sets Opera Atelier apart. Opera Atelier is not in the business of “reconstruction”, rather each production is original providing a thrilling theatrical experience for modern audiences." See the website for more information.

“As an instrument builder, I am not very sensitive to contact through Internet. For those who love to touch wood and other natural materials, to hear a sound, a voice, for those whose daily life is composed of nuances, sensitivity, and, it must be confessed, subjectivity, the screen seems cold, anonymous and even arrogant by its pretentions to bring everything to us, served at home. What is more, to try to describe our activity would be to limit it. Each instrument is a unique creation and we are continually designing new models, and engaging in projects, restaurations, repairs, or supplying instruments for major music festivals, concerts and recordings. We are also continually researching historic and new materials. .... So this site will not be exhaustive. It will, however, provide you with some simple information on our instruments, presenting you with different models and some photos. ..“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

"Over a 25-year history, the Exultate Chamber Singers have garnered praise from all quarters for sensitive, precise and seamless performances. The choir was established in 1981, when conductor John Tuttle brought together a group of graduating university students who wanted to continue performing choral music at a high standard. The choir is enriched not only by the excellent musicianship of its members but also by their varied academic and professional backgrounds. Together, they form a passionate, committed ensemble with a wide-ranging repertoire." ...

"Amherst Early Music is the largest and most comprehensive teaching music festival for historical performance in the world. Held at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut, for two weeks in July, our diverse programs include Recorder, Viol, Voice, Baroque Strings, Harpsichord, Reeds, Brass, Lute, Harp and Historical Dance. International faculty and staff provide high quality instruction and concerts for early music at all levels. In addition, audition-only special programs such as the Amherst Baroque Academy and Virtuoso Recorder provide advanced training for the serious amateur and the pre-professional musician. Weekend workshops are provided year-round featuring the world's finest early music artists. " ...

Clavichord discussion list/forum.

"The Boston Early Music Festival (BEMF) is universally recognized as a leader in the field of early music. Since its founding in 1980 by leading practitioners of early music performance in the United States and abroad, BEMF has promoted early music through biennial Festivals featuring newly revived baroque operatic masterpieces, concerts by the world’s leading soloists and ensembles, scholarly symposia, performance masterclasses, and fringe concerts by emerging artists. Through its programs, BEMF has earned its place as the nation’s premier presenting organization for conservators and performers of music of the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods and has secured Boston’s reputation as “America’s early music capital” (Richard Dyer, Boston Globe.)"

Summer workshop is also offered.

Musica Antiqua -- Early Music Festival ... see site for more details of this mamoth yearly festival. (ed.)

"EMI Classics was formed in 1990 to provide a single overall trademark for the marketing of EMI's classical recordings worldwide. Previously, EMI's classical product had appeared on a number of different, albeit famous, labels such as His Master's Voice, Columbia, Angel, Odeon and others, but some of these were not available to EMI in every territory, while others had strong regional associations. The creation of EMI Classics, and the introduction of a uniform record numbering system, enabled all of EMI's classical releases, now with tri-lingual notes, to be included in a single international catalogue available throughout the entire world. EMI Classics' heritage goes back a hundred years, ... "

"TMT's mission is to bring the centuries-old art form of the masque alive for contemporary audiences. TMT presents multimedia performances combining elements of theatre, music, and dance from the Renaissance to today." Visit website for more information. (ed.)

"The main purpose of the Gregorian Chant Home Page is to support advanced research on Gregorian chant, particularly in the graduate seminar "Problems in Early Christian Music" (Music 511) taught at Princeton. The scholarly study of Gregorian chant is a wide-ranging, multi-faceted venture that interacts with many other areas of study, just as the liturgy for which it was created influenced many other areas of individual and social life. "

"Early Music America (EMA) is a not-for-profit service organization for the field of historical performance in North America. Founded in 1985, EMA's goal is to expand awareness of, and interest in, the music of the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods. EMA's members receive a quarterly magazine, bulletins, and benefits including access to reduced-rate insurance, discounts on publications, concerts, and festivals, and eligibility for awards and scholarships. With its broad membership, including professional performers, ensembles, presenters, instrument makers, amateur musicians, and audience members, Early Music America serves as an advocate for the field throughout the continent. Find out more about becoming a Member of EMA. " See website for more information. (ed.)

"The mission of the Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS) is to promote and enrich public understanding and appreciation of early music in New York City.

GEMS will achieve its mission by

♦ providing administrative, marketing, and financial services to professional and amateur early music organizations based in the City;
♦ increasing the public's awareness of and access to early music events;
♦ producing concerts, seminars, lectures, master classes, exhibitions, and scholarly forums by New York City based individuals and organizations;
♦ acting as a liaison among performers, presenters, instrument builders, scholars, teachers, the general music industry, and educational institutions interested in early music; and
♦ disseminating information concerning the publication, performance and recording of early music."

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

" * You can search on one of these names at a time: o Arrangers o Dances o Dance steps o SCA Sheet music * Usefull, case sensitive, search names: RealAudio, MP3, CD (audio CD), PS or PDF (sheet music), Book, MIDI, Arranger, LOD, NWC, Steps " ...

" NewOlde.com has arisen from a personal housekeeping project. To improve the accessibility of early music resources, I decided to organize interesting material in web format for my personal intranet. As the pages began to take shape, I realized that others might find them helpful and posted the results to date on the Internet.

The main point of the website is to provide fast access to important information resources. Most of the originality is in the organization and compilation, although, as time permits, I will add additional reviews and comments on recordings, books, music, instruments and performances.

Since this is a personal website gone public, it strongly reflects personal tastes and interests and does not purport to be comprehensive. My own principal interests are historic stagings of early opera, historically-inspired (or restored antique) keyboard instruments, historic pitch and temperaments, and recordings of little-known works that deserve to be better known.

If you have a website and would like to deep link to some specific place on a page of NewOlde.com, please let me know and I will be happy to add a bookmark for your convenience.

John Wall New York " ...