Edward Martin Plays Historical Music Baroque Lute in Free Concert

Release Date: 03/19/12

Edward Martin, adjunct professor of lute at The College of St. Scholastica, will present a faculty recital at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 31, in the third-floor Music Hall, room 3625, in Tower Hall. Joining Martin will be Thomas Walker, lutenist, from the Twin Cities. The concert is free and open to the public.

The program will feature rarely heard duets on the baroque lute. Martin and Walker will each perform on 11-course French baroque lutes, an instrument that was popular from 1640 to almost 1720.

Works by Ennemond and Denis Gaultier, Robert deVisee, Pierre Dubut, Francois Dufault, and Jean Mercure will be played.  

"French baroque lute music is perhaps the most beautiful and poetic as from any other time in the history of the lute", said Martin.  "It has gentleness, richness, and a certain refinement, and the subtle phrasing brings out the sonority of the lute to its very best."

Martin adds, the term "French baroque lute duets" is misleading, as there are no surviving pieces that are originally conceived as duets; they are all from the solo literature, where a second part, or "counterpartie" was added, in each case by an anonymous source.  Although many of the solo pieces are from printed editions, all the counterparties remain in manuscript sources.  In many instances, it has only been in the past few years where the second "counterpartie" has been identified.  "The counterparties used in this program come from many various sources, and some of the parts required a good deal of reconstruction," said Martin.

For more information visit the Spotlight Box Office at spotlight.css.edu or call (218) 723-7000. Spotlight@css.edu is St. Scholastica's one-stop shop for arts and lectures information and tickets.