Cherubim and Seraphim Watch

Ha! Contrary to what some of you snark-meisters might think, I'm not the only one 'round here interested in early Baroque music.

Gail over at Scribal Terror dropped a note in the Tasty Bits (TM) Mail Sack with a link to the webpage of Gravitación, the faculty medieval and renaissance vocal ensemble of Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. Gail tells me these people are virtually unknown outside of central Illinois. The page includes some sample tracks from their first CD and from what I've heard, they deserve a much wider recognition.

Go on over and have a listen. If you likey, consider buying a copy. I know I will.

Isn't it amazing that such high quality performers can be found in such out of the way locations? This isn't the only example I've come across - drop in on local church recitals, small town concerts or even Renaissance Festivals and you'd be quite surprised by how good some of the singers and/or players can be. (I'm thinking in terms of early music here, but the phenomenon is hardly confined to it.)

I have absolutely no proof for it whatever, but my sense is that we live in an era of musickal scholarship and performance practice unsurpassed in Western history. My further sense is that this is an ironic yet beneficial byproduct of the fact that we also live in an era, at least as far as serious music goes, of relative creative aimlessness and incoherence. Many people of talent who might have become composers themselves look on the musickal scene and decide instead to concentrate on studying and perfecting what has already been written. Again, I have no proof, but this is what I think.

UPDATE: Tyler Cohen has tips for starting your own Monteverdi collection. I'd agree, especially with his choice of most enjoyable single disk, which I've plugged here a number of times.

Yips! to the Blowhards.