MAD SONGS, DIALOGUES AND TRIOS

November 17, 2019 4pm | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Brookline, MA

Teresa Wakim, soprano; With Andrus Madsen, harpsichord; Daniel Meyers, hand percussion and recorders; Susanna Ogata, first violin; Emily Dahl, second violin; Colleen McGary Smith, cello; Roy Sansom, recorder and special arrangements; with MaryRuth Lown, soprano, and Jacob Cooper, baritone.

Program

Bedlam boys (anon, arr. Roy Sansom)
Trio sonata no. 10 in E minor II Allegro
"I burn, my brain consumes to ashes"
The self banished (Blow)
Trio Sonata no. 12 in G major II. Tempo di Gavotta
"Let us all be gay" (Eccles)
Trio sonata 6 in B flat major I. Adagio, II. Vivace; Allemande
Love’s but a frailty of the mind (Eccles)
"Celemene, pray tell…"
Trio sonata 9 in C major IV spirituoso

**INTERMISSION**

Trio sonata no. 5 in D major
"Take him gently from the pile" (Eccles)
"While I with wounding grief did look" (Godfrey Finger)
Trio Sonata no. 7 in D minor
"Grim King of the Ghosts" (John Gay) 
"Tell me why my charming fair"
’Tis women makes us love

Mad songs are delightful works of art: giving us insight into fanciful states of mind as interpreted by English poets and composers of the late 17th century. At that time, the public was intrigued with the abnormal, particularly insane asylums such s insane asylums such as Bethlem Royal Hospital (Bedlam). 

With songs fixating on madness, sexual obsession and at times, sheer lunacy, soprano Teresa Wakim will be joined by baritone Jake Cooper, and a continuo section and a string trio led by Susanna Ogata. Our program features the vocal works of Eccles, Blow and Purcell, the program will also delight with the string trios of William Boyce, showcasing England’s great musical heritage. Boyce’s appealing and well balanced fugues for string trio will balance the volatile mad songs with sweet harmonies.