The Music

The Sandhills Consort draws its repertoire mainly from the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods. These periods are rich sources for chamber music due to the fact that music performance had not yet entered the large concert hall. The technology for making instruments that could fill a large hall with sound did not exist until the late Baroque period.

Performing traditions for music as late as the Baroque period were either not noted at all or noted in a sketchy or ambiguous manner. Modern musicological methods and research have been able to fill in many of the blanks as far as tempi, instrumentation, and interpretation are concerned. Instrument makers have been able recreate the old instruments by the use of X-ray techniques and careful measurement of the old instruments scattered throughout Europe in various museums. The limitations of these old instruments have yielded some of the best clues as to performance and instrumentation of the music.

Not too long ago it was widely held that music from the Medieval and Renaissance periods was rather dull, primitive, and generally lacking in musicological importance. Modern historical instrument makers and musicologists have discovered a wealth of tome color, intricate rhythmic patterns, and composition techniques that have dispelled most of the modern misconceptions about music before Bach.

The players of early music were expected to improvise variations and harmonies and to "double" on instruments much like the modern jazz and folk musicians. The modern player of early music must be able to do this as well as read the "old" note values on unbarred clefs. Often musicological and linguistic research by the player is needed to "realize" a piece of music. Keyboard and string players very often have to research and learn tablature notation.

The important thing to remember about any of the music is that it was widely played by professionals and amateurs alike and that it was listened to and danced to by people through the centuries. To be able to read and enjoy this music is the equivalent of being able to read and enjoy Shakespeare, Dante, and Gothe.