Last week a friend from Boston emailed me about an early music concert being held near my home.  Since I had taken recorder lessons for many years and thus was somewhat familiar with this type of music, I decided to attend and also invited two friends to join me.

Anne, Hugh, and I met at the Brookfield Unitarian Universalist Church on River Street this afternoon at 3 pm.  There, the church concert series presented the Petrucci Project in Renaissance Roads: Chansons, Frottole, and Songs of the Sephardim, performed by Lisle Kulbach (viol, voice, kemenje), Meg Pash (viol, voice, lute), Jay Rosenberg (lute, oud, percussion, voice, saz), and Roy Sansom (recorders, rackett).

We listened first to works from the publications of Ottaviano Petrucci, dated from the early 1500s, which was the first collection of music printed from moveable type, then after the intermission, to songs from the oral traditions of the Spanish Jews, handed down during the Diaspora after their expulsion from Spain in 1492.

I was impressed by each performer’s ability to play various instruments, many of which seemed quite exotic, as they are not heard in modern orchestras or chamber groups.  These four musicians have been playing together in various ensembles for years; their poise and professionalism created an enchanting afternoon of Renaissance music, and I’m glad I had a chance to hear them.