Call for Papers

Gesualdo 400^th Anniversary Conference

Saturday 23^rd – Sunday 24^th November

University of York in affiliation with the Royal Musical association

Celebrating the music of Gesualdo, the 400^th Anniversary Conference will combine academic paper sessions with a series of singing workshops and performances throughout the weekend. James Wood will give a keynote speech on his reconstructions of Gesualdo’s second book of Sacrae Cantiones and forensic psychiatrist Dr Ruth McAllister will present an analysis of the murder of Gesualdo’s first wife based on contemporaneous accounts. On the Saturday, I Fagiolini will give a concert of secular music by Gesualdo and his contemporaries.  On the Sunday, The 24 (a university of York Chamber Choir directed by Robert Hollingworth) will give a concert of sacred music, including some of James Wood’s reconstructions and a set from the Tenebrae Responsories. The academic conference will focus on the music of Gesualdo, his peers and their times.

Topics for consideration:

• The Music of Gesualdo
• Gesualdo’s peers and the artistic environment in Naples and Ferrara
• Contemporary parallels in other art forms to Gesualdo’s advanced and mannerist music

Proposals are welcomed from, but not restricted to, the topics listed above. We would like to invite proposals for 20 minute individual research or recital papers (followed by 10 minutes discussion). Proposals should not exceed 250 words and should be emailed to: gesualdo400@gesualdo.co.uk. Please submit proposals as an MS Word or PDF document but please also include a plain-text version in the main email. The following details need to be included in your proposal: name, institution, postal address, email address, telephone number, and audio/visual requirements. A publication project based on the conference proceedings will be undertaken.

The deadline for receipt of proposals is 6^th September 2013.

Committee Members: Robert Hollingworth, Prof. Jonathan Wainwright and Joseph Knowles

Accompanying this Call for Papers is the world premiere recording (we believe) of Gesualdo’s neglected 1585 motet ‘Ne reminiscaris Domine delicta nostra’. Performed by The 24 and recorded in January at the National Centre for Early Music in York.

http://www.york.ac.uk/music/conferences/gesualdo400/

Conference at the Horniman Museum: Roots of Revival

About this event – 12-14 March 2014

The revival of interest in early music remains a prominent and influential feature of the Western classical music scene. But the revival had roots in the late 18^th, 19^th and early 20^th centuries with proponents as diverse as Felix Mendelssohn, Arnold Dolmetsch and Wanda Landowska. Without these pioneering and zealous individuals, and the famous 19^th and early 20^th century collectors of musical instruments, the revival may never have occurred nor reached such a wide public. The Horniman Museum holds one of the largest and most diverse collections of musical instruments in theUK, including over 8,000 objects.

The Museum’s Music Gallery, displaying some 1,200 instruments, is soon to be supplemented by a new permanent keyboard instrument exhibit, including several examples from theVictoriaandAlbertMuseum. A current temporary exhibition, the Art of Harmony, featuring about 40 instruments of all types from the V&A will continue to run during the conference and remain open until the end of March 2014.

Call for Papers

This conference will be a 3-day forum for presenting research on the lives and work of collectors, enthusiasts, craftsmen and musicians who had an impact on the course of the 20^th century early music revival. The Museum, housing the Dolmetsch and many other relevant collections, including a small but significant selection of instruments from the V&A, provides an apt setting for such a meeting.  Presentations concerning the historic models that builders such as Dolmetsch used as prototypes, accounts of their workshops and working methods, and of restorations that they undertook, are invited.  Research into 19^th and early 20^th century notions about historic performance practice will also be welcomed.

Abstracts of 250-300 words should be sent by email to rootsofrevival@horniman.ac.uk  Please include name, affiliation (if any), postal address, email address, and AV requirements on a separate cover sheet. Presentations should last 20-25 minutes + 5-10 minutes questions/discussion. Proposers of panel discussions (one hour) should submit, together with the abstract, a brief overview of the rationale for the session, together with a list of up to four participants and the topics that will be addressed.  Proposals for lecture-recitals (50 minutes + 10 minutes questions/discussion) should include, together with the abstract, full details of the proposed performance and any relevant requirements in their cover sheet.

The closing date for receipt of proposals is 1 November 2013. All those submitting proposals will be notified of the outcome by 2 December.

Further Information:

http://www.horniman.ac.uk/visit/events/event/roots-of-revival

The site will be updated periodically as details become available.