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BackgroundSince its founding in 1887, the Newberry Library has had a strong interest in music. In fact, the first complete collection the Library acquired was the music library of the Venetian Count Pio Resse, which included one of only two known copies of the first edition of Peri's Euridice, the first opera to have been performed in public. The Library's music collections now include approximately 300,000 items, comprising treatises, music manuscripts, early printed scores, critical editions, books, periodicals, sheet music, and hymnals. These primary and secondary source materials provide a unique resource for the study of Western European music history and theory from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century, and American music from its beginnings to the early twentieth century.The latest addition to the Library's music collections is the complete library of the eminent University of Chicago musicologist Howard Mayer Brown. His bequest includes rare manuscripts and early printed music books, over three hundred opera libretti from the seventeenth century, and more than nine thousand music books and periodicals, as well as almost one hundred instruments.
The EnsembleIn 1982, the Newberry Library, upon the suggestion of Dr. Brown, appointed Mary Springfels as musician-in-residence to undertake the presentation of a series of early music concerts. The Newberry Consort was formed in 1986 from the nucleus of performers who had appeared on that concert series. The ensemble is now ensemble-in-residence at the Newberry Library, at the Northwestern University School of Music, and at the University of Chicago.The Consort presents an annual four- or five-program subscription series, each concert of which is performed Friday evening at the Library, Saturday evening at the University of Chicago's Fulton Recital Hall and Sunday afternoon in Northwestern University's Lutkin Hall in Evanston. In addition each triple of concerts is preceded by an afternoon open rehearsal at the Library. Founding members of the Consort, in addition to Mary Springfels, are countertenor Drew Minter and violinist David Douglass. In 2002 acclaimed soprano Ellen Hargis joined the Consort as its fourth member. In 2007, following Mary Springfels's retirement as Consort Director, the Library appointed David Douglass as Musician-in-Residence and Newberry Consort Director.
ProgramsThe Newberry Consort programs generally contain multiple works by various composers and are arranged around a topical or thematic idea, such as medieval alchemy, bestiaries, troubadours and trouvères, nuns' music, ars subtilior, Elizabethan magic, or Baroque pastoral songs. Our programs usually contain a mix of solo vocal and instrumental works; on occasion, we use a small vocal ensemble. Much of the music comes from original manuscript sources and is arranged by the members of the ensemble.In addition to our thematic programs, we also devote programs to the work of a single composer, such as Alessandro Stradella, Henry Purcell, or Guillaume de Machaut. In May 2000, we presented the U.S. premiere of Alessandro Scarlatti's La Giuditta.
Guest ArtistsThe Consort regularly uses guest artists to expand its repertoire. Guest artists have included soprano Christine Brandes, harpsichordists David Schrader and Barbara Weiss, lutenists Raphael Mizraki and Jacob Heringman (both from London), bagpipist Tom Zajac, gambist Margriet Tindemans, and Dutch recorder player Marion Verbruggen.
TouringThe Consort (regularly joined by guest artists) has toured nationally since 1987 and has performed in such cities as Boston, Cleveland, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Houston, San Diego, Philadelphia, New York, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Winston-Salem. It began international touring with three performances at the Holland Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht in September 1992 and returned there in 1993. It has also performed at the Regensberg (Germany) Early Music Festival and at Villa I Tatti in Florence. On February 4, 2000, the Newberry Consort made its London, England, debut with a performance in the South Bank Centre's Purcell Room.
Recordings and BroadcastsThe Newberry Consort has made numerous recordings for harmonia mundi usa, an internationally distributed label. Its CDs include Musick for Severall Friends, ¡Ay Amor!, Missa de la Mapa Mundi, Il Solazzo, Wanderers' Voices, and The Golden Dream: Music of the Low Countries. In 1997 the Consort received a $30,000 grant underwriting three discs to be made in memory of the renowned University of Chicago musicologist Howard Mayer Brown. The first of those, Villon to Rabelais: Parisian Theatrical Music, was released in March 1999 to wide critical acclaim. The second in the series, A Candle in the Dark, was released in fall 2000. The final recording, Puzzles and Perfect Beauty: Italian Music at the End of the Middle Ages, was released in fall 2004 on the Noyse Productions label. The Consort's programs have regularly been broadcast as part of Harmonia, a program produced by WFIU in Bloomington, Indiana, and distributed nationally.
Educational Outreach ProgramsThe Consort's Senior Community Project, generously underwritten by the Lederer Foundation, gives free admission to members of senior citizens' organizations to the Thursday afternoon open rehearsals during concert weeks. These are not polished performances, but a one-hour slice of intensive rehearsal, preceded by an introduction to the repertoire by the Consort Director, and followed by a session of Q&A and discussion. The timing, scope, and personal interaction of these open rehearsals makes them ideal events for senior citizen centers.As part of its residency activities at the Northwestern University School of Music and the University of Chicago, members of the Newberry Consort and guest artists regularly present workshops, lecture/demonstrations, and master classes. The Consort has historically has a close relationship with the Library's Center for Renaissance Studies, having participated in a summer seminar program and in at least four scholarly conferences during the regular academic season. In addition, the Consort cooperated with the Renaissance Center in a highly successful, six-year, NEH-funded project that focused on incorporating Consort performances and lecture/demonstrations in the teaching of college classes in literature and history.
You may reach the Newberry Consort by calling (312) 255-3610 or by e-mailing consort@newberry.org. Our mailing address is: The Newberry Consort Upcoming Concerts | Previous Repertoire | Order Tickets | CD Store | Touring Availability |