Tired of Handel's "For unto us" chorus from Messiah? Try J.L. Bach's "Uns ist ein Kind" instead! Same idea, but very different pieces.
Jacquet de Mantua
This gorgeous piece by Jacquet de Mantua was such a blissful palate cleanser after two weeks of Messiah!
Story of Dido
Purcell wasn't the only composer to set the lament of Dido, Queen of Carthage! Read more about the story and the setting by Josquin des Prez here!
Handel and Jennens
Handel's "Messiah" is beloved now (especially this time of year), but when it first premiered the librettist, Charles Jennens, was so irritated with what Handel had done that he swore he would not give him another libretto. Read more about the relationship between Handel and Jennens here!
Early notation
There's always something new (or in this case old) to discover!
Hei mihi, Domine
Check out this GORGEOUS piece (thanks to David Hunt for the tip)!
Josquin's process
My favorite part of analyzing a piece is seeing how the composer constructed it (and remembering that they're just humans with a particular skillset, like anyone else). This video from Early Music Sources demystifies a gorgeous chanson by Josquin!
Bach Chorales
In case you find yourself looking for a specific Bach chorale (like I did today), check out this resource with recordings of Bach's harmonizations!
New flute music
New (old) music for flute! I love reading about discoveries of new repertoire, including this collection from Marais!
In praise of chocolate
I've sung about coffee, tobacco, strong drink, and roasted goose, and here's one about chocolate to add to the next food-themed concert!