Artist Polyhymnia - John Bradley on January 17, 2006 at 12:53:35:
At 8PM on Saturday, March 11, 2006, the early music ensemble Polyhymnia, artists-in-residence at The Church of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, will continue their 2005-2006 season with a concert of music collected from the cathedral archives of Puebla de los Angeles, Mexico. Under the guidance of composer and maestro di capilla Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla and the patronage of Bishop Palafox y Mendoza the singers and players of 17th-century Puebla became one of the most lauded musical institutions, not only in New Spain, but in the world.
The concert will feature the Missa Ave Regina, motets, villancicos and vesper psalms, all composed by Padilla or by composers represented in the extensive musical holdings amassed by Padilla and Palafox. The majority of the works are composed for eight voices, and though influenced by music of the Spanish Golden Age, are generously endowed with New World rhythms and rich in Baroque harmonic color. The 12 singers of Polyhymnia will be joined by a band of cornetti, sackbut, dulcian, lutes, guitars and organ, a typical configuration of instruments employed by the cathedral during the first third of the 17th –century. The music is rich, vibrant and every bit as elegant as that found in Venice at about the same time.