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NEW RELEASE!
The Longest Night explores the Scandinavian traditions around mid-winter and Lussinatten (The Longest Night) and the light and the dark of this special time of year. Our new CD includes traditional Norwegian songs associated with Lussinatten, St Lucia's day and Christmas, Hardanger fiddle tunes, Irish jigs and reels, Playford dances and an ancient troubadour Alba or dawn song. The performers are award-winning Norwegian Hardanger fiddle player and singer, Benedicte Maurseth, SSAI’s director, Clare Salaman, and harpist, Jean Kelly, playing an array of beautiful and unusual instruments - Hardanger fiddles, Swedish nyckelharpa, and clàrsach (celtic harp).
Subtle and atmospheric at times; forceful, merry and energetic at others.
A spellbinding performance .... truly original.
The Longest Night explores the Scandinavian traditions around mid-winter and Lussinatten (The Longest Night) and the light and the dark of this special time of year. Our new CD includes traditional Norwegian songs associated with Lussinatten, St Lucia's day and Christmas, Hardanger fiddle tunes, Irish jigs and reels, Playford dances and an ancient troubadour Alba or dawn song. The performers are award-winning Norwegian Hardanger fiddle player and singer, Benedicte Maurseth, SSAI’s director, Clare Salaman, and harpist, Jean Kelly, playing an array of beautiful and unusual instruments - Hardanger fiddles, Swedish nyckelharpa, and clàrsach (celtic harp).
Subtle and atmospheric at times; forceful, merry and energetic at others.
A spellbinding performance .... truly original.
Here you will find music associated with angels, the maverick and fallen as well as the divine and perfect. Playing some of the instruments that appear in descriptions and depictions of angels through the ages, The Society present traditional tunes, dances, songs and art music in a celebration of these heavenly and occasionally diabolical beings.
‘This excellent recording, which, in its exploration of music about angels, devils, and other spirits is a great showcase for its four multi-talented performers (17 instruments in total). It’s clear that Clare Salaman (who arranged all but one of the tracks), Clara Sanabras (who composed the remaining track), Joy Smith and Peter McCarthy share the same enthusiasm for taking the familiar and making it fresh. Take Corelli’s ‘La Follia’ , performed here on nyckelharpa and clarsach: I don’t know how they came up with that, but it works, and very well indeed.’ Early Music Today
‘This excellent recording, which, in its exploration of music about angels, devils, and other spirits is a great showcase for its four multi-talented performers (17 instruments in total). It’s clear that Clare Salaman (who arranged all but one of the tracks), Clara Sanabras (who composed the remaining track), Joy Smith and Peter McCarthy share the same enthusiasm for taking the familiar and making it fresh. Take Corelli’s ‘La Follia’ , performed here on nyckelharpa and clarsach: I don’t know how they came up with that, but it works, and very well indeed.’ Early Music Today
In The Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments’ CD, Nine Daies Wonder, you’ll hear music from right across Elizabethan and Jacobean society. Unusual instruments, more familiar to music lovers 400 years ago than those of today, feature in this selection of raucous country dances, rude and moralistic ballads and poignant art songs.
‘There is nothing folksy or artificial about the mixing of strange and ancient; satisfying textures combined with excellent recording quality bring the music vividly to life’
Early Music Today - 5 stars
‘Pieces like The silver Swan, Can she excuse, Sorrow stay and Rest sweet nymphs are unlike most performances, with a freshness that others rarely achieve. The performers are brilliant. Do try it.’
Early Music Review
‘Good times all round, it seems when Mr Kemp is in Town.’
‘There is nothing folksy or artificial about the mixing of strange and ancient; satisfying textures combined with excellent recording quality bring the music vividly to life’
Early Music Today - 5 stars
‘Pieces like The silver Swan, Can she excuse, Sorrow stay and Rest sweet nymphs are unlike most performances, with a freshness that others rarely achieve. The performers are brilliant. Do try it.’
Early Music Review
‘Good times all round, it seems when Mr Kemp is in Town.’
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