Texas Camerata - Musical Performance

Texas Camerata

The Travelling Toe recently attended a performance presented by Texas Camerata at the Piano Pavilion at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.

Texas Camerata specializes in what is called Early Music and Baroque Music.  The group has been in existence since 1990 and are celebrating their 25th anniversary season.  Inquiring minds wanted to know what does camerata mean ,well dear readers it means a small chamber orchestra or choir.

The musicians of Texas Camerata play instruments that are characteristic to this  time period.  Because of the age of these instruments, they often need re-turning.  The players for the concert according to the performance program were:

Violin                                                                                               Double Bass
Kristin Van Cleve                                                                           George Dimitri
Ellen Lovelace

Viola                                                                                               Flute
Donna Hall                                                                                     Lee Lattimore

Violoncello & Viola da Gamba                                                  Harpsichord
Karen Hall                                                                                        Brad Bennight


Paul Leenhouts was the feature guest artistic director.  He also transcribed and edited the works performed as well as playing beautifully on the recorder.  Mr. Leenhouts is the director of the Early Music Studies & the Baroque Orchestra at University of North Texas.  It is enjoyable to watch Mr. Leenhouts play as he shows his love and joy of these type of music to those of us lucky enough to be in the audience.

The entire program presented was  both interesting and enjoyable evoking many emotions from joy to sadness and back to joyfulness.  The Travelling Toe was thoroughly entranced with the music played and the dedication of this entire musical group.

One favorite was the solo piece,  titled "Passacaglia" from 1690, that was played by the harpsichordist.   The last piece, the passacaglia from "Concert pastorella con due flutts",featured instead of 2 flutes, one flute and one recorder. It was an ooutstanding piece.

The Travelling Toe loved the entire performance!   BRAVO!!!!

                                             Texas Camerata Performance Program 
                                                   Saturday, February 7, 2015
                                           

Texas Camerata
web site

Some of the composers for the program:

George Muffat
France

Johann Heinrich Schmelzer
Austria

Antonio Bertali
Italy

Johann Christoph Pez
German

Baroque Music was composed and played approximately from 1600 - 1750.  This era of music followed the Renaissance era.  The music was played with new instruments and different techniques.  The size, range and playing was expanded.  Baroque music established opera, cantata, oratorio, concerto and sonata.  The word Baroque comes from a Portuguese word meaning irregular in shape, such as a pearl.  It is a negative description of the ornamental music of this time period.   But The Travelling Toe is happy to report that Baroque lives on!