Queen Mary II is now on Facebook!
Why did I decide to make a page for her? Well, I think she’s always overshadowed by her husband, William III of Orange, and whilst that’s understandable, she was too good a person for us to forget about. For Mary II, Princess of Orange and Queen of England, please go to: http://www.facebook.com/MaryStuartII
The Death of Antonio Cifra
Antonio Cifra, Italian Baroque & Late Renaissance composer, died on this day the 2nd of October, 1629. Cifra is important in Early Music because he straddled the Late Renaissance and the Early Baroque movements and made beautiful music in both. So, in honour of Antonio Cifra, here is “Era la Notte:” Links about Antonio Cifra: http://www.hoasm.org/VG/Cifra.html http://www.last.fm/music/Antonio+Cifra http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Cifra (I normally don’t like to link… Read on
Caravaggio – Still Life with Flowers
Lamenti – Le Concert d`Astrée
I received this beautiful, luscious album for my birthday recently and it has blown me away! “Lamenti” performed by many of today’s greatest opera singers and Le Concert d`Astrée under the direction of harpsichordist Emmanuelle Haim is a moving compilation of various works of Baroque. I have been a big fan of Philippe Jaroussky‘s albums since I heard him… Read on
Gerbrand van den Eeckhout
“The Exchange of Princesses” – Rubens
This beautiful, and lesser-known work of Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens, represents the marriage of Anne of Austria to Louis XIII of France and also the marriage of Phillip IV of Spain. Surrounded by deities and gods from classical mythology, one princess is being guided towards France, the other towards Spain, and thus do we have the exchange. Note… Read on
La Rochefoucauld’s Birthday
Today we mark the birth of one of the 17th century’s most influential French philosophers, François VI, Duc de La Rochefoucauld, Prince de Marcillac, who was born on this day, 15th of September, 1613 in Paris, France. My husband, who graduated from Durham University with a First in Philosophy (I’m not boasting, just proud of him) has a few very… Read on