SFRV 09-10 Season

Our 2009-10 Season features music composed in time of war that inspires peace, beginning with our March concerts. We begin our season with an opening night gala that is followed by our sixth annual Halloween weekend Office of the Dead concert.

Season Opening Gala Benefit & Performance
An Evening at Elizabeth's Court
October 10, 2009 - 7:00 pm
Seventh Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1329 Seventh Avenue, San Francisco
Her royal majesty Gloriana, Maestro Todd Jolly, and the staff and singers of
San Francisco Renaissance Voices invite you to An Evening at Elizabeth's Court
starting with a reception flowing with mead, wines and ale and a Silent
Auction featuring some of the finest items in The Realm including tickets
to performances and dining, fine vintages and valuable gift items, followed
by a command performance by opera star, soprano Susan Gundunas
who will be joined by pianist Daniel Lockert and Celtic harper Diana Rowan
for her acclaimed show All the World's a Stage; the evening ends
with Renaissance feasting. Her Highness requests you dress appropriately
for the event and those in period costume will be especially welcome!

Office of the Dead
Sixth Annual Halloween Weekend Concert
with guest artist, baritone Jesse Blumberg
Messe des morts (Jean Gilles 1668-1705)
October 31, 2009 – 7:30 pm
Seventh Avenue Performances
1329 Seventh Avenue, San Francisco
November 1, 2009 - 4:00 pm
All Saints Episcopal
555 Waverley, Palo Alto
Although rarely performed today the Requiem
written by Jean Gilles was one of the most performed
compositions of the 18th century. Posthumously, it was enormously successful, often being performed for the funerals of the great and famous, including composer Jean-Philippe Rameau,
the king of Poland, and King Louis XV to name but three. We are joined for our performances
of this exquisite piece by baritone Jesse Blumberg,
a rising young star on the international opera scene.

Songs of War & Peace
with guest artists Diana Rowan, Celtic Harp
& Tom Chandler, Oud
March 6, 2010 - 7:30 pm
Seventh Avenue Performances
1329 Seventh Avenue, San Francisco
March 7, 2010 - 4:00 pm
All Saints Episcopal
555 Waverley, Palo Alto
March 14, 2010 - 4:00 pm
Alameda First Presbyterian
2001 Santa Clara, Alameda
Music of war and peace from the Renaissance and early Baroque featuring Tomàs Luis de Victoria’s Missa pro Victoria (based on Janequin’s Le Guerre) as well as Guillaume Dufay’s Lamentio Sanctae Matris Ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae (The Fall of Constantinople), Jacob Gallus’ Les Heroes, Guillaume Costeley's La Prise de Calais, Clement Janequin's La guerre de Renty, Palestrina's Super flumina Babylonis, with other music from the Renaissance and early Baroque, troubador songs from the Crusades and music of the Ottoman Empire including Turkish vocal music.

The Armed Man
Missa L’homme Arme’ Super Voces Musicales
(Josquin de Prez – c1450-1521)
May 15, 2010 – 7:30 pm
Seventh Avenue Performances
1329 Seventh Avenue, San Francisco
May 16, 2010 – 4:00 pm
All Saints’ Episcopal
555 Waverley, Palo Alto
Date/time/location TBA, 2010
Berkeley Festival & Exhibition of Early Music
The Renaissance drinking song L’homme Arme’ (The Armed Man) has served as the
basis for more masses than any other tune in history. We perform both of
Josquin des Prez’s versions: his Missa L’homme armé sexti toni and his most famous version, Missa L'homme armé super voces musicales, a technical tour-de-force, containing numerous mensuration canons and contrapuntal display in which the L'homme armé tune is repeated for
each movement on a consecutive step of the scale.

The Armed Woman
July 31, 2010 - 7:30 pm
Seventh Avenue Performances
1329 Seventh Avenue, San Francisco
August 1, 2010 - 4:00 pm
Alameda First Presbyterian
2001 Santa Clara, Alameda
August 8, 2010 - 4:00 pm
All Saints Episcopal
555 Waverley, Palo Alto
This concert is dedicated to proving that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword and features music composed by women from the Medieval through Baroque periods. Featured is Isabella Leonarda’s (1620-1704) Magnificat, Opus 19, #10 with other music by Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), Maria Xaveria Peruchona (1652-1709), Sister Chiara Margarita Cozzolani (c1602-1678), Maddelena Casulana (1544-1590), the courtesan Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677), the mysterious Antonia Bembo (1640-1720) and the child prodigy Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (1665-1729).