Organists and Organ Playing

A musical feast

Last week the board members of Early Music Hawaii were treated to a veritable musical feast—we got a sneak peek at the video by Ensemble Les Délices which will be released this coming Friday, November 13 at 7:00 pm. You’ll be able to view it through the following Thursday, November 19.

By a musical feast, I mean a veritable banquet of gorgeous sounds—ear candy if you will. Sounds so delicious, luscious, rich and sweet that your ears will smile with enjoyment! (Don’t you love this mixing of aural and oral metaphors?!)

After all, the group is called Ensemble Les Délices. “Délices” is a French word meaning “delights,” and Collins Dictionary gives these examples:

1.  (= plaisir) delight Vivre ici est un vrai délice. Living here is a real delight.

2.  (= mets délicieux) Ce gâteau est un vrai délice. This cake’s really delicious.

Not only is this a gorgeous production in terms of the sounds, it is a visual triumph as well. You get to see the performers up very close, as though you’re sitting right on top of them, and can see every fingering.

Here’s a description of the program:

Bewitched explores universal themes of desire, jealousy, shame and revenge by giving voice to the spurned lovers of antiquity. Rising star soprano, Hannah DePriest gives voice to the sorceress Circe in a bone-chilling cantata by Colin de Blamant, and wreaks vengeance as the witch Medea in works by Clérambault and Couperin.

Performers:
Hannah De Priest, soprano
Debra Nagy, oboe & recorder
Julie Andrijeski, baroque violin
Rebecca Reed, baroque cello & viola da gamba
Mark Edwards, harpsichord

It just so happens that Ensemble Les Délices gave this program in Cleveland last month. So now you no longer have to kick yourself for not making it to Ohio—you can see this beautiful program on your own computer screen, tablet or phone.

Here’s the trailer that was released for the Bewitched concerts in Cleveland.

The video program, made especially for Early Music Hawaii, will be available on their website from Friday, November 13 at 7:00 pm through Thursday, November 19, 10:00 pm.