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As part of their ongoing early and classical music podcast series, Lyrichord is proud to present a four part exploration into the history, development and performance-practice of “hammered and plucked” keyboard instruments throughout history. These lively and informative four-program episodes, include in depth discussion between the show’s hosts, Lyrichord president Nick Fritsch and noted countertenor and early music expert Jeffrey Dooley, who begin their journey in the late medieval and early Renaissance periods, with ancestors of keyboard instruments, such as the psaltery and the harp, and then move throughout the centuries to discuss and play examples of a plethora of historic keyboard instruments including the virginal muselar, the clavichord, the lautenwerk, the harpsichord, the fortepiano, and the modern piano. World-renown keyboard artists from the Lyrichord catalog are heard performing compositions by a variety of great composers, representing every period from the Renaissance to the Modern eras. Acclaimed keyboardist Kathryn Cok, Elaine Comparone, Wanda Landowska protégé Paul Wolfe, harpsichord and lautenwerk master John Paul with his partner Shawn Leopard, clavichordist Richard Troeger, fortepianists Elizabeth Katzenellebogen, John VanBuskirk, and, moving into early 20th Century, keyboard works performed by some of the great pianists of the 1920s, (including John T. Howard and Fritz Kreisler) through the magic of a rare Ampico Reproducing piano. One of each of the four 45+ minute programs encompassing “Hammered and Plucked” will be released on consecutive Mondays. Starting March 29th, and can be heard and subscribed to on iTunes ©, as well as on Lyrichord.com/.
Works by English Renaissance composers John Bull and John Dowland, French baroque/gallant composer, Jacques Duphly, Italian Baroque composers Domenico Scarlatti and Girolamo Frescobaldi, JS Bach as well as his sons CPE and JC Bach, Muzio Clementi, twentieth century composers Andre Kmita and Fritz Kreisler – all serve as vivid musical illustrations and are selected from the vast Lyrichord Early and Classical music catalogs.
“…the series of "hammered and plucked" discussions reveal far more about harpsichords, harpsichord-like instruments, and harpsichordists than I ever knew (or even imagined).” classical music critic Elaine Fine, ‘MUSICAL ASSUMPTIONS’
About Nick Fritsch
Nick Fritsch’s father Peter Fritsch founded Lyrichord Discs in 1950. Nick Fritsch became President in 1988, and, under his leadership, the venerable label has flourished, and now includes three separate imprints of traditional world and classical music. Fritsch’s introduction to early and classical music came when he sang as a boy soprano in the famed St. Luke in the Fields, and Church of the Transfiguration choirs in New York City. In the 1990s Nick launched the Lyrichord Early Music Series, with cornerstone reissues of the great countertenor Russell Oberlin, performing with instrumentalists and singers from the ground-breaking New York Pro Musica. Since then, the Lyrichord Early Music Series has grown to nearly 80 titles of stellar recordings of Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and Classical Music, many performed on original instruments. Artists on the Lyrichord Early Music Series include sopranos Elizabeth Futral and Julianne Baird, Countertenors Drew Minter, Jeffrey Dooley, Marshall Coid, orchestras and ensembles including the Artek Baroque Orchestra, Early Music New York, Amor Artis, and The Queen’s Chamber Band, and a host of high caliber artists such as Richard Troeger, John Paul, Elaine Comparone, and Fernando Valenti.
About Jeffrey Dooley
Jeffrey Dooley, the noted American countertenor and early music expert, has been a distinguished presence on and contributor to the evolution of the Lyrichord Early and Classical Music Show. Mr. Dooley literally burst upon the early music scene in the late 1970s with a legendary recording of Henry Purcell’s Airs and Duets with tenor Howard Crook. First appearing on the Nonesuch Label, this acclaimed recording has been reissued and is now available on Lyrichord. The Purcell was followed by a second landmark Nonesuch recording of J.S. Bach’s B minor Mass (BWV 232), in which Jeffrey sang alto under the direction of Joshua Rifkin in the first historic recording of this work featuring one singer per part. Jeffrey Dooley, has been an active artist in the USA and in Europe, touring and performing through the years with both modern and period instrument orchestras. Among these are the Milwaukee and Connecticut Symphonies, Musica Sacra, Amor Artis, Concert Royal, Tafelmusik, and the Waverly Consort. In opera, Jeffrey Dooley has performed roles in both the Baroque and contemporary repertoires, including the role of the Sorcerer in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, and Egeo in Handel’s Tesco. Jeffrey Dooley currently teaches master classes, gives lectures, offers individual training in all vocal ranges, and is the English language pronunciation specialist for the Berlitz language school in New York City.
“The podcasts have an easygoing tone, and are quite conversational, and feature a delightful give-and-take between Dooley and Fritsch.”
EARLY MUSIC AMERICA Spring, 2010
How the Lyrichord Early and Classical Music Show Podcasts Came to be
Nick Fritsch says that in the last ten years, he and Jeffrey Dooley have had an ongoing, more or less continuous discussion about music, music history and performance. One day in 2008, Nick suggested that they begin recording these discussions.
“First and foremost, we wanted the shows to be informal, intimate and anecdotal. In our discussion format, we tap Jeffrey Dooley’s encyclopedic knowledge from the perspective of a performer, as well as his first hand knowledge of most everything that’s happened in the early music field during the last thirty years. The informal and informed conversations are also entertaining, laced with personal anecdotes, humorous and ironic touches we think will enlighten, entertain and appeal to music enthusiasts everywhere.”
As a result the Lyrichord Early and Classical Music Show podcast was born. Future programs will include feature interviews between Nick and many top performing musicians and producers on Lyrichord, as well as more in the discussion format with Mr. Dooley. The shows are posted weekly, and can be accessed on Lyrichord.com, and iTunes. The programs are free. A link to the music played in each program is provided on Lyrichord. Downloads of the albums or selections can be purchased via the Lyrichord Downloads site, iTunes and other MP3 sellers, and cds bought through Lyrichord.com/.
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