Concerts feature sounds of the Renaissance

LAKEVILLE — On Dec. 29- 30, the award-winning Crescendo offers as its traditional Early Music holiday concerts, with a festive program of villancicos and polyphonic Renaissance compositions from the Iberian and Latin American countries.

Crescendo’s program ranges from the contemplative to the rousing, and includes both sacred and secular pieces. The villancico was a common poetic and musical form of the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America, popular from the late 15th to 18th centuries. Its melodies and rhythms come from the Hispanic and Latin American folk tradition, and the words tell a story—in this case about the birth of Christ and the journey of the wise men from the Orient who searched for him. Spain had a rich tradition of highly developed polyphonic music that is represented in the program by motets, which have a more contemplative character. Composers whose works will be performed include Guerrero, Morales, Araujo, Encina and Torrejón y Velasco.

A cast of period and folk instruments will accompany the singers. Performers are the Crescendo Vocal Ensemble with Soprano and vihuela player Salomé Sandoval, tenor Pablo Bustos, Hideki Yamaya (vihuela and Baroque guitar), Scott Hill (guitar), Christa Patton (Renaissance harp, shawm and percussion), and Carlos Boltes (charango). The Vocal Ensemble and instrumentalists will be directed by Christine Gevert from the organ.

Performances will be given on Friday, Dec. 29 at 6 p.m. at Saint James Place, 352 Main St., Great Barrington, and Saturday, Dec. 30 at 3 p.m. at Trinity Church Lime Rock, 484 Lime Rock Rd., Lakeville. Tickets are $35 general seating, $60 premium seating and $10 for under 18. For more information and for tickets, go to http:// worldclassmusic.org or call 860435-4866.

Contributed photo On Dec. 29 and 30 the award-winning Crescendo offers as its traditional Early Music holiday concerts.