The Teares of the Muses in front of a projection of Ilian Rachov's Lamb
The Teares of the Muses, a consort of viols, is a versatile New York University performing arts ensemble directed by Margaret Panofsky, the well-known professional viol player and renowned teacher. Made up of proficient musicians from the student body, faculty, and N.Y.U. community, The Teares of the Muses is a part of the Faculty of Arts and Science Music Department Collegium Musicum Viol Program.
The Teares of the Muses performs elegant and lively renaissance and baroque repertory for viols, often adding favorite guest artists to expand the compass of its concerts. It delights in reviving great music which has all but vanished in the present day.
The Teares of the Muses presents its concerts at New York University, St. Bartholomew's Church and at St. Michael's Episcopal Church on Manhattan's Upper West Side, where it has been in residence since 2007.
Teares of the Muses News
Virgin and Child: Moravian Gothic wood sculpture
The Teares of the Muses’ KICKSTARTER Campaign!
The Teares of the Muses is making a new CD of 17th-century Czech carols, a mass and motets for violas da gamba, organ, and voices. The Kickstarter campaign will raise money to record this marvelous, but almost unknown music. Please click on the link and watch the video at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1973288734/new-cd-by-the-teares-of-the-muses-early-czech-caro. We’re sure you’ll be persuaded to help us out! The vocal pieces feature our soprano soloist Kathleen Cantrell and the mass and motets will include GHOSTLIGHT Vocal Quartet. The prizes are nice and all are retail value—including an advance order of the CD.
Narození Pána Krista is the name of the proposed recording. We performed the music first for a highly successful concert last December at the Bohemian National Hall (New York City) that featured music by the little-known 17th-century Bohemian composer—the brilliant Adam Michna. The Teares will make history recording this rare repertory.
"From the first, the singers captivate with an expressive, open, and wonderfully blended sound. The continuo team is also very fine.... The viol consort functions impressively as a single entity, coordinated at repeats and moments of heightened emotion, yet each individual voice is clear."
—Viola da Gamba Society of America Newsletter
NEW CD by The Teares of the Muses!
Ein Lämmlein
17th-Century German Passion Music
Release Date, October 12, 2011
Margaret Panofsky, Director
Kathleen Cantrell and Campbell Rightmyer, Sopranos
Morwaread Farbood, Organ
Ein Lämmlein: 17th-Century German Passion Music commemorates Holy Week and Good Friday with two works by the remarkable composer, Samuel Capricornus. It contains his lament O Traurigkeit, O Herzeleid, the five-movement meditation Ein Lämmlein geht und trägt die Schuld der Welt, instrumental chorale settings and dances, and Franz Tunder's mournful An Wasserflüßen Babylon.
Selected excerpts:
- Capricornus: O Traurigkeit, O Herzeleid!
- Capricornus: Ein Lämmlein geht und trägt die Schuld
- Scheidt: Da Jesus an dem Kreuze Stund
- Capricornus: Ein Lämmlein: II. O Wunderlieb, O Liebesmacht
- Sebastiani: O Welt, Ich muß dich lassen
Available for purchase online (CD or download)
Medusa, (detail), Ilian Rachov
"These two German Baroque settings of 'The Lord's Prayer' are a fine fit. Altenburg's—with voice—encloses Scheidt's instrumental version to create a 4-minute gem. Well played and well sung. A pleasure to hear."
—CD Baby review
New Single by The Teares of the Muses!
The Lord's Prayer
Vater unser im Himmelreich
Release Date, February 16, 2012
Margaret Panofsky, Director
Kathleen Cantrell and Campbell Rightmyer, Sopranos
John Cantrell, Organ
Many early baroque compositions were based on the soaring melody of the Lutheran hymn "Vater unser im Himmelreich" (The Lord's Prayer). In Michael Altenburg's Vater unser im Himmelreich, the vocal tune is nestled within a vigorous viol accompaniment. The instrumental harmonization of the same tune by Altenburg's well-known contemporary Samuel Scheidt is from his monumental Tabulatura nova. In this Vater unser im Himmelreich, the tenor melody is surrounded by exquisitely beautiful contrapuntal lines.
Available for purchase online (download only)
Publication News!
The recording The Lord's Prayer, Vater unser im Himmelreich will appear on a CD anthology for a soon-to-be published book and CD set: Notre Père à travers les âges, dans les trois traditions chrétiennes by Jean-Paul Lécot of Lourdes, France.
Sad News
The Teares of the Muses mourns the passing of fellow consort member and friend, David W. Fenton. David loved performing with The Teares of the Muses. He played all sizes of viol as well as keyboard, and was a consummate musician. We are comforted that he saw the release of the CD, Ein Lämmlein. He was a driving force behind the project; he created the performing edition from the facsimile of Samuel Capricornus's Ein Lämmlein. David had earned a B.Mus. in piano performance from the Oberlin Conservatory and an M.A. in musicology from New York University. He wrote Grove articles on the piano quartet and piano quintet.
