Living Dangerously ~ Strings on Fire in 17th Century Italy.

Vita Wallace ~ violin 
Claire Smith Bermingham ~ violin 
Dan McCarthy ~ tenor violin 
Larry Lipnik ~ tenor viola da gamba 
Patricia Ann Neely ~ bass viola da gamba 
Richard Kolb ~ theorbo & archlute 

Whether on the run from the law or a jealous husband, revolutionizing musical style or instrumental technique, composers in 17th-century Italy lived on the edge and composed with heart on sleeve. The musicians of Abendmusik go out on a limb and relish the highs and lows of Rosenmüller, Castello, Stradella, and Strozzi.

Abendmusik, New York’s Early Music String Band showcases the rarely-performed repertoire of the late 16th and 17th centuries composed for string consort. The term “Abendmusik” refers to the free concert series established by the organist Franz Tunder in Lübeck churches in the 17th century. It was cultivated further by North German composer Dieterich Buxtehude in the early 18th century. Historically, Abendmusik programs featured sacred and secular vocal and instrumental solo and chamber works, as well as solo organ. The series became so popular, as a result of the free admission and the featured compositions, that it grew into a respectable cultural institution.

The string band Abendmusik explores music from both western and eastern Europe (Italy, the Hapsburg Empire of Austria and Spain, Kroměřiž in Moravia, Poland, Holland, England, Denmark and France) on period instruments.

Artist Website

1:15–2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.

In person at St. Malachy's Church, 239 West 49th Street, Manhattan

Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.