Alkemie at the Morgan Library
The Morgan Library hosted us for a special, family-friendly performance on November 9 in conjunction with its exhibition Sing a New Song: The Psalms in Medieval Art and Life. We had a joyful time making music in front of the legendary fireplace!”
Alkemie Performs at the Morgan Library
Alkemie members Tracy Cowart and Sian Rickettres with guest Daphna Mor were delighted to perform at the Morgan Library in an interactive program that was part of their on-going exhibit on the Psalms in Medieval and Renaissance life.
Over the course of the afternoon we shared music with a packed library of adults and children. Tracy Cowart began the afternoon by teaching those in the audience to sing a drone and an alleluia from music found within the exhibition. (Those in attendance received a small printed snippet of the chant to look for in the galleries later!) Sian then described how she had turned an Alleluia by Hildegard von Bingen into an upbeat instrumental piece, which all clapped to with rhythmic support from percussionist, Spiff Wiegand, who “happened” to be among the visitors. The trio then performed a polyphonic setting of Psalm 95 (Cantate Domino - Sing to the Lord) in an arrangement by Orlando di Lasso, and Daphna closed the program by teaching those present to improvise a new psalm by repeating a phrase of a psalm text in Hebrew.
