Take Five

The 4-voice texture of soprano, alto, tenor, and bass forms the basis of much of traditional Western music, whether in choirs, string quartets, or the different instrumental “families” of the orchestra. However, in the 17^th century, the four-voice ensemble was hardly a given, and much orchestral and chamber music was written for fiveparts. In our program today, we present the five-voice violin consort consisting typically of two violins, two violas, and bass. The fifth voice, in this case the second viola, lends a particular richness to the sonority of the string band. We explore the exciting repertoire of both church and chamber sonatas from Germany, Austria and Italy, featuring music of Bach, Biber, Schmeltzer, Ziani, Rosenmueller, and others.