Armada: Lute and Vihuela Duets from the Golden Age of England and Spain

The gentle intricate plucked sounds of two lutes and two vihuelas will surely sooth the listeners' ears and calm the senses from the busy hustle of New York City life outside. Come enjoy in an intimate setting this one hour recital of beguiling duet music for these plucked instruments composed in Europe from between four to five centures ago. From the very first appearances of both manuscript and published sources for these instruments, duets were a favorite combination, allowing either one lute to play a virtuosic solo while the other accompanies, or else for both players to play musical material which is shared equally between the two. The lute and vihuela have much in common, being tuned identically, but they have subtle differences in design and timbre.. During the 16th Century the lute was pervasive throughout all of Europe, while the vihuela was played principally in Spain. The composers will include Luys de Narvaez, Josquin des Prez, Cristobal de Morales, Nicholas Gombert, John Dowland, John Johnson, Thomas Robinson, and others.

Kenneth Be and Daniel Keene have started a new musical exploration of the duet repertoire for lutes and other early plucked instruments and look forward to sharing this wonderful music with audiences throughout the New York metropolitan region.

Renaissance duets for lutes and vihuelas performed on period instruments.