Early Music Now began its season in a lovely and moving concert last Saturday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Tapestry is a venture that has cast of four singers, and their program, “Faces of a Woman,” was entirely of music written by European and American women. Composers ranged from Hidegard von Bingen, who wrote in the 12th century, to music composed in recent decades.
This was a thoughtful and artful idea. Much of the music was contemplative in spirit, and by nature of the period it was almost all sacred.
The four singers sang with unfussiness and beautifully controlled tone, either in solo, duet, or ensemble. Cristi Cass, Laurie Monahan, Daniela TosiI and Deborah Rentz-Moore were often by joined by Laura Jeppesen on vielle and rebec. It was good to hear the spoken narrative, which helped greatly with the comprehension of this intricate concert.
It was great to see the loyal Early Music Now crowd there. Not as many people as normal, but still a respectable showing. A post-pandemic factor, likely? I love how this audience listens so carefully. That’s not always true at a concert, as we know.