Fortuna, will you spare us?

Description

French polyphony of the 14th century In late medieval thought, Fortuna embodied pure chance: unpredictable, capricious, and all-powerful, her wheel always in motion. The fate of this concert lies in the hands of the audience. Through the roll of the dice, the audience determines the order of the program and thus the fate of Ensemble Pampinea on this journey: I: Hope & Despair; II: Luck & Chance; III: Pain & Redemption. Each roll changes the musical course and makes this performance unique – a reminder that in the realm of Fortuna, every certainty is an illusion. Ensemble Pampinea, under the direction of Fiona Kizzie Lee, presents the rich and complex ballads, virelais, and rondeaux of the great poet Guillaume de Machaut (1300–1377) as well as compositions by Matheus de Perusio, Solage, and anonymous masters of the Ars Subtilior repertoire. This music is preserved in significant manuscripts of the late 14th and early 15th centuries, including the Chantilly Codex and the Cypriot Codex. One must lament Fortuna and at the same time praise her, for good fortune can turn into burning agony in seconds: Alas! The dice are in your hands! Contributors and additional information: Ensemble PAMPINEA Emilė Ribokaitė _ Vocals António Godinho _ Medieval recorder Vojtěch Jakl _ Fidel Ūla Kinder _ Fidel Fiona Kizzie Lee _ Portative, one-handed flute and drum, recorder & artistic direction