That’s a pretty silly statement, isn’t it?
Believe it or not, there are choral conductors who hesitate to perform music of the Renaissance for much the same line of reasoning. In his article, “Who’s Afraid of Renaissance Music? No-Fear Solutions for Middle and Senior High Choirs” (Illinois Podium, Vol.38 No.2), Michael Zemek provides useful, specific insight into ways to make music if the Renaissance approachable:
“With mostly minor adaptations of musical scores, performances of Renaissance music in today’s secondary schools can broaden and enrich the horizons of middle and high school singers while remaining stylistically faithful to performance practices of the time. Directors have viable options in the forces employed (voices, instruments, or combinations of both) and in musical execution (tempo, balance, dynamics, phrasing, music ficta, etc.).”
“The use of Renaissance choral music encourages performance of diverse styles often unfamiliar to young singers of today. This era’s choral music is especially suited for singers when considering factors such as appropriateness of texts, aesthetic appeal, and melodic interest in all voice parts. Tasteful adaptations can be made to the music while remaining faithful to the intent of the composers.”
(To access the full article, simply click the highlighted title. For additional articles on a dazzling array of choral topics, visit ChorTeach.)
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