| 
LA MORRA (named
after Heinrich Isaac's famous instrumental piece) performs European
music of the period roughly defined by the dates 1300 and 1500,
traditionally referred to as 'late
Medieval' and / or 'early Renaissance' - with
occasional escapades outside this time frame (such as the works
written for LA MORRA by Boris Yoffe). The ensemble pays particular
attention to the secular art song, sacred para-liturgical genres
and instrumental music.
Soon after its formation in 2000, LA MORRA took
the stages of Europe's most prestigious early music festivals and
concert series by storm, performing in such events as Festival
van Vlaanderen (Belgium), Netwerk
/ Holland Festival Oude Muziek (The
Netherlands), Rencontres
de Musique Médiévale du Thoronet (France), Freunde
alter Musik Basel (Switzerland)
and Autunno
Musicale (Italy). Concert tours
have also taken the ensemble to Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Germany,
Poland, Spain and United Kingdom. Numerous live performances, broadcasts
and the four CD productions (released by Ramée,
Et’Cetera,
Raumklang and
Musiques
Suisses) contributed to establishing LA MORRA as one of the
leading formations in the field, with reputation for evocative,
thoroughly researched concert programming on the one hand, and
interpretations that are 'skillful' (Early Music), 'virtuoso',
'seductive', 'plausible' (Diapason), 'in a word: delightful' (Goldberg Magazine), on the
other.
LA MORRA makes its home in Basle, the cultural
capital of Switzerland, in close proximity of its musicians' alma
mater,
the Schola
Cantorum Basiliensis, where the performance
of 'early music' has been taught for over 75 years.
The ensemble - usually up to 10 vocalists and instrumentalists
working under the joint artistic leadership of Corina
Marti and
Michal Gondko -
re-defines itself according to the requirements of concert or recording
projects it undertakes.
[download
as PDF]
IN THE UPPER-RIGHT CORNER: A cut-out from the
superius part of Isaac's La Morra - as found in the manuscript
Firenze, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Magl. XIX. 107bis (written
in Florence after 1503). The entire folio can be viewed here. |
