Piffaro: At the Town Square: Music of Renaissance Germany

From city gates and towers high above the streets, to the bustling town square, the great wind players of Renaissance Germany sent their sound across the rooftops. These musicians were the voice of civic life, called upon for ceremony, celebration, and warning alike. This program revives their bold, resonant world in music that once told a city it was alive.

Imagine walking into a world where every melody is familiar, yet every turn reveals something new. The oldest surviving collection of German partbooks holds songs that once echoed through streets and taverns. Now, shawms, sackbuts, and dulcians bring these tunes (and many more) alive, weaving sublime melodies by Heinrich Isaac, Ludwig Senfl, and Heinrich Finck into playful surprises. Step in and discover the joy of a musical world that feels both historic and fresh.