Carlos V: Music of the Emperor. The African Renaissance Ensemble at the St. Francis Music Festival

ABOUT

Carlos V, Lord of the Netherlands (1506 - 1555), Duke of Burgundy (1506 - 1555), King of Spain (1516 - 1556), Archduke of Austria (1519 - 1556), Holy Roman Emperor (1519 - 1556), Ruler of the Kingdom of Naples, The Kingdom of Sicily, The Kingdom of Sardinia, The Dutchy of Milan, Conqueror of the Incas, the Aztecs and Peru, Defender of the Christian Faith, 

First Emperor of the Empire on which the sun never sets

Carlos (Charles) V (1506 – 1555), was a titan of history whose empire bathed in endless sunlight, from the grand halls of Europe to the mystic lands of the Americas.

Whilst we think of Renaissance music as being purely European, the conquest of South America resulted in a cross-pollination of cultures with Spanish composers being influences by the real and imagined rhythms, sounds, and languages of South America and West Africa.

Our programme presents some of the weird and wonderful music of his time which took instruments and voices to new and previously unexplored territory.

The African Renaissance Ensemble under the direction of Adam H. Golding

The African Renaissance Instruments:

Hilton Anspach - Contrabass

Isabella Bonnet - Baroque Viola

Dillon Davie - Theorbo and Baroque Guitar

Adam H. Golding - Mandolin and recorders

Doron Kanar - Sackbutt

Caren Kleynhans - Recorders

Este Meerkotter - Traversos and Recorders

Bryan Moore - Cello

Margot Smythe - Baroque Cello

Ute Smythe - Baroque Violin

Tanya Spiller - Viola da Gamba, Baroque violin

The African Renaissance Vocalists:

Glynnis Kanar - Soprano

Leigh Nudelman - Soprano, percussion

Esther Lategan - Contralto

Joao Ribeiro - Countertenor, percussion

Adam H. Golding - Tenor

Doron Kanar - Tenor/Bass

Andrew Gould - Bass, percussion

DIRECTIONS