Named after Johann Bayer's 1603 atlas of the constellations, the first inventory of the entire observable universe, the ensemble Uranometria was founded and is directed by Aleksandra Brzóskowska and Félix Verry (violins). They share a passion for rediscovering and sharing unusual or little-known repertoires, and are particularly rigorous in their historical approach, aiming to restore as much as possible of the sound world of the late Renaissance and Baroque periods: specialised instruments for each period and appropriate instrumental technique, improvised ornamentation, etc.
Uranometria offers thematic programmes, always accompanied by explanations to make it easier for audiences to understand and familiarise themselves with these unusual repertoires. The variable-geometry ensemble is generally made up of musicians trained at the CNSMD in Lyon and the Schola Cantorum in Basel.
https://www.uranometria-ensemble.com/
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©Agnieszka Sołtysik
The ensemble was founded by its artistic director, the violinist Aleksandra Brzóskowska, as part of her doctoral research into musical instruments in female convent surroundings in northern Italy during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Thanks to her expertise in this field, Aleksandra aims to recreate the musical dynamics of a nuns' ensemble as closely as possible, including the male parts, which are sung in the upper register. These voices interact with instrumentalists keen to reproduce the playing techniques of early seventeenth-century instruments with precision, including the practice of improvised ornamentation, using copies of violins from this period, designed to interact with the strong and brilliant sound of Italian organs.
Il Parlatorio invites you to embark on a journey back to 17th-century Italian convents, to discover the musical performances that resounded within their walls and hear the unique sounds that earned the nuns of that time the nickname of 'celestial sirens'.
Download presentation file (ENG) Télécharger le dossier de présentation (FR)
©Agnieszka Sołtysik