This weekend Dan Laurin is giving a masterclass in Esbjerg, and me and Michael are going to play Belicha, an estampitta from the 14th century Italy. As far as I've understood, there was much culture imported from the middle east to Italy at this time, and you weren't really in style if you didn't have your clothes imported from Istanbul. Grove lists this piece as a dance, but I think many would agree to this being more improvised music. I sure would like to see someone dance to it. So I've been at the library borrowing stacks of music with Taksims (Taqsīm) trying to get to know the contemporary ...

Hi, I'm a new co-author to this blog and early music is quite new to me although i have played it all my life. I am mostly puzzled, stupiefied and amazed by the things possible (and impossible) in early music and i hope my startlement will only increase as more early music reveals itself before my anxious eyes and fingers.

I'm actually an organist that recently threw my energy on the harpsichord. I now play many kinds of music with many different people. I'm happy to discover that many techniques used on the organ can be used on the harpsichord too (and many cannot - still happy, and learning). I hope you will find your time to comment and discuss my following post on these and many other matters concerning early music.

Happy blogging

Sarah Peck has started to build a gamba. It's all nicely documented on her blog and the progression will be linked in the column to the right. Check out the first entries about the beginning: and how far she has come today: Looking forward to following your progress, Sarah. Keep us updated!