The Bassanos

Homage to the recorder family
Sun 29.09.24 18:15 Concert

Barfüsserkirche
Historical Museum Basel

O

ne family influenced the musical world of the Renaissance like no other: from Venice to London, the Bassanos were instrument makers, musicians and composers.

Fittingly, this concert is carried by the sound of the recorder family. This consort using up to six voices performs music composed and creatively transformed by the Bassanos.

With this tribute, ReRenaissance offers for the first time a programme entirely dedicated to the sound of the recorder family.

The programme will be played on consort recorders based on historic models of the instruments the Bassanos themselves brought to England.

 

Andreas Böhlen – recorder; direction

Tabea Schwartz – recorder; direction

Amy Power – recorder

Lea Sobbe – recorder

Mira Gloor – recorder

Laura Hanetseder – recorder

Originale Blockflöte mit dem Bassano Stempel, Metropolitan Museum Of Arts

Column

Why I’ll be there!

David Fallows

Well over a hundred woodwind instruments of the sixteenth century have a maker’s mark on them, generally described as a ‘rabbit’s foot’, but looking to me more like two exclamation marks, pointing slightly inwards. For years nobody could guess who it was, but at last scholars are apparently agreed that the mark belongs to the Bassano family, who were mainly active in England. Their real name was Piva (which to me is a kind of dance), but when they came to England they seem to have adopted the name of their home town in the Veneto, Bassano del Grappa (though they dropped the Grappa bit). From the time of Henry VIII and past the end of the century they dominated music on all kinds of wind instruments in England.

Numerous though the Bassanos were among English musicians, they have left very few compositions. So, this concert celebrates wind music in sixteenth-century England, with a certain emphasis on the numerous foreigners who enlivened the scene. Some of my favourite pieces are on this programme, so don’t miss it.

2026

April

Regola Rubertina

Ganassis virtuosic Viols
Sat 25.04.26 Sun 26.04.26 18:15 Concert

Sat Kirche Reigoldswil
Sun Barfüsserkirche, HMB

May

Fleuster une chanson

Song & Dance in Attaingnant's Prints
Sat 30.05.26 Sun 31.05.26 18:15 Concert

Sat Klosterkirche Dornach
Sun Barfüsserkirche Basel

June

Ach, wie grausam – A que vile

Songs for a mysterious lady
Sat 27.06.26 Su 28.06.2026 18:15 Concert

Sa Nydeggkirche, Bern
Su Barfüsserkirche, Historisches Museum Basel

September

Quodlibet

Puzzles, fun and games
Sat 26.09.26 Sun 27.09.26 18:15 Concert

Kirche Reigoldswil &
Barfüsserkirche Basel

October

The Queen’s Singers

The extravagant court chapel of the Tudors
Sun 25.10.26 18:15 Concert

Martinskirche
Basel

November

Byrd & the Baron

A secret Christmas
Sun 29.11.26 18:15 Concert

Barfüsserkirche
Historisches Museum Basel