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"
Fire, Aire, Earth, Water in mysterious dances Move to thy Musick through all times and chances. "
Peter Sterry (1613-1672), translating Boethius
"Heard music...hidden music" is a website devoted to the exploration of the language of music and the hidden music of nature by composer Andrew Baker.
See also Andrew Baker's Youtube Channel
Inspired the Past
Shugborough Hall near Stafford is set in a wonderful Arcadian landscape. In the eighteenth century Shugborough was the focus of the Greek Revival. Thomas Anson had travelled in the Mediterranean to the roots of Greek culture. His friend James "Athenian" Stuart came back from Athens with architectural drawings of ancient Greek buildings which were the basis of monuments at Shugborough. The rediscovery of the art and philosophy of Greece inspired new art and new ideas.
"Inspired by the Past", celebrating the lasting influence of Ancient Greece,
is a project in partnership with Staffordshire Libraries, Stafford District Arts Council and the Stafford Music Festival.
Full details of events will appear on this webpage.
AN ARCADIAN ACADEMY
The original Arcadian Academy was founded in Rome in 1690. A group of artists, noblemen and clerics wanted to revive the purity and simplicity of Ancient Greek art. They established a Cultural Olympics, celebrating the arts that had been part of the original Olympics, music poetry and drama. Much of their work used the pastoral style inspired by the ideal world of Arcadia. The most important composer to work with them was the young Handel.
"Inspired by the Past" aims to be a prototype for an Arcadian Academy at Shugborough, celebrating music drama and poetry in our own Arcadian setting.
Events will include:
MUSIC:
Music by Anton Kammell and friends of Thomas Anson and an introduction by Andrew Baker to the musical life of Thomas Anson
(Stafford Library May 5th 2012/ Shugborough May 6th 2012)
Meet the Composers - Kerry Milan, Ellie Davies and Andrew Baker will rehearse and perform music inspired by Shugborough with a String Quartet and chat to visitors. (
Shugborough June 24th 2012)
"The Realm of the Green Man - Arcadia and the Earthly Paradise" exhibition at St Chad's Church, Stafford, with Arcadian music by Andrew Baker on Saturday May 5th.
POETRY
There will be a series of Poetry Evenings at Stafford Library, beginning with "Orpheus" at 7.00pm on Monday May 7th, including Richard Barnfield's Orpheus his Journey and Michael Hulse introducing Rilke's Sonnets to Orpheus.
Grevel Lindop has been commissioned to write and read "Shugborough Eclogues"
The Stafford Poetry Competition will feature a special prize for a poem titled "Olympics" or "Arcadia".
Under 18 Poetry Competition. Shortlisted poets will receive free entry to Shugborough for -
DRAMA
Storyteller Xanthe Gresham will perform at Shugborough on Sunday May 20th.
Thomas Anson and the Greek Revival
...is a full length study of Thomas Anson of Shugborough, a man at the centre of the new ideas inspired by the Ancient World and a patron of music, sciences and the arts. There are chapters on his life and circle of friends, with many new discoveries, including new clues to the meaning of the mysterious Shepherd's Monument. The study explores Anson's friends (particularly those who are not covered by other books). His musical life centres on composer Anton Kammell, botanist and musician Benjamin Stillingfleet and James Harris. An important thread is astronomer/architect Thomas Wright, who is thought to have been the designer of Shugborough's first rebuilding and garden monuments.
The text is gradually being revised and updated as of Spring 2010 - so it's now something resembling a first draft of a book. It may never become a book as such but this is all searchable on the internet so any researchers can find the new material. You can request a PDF of the complete text by emailing Andrew Baker at the address given below.
You can listen to a set of sonatas by Anton Kammell (as he wrote his name in England, otherwise Antonin Kammel)
here
. Elegant entertainments is a detailed account of Thomas Anson's musical life.
Free downloads of music are available on this website. There is a complete list of works with links to all the music on the website here. The sound recordings are mostly produced from Sibelius software and Garritan Personal Orchestra. Higher quality CDs are available to request from the email address below.
Email: ajbakeresq (at) hotmail.com (replacing (at) with @)
All sound recordings and scores on this site are © Andrew Baker and available for downloading purely for personal and non-commercial use. Any public performances must be with the permission of the composer/ editor.
Events
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