Monday, June 12
Daniel Mitsui is singing the praises of Early Music's weirdest instrument, the serpent. Once again, yet another reason I like this fellow. I wonder if someone's turned him on to the wonders of the Great Bass Rackett, a woodwind instrument resembling a beer bottle? I just like the name.
If someone ever wants to do me a really big favor, set up a parish consort of racketts, bajones, cornamuses, sackbutts and other brass and oddball woodwind instruments and have them accompany the music of the Counter-Reformation the way it was often heard, at least outside of the Sistine Chapel--with proper accompaniment, or if that won't work, just a few falsobordones in between chant verses. It's just it's about time someone recognized there's more out there than just unaccompanied polyphony, even if that is the preferred, Pius X-tested, Pius X-approved style.
If someone ever wants to do me a really big favor, set up a parish consort of racketts, bajones, cornamuses, sackbutts and other brass and oddball woodwind instruments and have them accompany the music of the Counter-Reformation the way it was often heard, at least outside of the Sistine Chapel--with proper accompaniment, or if that won't work, just a few falsobordones in between chant verses. It's just it's about time someone recognized there's more out there than just unaccompanied polyphony, even if that is the preferred, Pius X-tested, Pius X-approved style.
![[SMMMHDH]](http://www.mgilleland.com/music/smmmhdh.png){kind=small}
