Knights, Knaves, and Amorous Escapades

An evening with Sirinu. This British ensemble performs and researches early music in programmes and projects that aim to bring history alive through their lively performances and audience engagement.

Sara Stowe (soprano/keyboard); Kira Thomas (shawm/recorder); Lewis Spring (alto/medieval fiddle); Matthew Spring (medieval lute/symphony); Jon Banks (gothic harp/dulcimer)

Our concert explores music before 1400 that celebrated such legendary characters as Robin, Marion, Tristan and Arthur, through a range of musical forms including monophonic songs, pastourelles, instrumental pieces, motets and ballades. Much of this music was performed by the composers themselves, often in a public and competitive performance arena to a critical and discerning audience who would have been fully conversant with the mythic characters and their deeds. Some of the legendary characters were high born, as were the composers, but others were rustics or ruffians. We bring this rollicking interplay between the social classes and between the sexes to life in this panoply of medieval society.