These videos document the various possibilities for improvising canons and contrapunto fugato, both with voices and instruments. Adding lines to a given chant often led to artfully composed pieces. Although this practice has traditionally been considered highly intellectual and complex, recent scholarly work has demonstrated that, with training and memorization, any reasonably skilled musician of the past was able to master this task. Knowing about composers’ background as choirboys gives us a better understanding of the repertoire.

VivaVoce presents:

Ellen Wieser, soprano

Meagan Zantigh, alto

Benjamin Duinker, tenor

Edmund Milly, bass

with special guests

Catherine Motuz, trombone

Rona Nadler, organ

Peter Schubert, artistic director