Prodigies inspire and amaze us. Often, they accomplish things in their teenage years that most of us cannot hope to achieve in a lifetime. This hour on Harmonia, we listen to music and poetry by brilliant young minds. Then, stay tuned for featured release Music from the Peterhouse Partbooks, Volume 5, performed by Blue Heron.

“Ave Maria mater dei” performed by Blue Heron, from on their 2017 release, Music from the Peterhouse Partbooks, Volume 5.

London Prodigies

Let’s begin our exploration of early music by child prodigies in the city of London. Rumor has it that Henry Purcell wrote his first compositions when he was nine years old. The earliest extant work by Purcell is a birthday composition for Charles II, written in 1670, when Purcell was 12. I have to confess that I am amused by the thought that the title, “Blow up the trumpet in Sion,” might have been especially appealing to a 12-year-old composer.

Henry Purcell’s “Blow up the trumpet in Sion,” written when Purcell was 12 years old, and performed by the Oxford Camerata, led by Jeremy Summerly.

Our second prodigy, Felice Giardini, was not a native Londoner; but like many in his generation, he was an Italian transplant. Born in 1716, Felice’s father sent him at a young age to Milan to study singing, harpsichord, and composition. Upon finishing his studies, Giardini returned to his first love — the violin, becoming a section leader in the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples in the 1740s.

We’ll hear a musette from Giardini’s violin sonata, Opus 1, No. 6.

A musette, from Felice Giardini’s violin sonata. We heard Simon Standage, violin, and Friederike Chylek, harpsichord.

Forever Young

Blah blah blah

The Tenth Muse

blah blah blah

Music from the Peterhouse Partbooks, Volume 5

Blah blah

Break and theme music

:30, Pergolesi: Stabat Mater / Bach: Cantatas, BWV 54, 170,La Nuova Musica, harmonia mundi 2017, Tr. 6 O quam tristis et afflicta

:60, The Best of Purcell, Aradia Ensemble, Naxos 2009, Tr. 11 Chacony, Z. 730

:30, Italians in London! Sonatas and Other Music by Italian Visitors, Simon Standage & Friederike Chylek, Chandos 2015, Tr. 9 Violin Sonata in G Minor, Op. 1, No. 6: III. Allegro

Theme: Danse Royale, Ensemble Alcatraz, Elektra Nonesuch 79240-2 1992 B000005J0B, Tr. 12 La Prime Estampie Royal

The writers for this edition of Harmonia was Sarah Huebsch.

Learn more about recent early music CDs on the Harmonia Early Music Podcast. You can subscribe on iTunes or at http://www.harmoniaearlymusic.org.