Purcell’s Polyphonic Party: You are cordially invited to a party at the house of Henry Purcell in the year of our Lord 1686. R.S.V.P.
Find out what would happens when some of his more distant friends from rural Sweden and beyond gate-crash with their instruments
A light-hearted programme of music seamlessly blended folk with baroque, Swedish with British and more. Prepare for a humorous fusion featuring the spinet, nyckelharpa, viola d’amore (and a light sprinkling of accordion, gandola and flageolet). Featuring a range of instruments, songs and stories let yourself be transported back to the year 1686…
Purcell’s Polyphonic Party are a trio of musicians come together to combine their love of Purcell, Playford, Baroque and the Nordic Noir. With 99+ strings to their armoury of instruments you can be assured that an evening has plenty of variety. The multi-talented trio will transport you via the medium of song music and story.
John Dipper – viola d’amore, concertina
John is a respected and established performer, composer, teacher and instrument maker, John grew up steeped in the traditions of Southern England. His unique playing style and compositions convey a deep understanding and passion for indigenous culture. John’s passion for vernacular music led to his degree dissertation focussing on the interpretation of field recordings, looking at intonation, tuning and expression.
Vicki Swan – nyckelharpa, bagpipes, flageolet
Vicki studied at the Royal College of Music on the double bass. She also plays the various types of bagpipes, flute, recorder, piano and nyckelharpa (Swedish keyed-fiddle). On leaving music college Vicki started down the long path of folk music and was only seen on rare glimpses back in classical orchestras. You’ll find Vicki now inhabiting the troll-ridden forests playing her Swedish bagpipes, bagging tunes for new books. Vicki holds the Zorn Bronze Award for the traditional playing of Swedish bagpipes and runs workshops and teaches the nyckelharpa around the UK.
Jonny Dyer – spinet, accordion, gandola
Jonny is a multi-instrumentalist, performer, writer and arranger. Classically trained as a pianist and trumpet player, he now specialises in traditional music from the British Isles and Scandinavia; primarily on spinet, accordion, guitar and cowhorn. By default, Jonny is probably England’s leading exponent of the Swedish Kohorn (cowhorn) and was just as surprised as you probably are to find out that forests have the most wonderful echoey acoustic to play the cowhorn in!