The African Renaissance Ensemble

(124)

About

The African Renaissance Ensemble is a group of South African musicians, striving to infect South Africans with our love for early music.


Our goal is to bring this exquisite, little known and seldom performed music to modern audiences.


We are not Classical.


The Music


We believe that the music that we perform is far more accessible to modern audiences. The pieces are usually short (between 1 and 10 minutes) and there is a massive variety of sound. Much of the music is lighthearted and was composed specifically for dancing or for story telling.

The music is highly emotionally evocative and varied.


The Instruments


The instruments that were used at the time that this music was written were very different to those in use today. Our ensemble uses a mix of period instruments, including gut string violins, period keyboards (harpsichord, virginal etc.) lutes, and winds that you have likely never seen before. Guitar and percussion also play an important role. You will hear a variety of sound that you have never experienced before!


Our concerts


Do not expect a symphony concert. Our performances are not the formal affairs that one expects from a symphony concert, opera or classical chamber concert and neither is the music that we perform. In fact, almost all of the music we play predates the idea of a concert! You will certainly not find our musicians performing in suit and tie, so feel free to dress however feels appropriate.

We like to keep our concerts small, it is important to us that we can directly connect with our audiences. We want our audiences to feel like an active part of the event.

Maestro Adam H. Golding always speaks between the musical numbers, providing context and uses the music to weave together a story including anecdotes that range from hilarious to grotesque.

Concerts are usually between 60 and 90 minutes



Reviews

4.9
from 124 reviews
"Hats off to Adam Golding and the African Renaissance Ensemble for putting together and presenting an enterprising, engaging performance of Renaissance instrumental and vocal music. Much of it has probably never been heard in Gauteng or even South Africa before, at least not with an ensemble of this size and typical Renaissance variety of blown, bowed, plucked and struck instruments. And it was a stroke of imagination to incorporate authentic African drumming in the pieces influenced by South American, slave-derived rhythms. But as Skip Sempé (guru and founding director of the pioneering group Capriccio Stravagante Renaissance Orchestra) points out, 'performances of Renaissance dance music ... on "automatic pilot" convey only a weak impression of the repertoire. ... If the listener is not completely carried away by the performance, the "message" of the composition cannot possibly be perceived.' That the audience at yesterday afternoon's Christ Church event was indeed carried away speaks of the success of the group's approach, despite occasional imbalances between voices and instruments -- largely because of the acoustics and physical limitations of the venue which favoured instruments over voices. In time, and with more experience, the performers will surely become even freer in applying improvised decorations in typical Renaissance manner. The future looks bright for this enthusiastic group of musicians in our part of southern Africa. "
- Anonymous
"An evening of splendidly played music that is seldom heard. So much effort put into the concert by the musicians to learn to play different musical instruments. All beautifully presented. Thank you, Adam Golding, and your entire team. A lovely evening. "
- Anonymous
"The concert was extremely enjoyable. The only negative aspect of it was the group's name: African Renaissance Ensemble, which would gladden Thabo Mbeki's heart, but not ours. I doubt that Mbeki's heart knows anything of the High Baroque, but it pumps hell for leather to 'African Renaissance'. "
- Patrick
"Fantastic concert!"
- Cara
"Excellent performances of seldom heard music. The brief introduction to each piece was appreciated. The wine and iced tea likewise. Good to see a young and diverse audience. Looking forward to more events in 2020"
- Jill

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