Classically Trained – the Art of Historically Informed Performance

One of the most enjoyable things about being in Europe and specifically living in Italy, is that you are right in the middle of a culture that is heavily into the arts. Say what you will about the country’s politics, inflation or unemployment, but don’t say anything about the culture’s support of the arts – to include everything from drawing, sculpture and music.

Speaking of music, one of the more popular forms of music that is once again getting a popular reception is called H.I.P. or Historically Informed Performance. A recent H.I.P. performance at Brindisi’s Cinema Impero (check out the AC archives for a brief description) by the Baroque Gruppo Leccese shined a spotlight on how accurate and detail oriented a Historically Informed Performance is. The uninitiated patron sitting in the audience may be wondering if perhaps something’s not quite right: there’s no thumping backbeat, no flashy pyrotechnics, no screeching lead guitar. Instead, a wave of musical instruments washes over the audience. Some sounds are familiar yet there are others you’ve never heard before. Classical music being played as it was meant to be. That’s the point of an Historically Informed performance. H.I.P. is not just a matter of tasking a group of musicians and dressing them up in powdered wigs. Nope, the instruments are just as they were 200 years ago or perhaps even longer. As inventive and original approach to the genre that uses historically appropriate instruments and performance styles of specific eras. It’s classical music’s attempt to keep early music in the public eye.

The whole idea behind a historically informed performance – which is also refered to as ‘early music” – is one of authenticity and integrity. It’s an effort of performing the work as the composer intended. The audience will never know for sure exactly what the original composer intended. All we can be sure of is that the work is being performed with original instruments and that at least creates a unique sound.

Some of the most popular instruments used in H.I.P. are the same ones popular in the 1700 and 1800’s. Primarily the harpsichord, the viol, the recorder and the lute.

The Historically Informed Performance can be traced back to 19th century London, when instrument maker and performer Arnold Dolmetsch championed the cause of “keeping touch” with not only the musical classics but performing them as they once were in order to maintain the integrity of the music.

A segue to the modern-day movement towards “historically informed performance” is rooted in Amsterdam, Basel, and Vienna, where, shortly after the Second World War, a group of musicians addressed themselves to reinventing music of the past, and specifically of the Baroque. Not just copying it, but performing it on the instruments of that time and in as true a style as possible.

Far more than just performing, HIP covers the gamut of musical styles from Gregorian chant to the music of Beethoven, from the exotic to the more familiar. From the baroque violin to the harpsichord to the piano. HIP’s span a millennium. It’s been estimated that more than 1,000 HIP ensembles all over the globe give just as many or more performances each season to millions of listeners.

The H.I.P. phenomenon is beng embraced in the United States as well. One of the best examples is an organization called “SoHIP” which is a non-profit Boston-based organization which sponsors a summer early music concert series and is committed to promoting the performing opportunities for musical ensembles of high quality in the New England region and to help these groups promote their activities and produce concerts in local communities. There has also been a renaissance in H.I.P. schools that specialize in early music. Check out www.earlymusichicago.org for more information.

Getting back to Brindisi and the performance at the Cinema Impero – I certainly don’t claim to known much about Beethoven or Bach. I couldn’t tell you the difference between a harpsichord and a piano. But I can tell you that seeing music performed in this way has it’s own sence of magic.

What was nice to see was that there were as many individuals 25 years and younger as there was 40 years and older. Which reinforces what I already knew: that ALL music is cool if it’s just presented in the right way.

And seeing the music performed this way is certainly gaining new listeners while not losing old ones.