Join us for an evening with Benjamin Bagby. Bagby, a founder of the medieval music ensemble Sequentia, will discuss the process of storytelling with voice and harp.
As a performer, Benjamin Bagby is interested in the intersection between the human voice (words formed into a metrically-structured text expressing emotions and actions) and the harp, an instrument played by the vocalist, which provides modal structure, a multitude of subtle rhythmic impulses, and various possibilities for commentary and accompaniment. If the instrument itself is to play an essential role in the performance -- which it certainly did a thousand years ago -- then the performer must consider the ways in which six strings, five fingers and one voice can achieve a unique personal synergy to tell a story.
Bagby will discuss the origins of the harp and the tuning of the instrument itself: how can we make informed hypotheses about the ways in which such an instrument might be tuned? What should our decisions be based upon? What medieval sources can we consult? How do our decisions dictate the musical sound of the performance which results? He will examine several of the harp tunings which he currently uses in his performances, to reveal how these impact the resulting sound.
Co-hosted by the School of Music and Early Music in Columbus, who are hosting the Sequentia ensemble on Sunday, October 8. You can find more information and tickets here.
This event is free and open to the public. Find parking at the Arps garage or the Ohio Union North garage.
Biography
Vocalist, harper and medievalist Benjamin Bagby has been an important figure in the field of medieval musical performance for over 40 years. Since 1977, when he and the late Barbara Thornton co-founded Sequentia, his time has been almost entirely devoted to the research, performance and recording work of the ensemble. Mr. Bagby is also deeply involved with the solo performance of Anglo-Saxon and Germanic oral poetry: his acclaimed performance Beowulf has been heard worldwide and was released as a DVD in 2007. In 2017, he was awarded the Artist of the Year Award by REMA, the European Early Music Network. In addition to researching and creating over 75 programs for Sequentia, Mr. Bagby has published widely, writing about medieval performance practice; as a guest lecturer and professor, he has taught courses and workshops all over Europe and North America. He currently teaches medieval music performance at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany.
The Humanities Institute and its related centers host a wide range of events, from intense discussions of works in progress to cutting-edge presentations from world-known scholars, artists, activists and everything in between.
We value in-person engagement at our events as we strive to amplify the energy in the room. But we also recognize the fact that not all our guests will be able to visit our space. Zoom access will be available to this event upon request. If you wish to have such access, or you'd like to request alternative accommodation at the event, please send your request to Connor Behm: behm.42@osu.edu.
