Alkemie | June 11

In this concert, Alkemie performs 13th-century trouvère songs, dances, and motets—the majority of which have never before been recorded, and several of which were transcribed by the ensemble from their original manuscripts. Continuing the tradition of the troubadours, the trouvères of Northern France wrote some of the most captivating vocal music of the 13th century. Their songs of public and private adoration wove together allusions both sacred and secular, creating mystical and spicy meditations on love and longing, punctuated by repeating refrains that recur across songs and texts.

Alkemie reimagines these courtly love lyrics (which often embody misogynist and limiting ideals of feminine beauty) for our time, transforming songs typically sung for and written by men into passionate evocations by female singers. The lush musical textures are equally informed by historical performance practice, bluegrass, old time, and Celtic music, creating an alien yet familiar soundscape that bridges the past and present.

Founded in 2013 and based in Brooklyn, Alkemie transports us to the enchanting world of medieval court and folk music, committed to dismantling the barriers that have traditionally separated these two domains. Comprised of singer-performers playing over a dozen instruments (including vielles, harps, psaltery, gittern, recorders, douçaines, and percussion), the ensemble is grounded in historical performance practice, fed by a love of experimentation, and passionate about exploring and celebrating the vibrant and timeless sounds of the past. Alkemie curated, composed, and recorded music for the video game Pentiment, and will be releasing multiple new albums in the 2023–24 season including the much-anticipated "A Fine Companion," a collaborative endeavor with sister ensemble, Freelance Nun.