I’m just back from seeing early music ensemble L’Arpeggiata with countertenor Philippe Jaroussky (and cocktails with music biz pals afterwards).

The music: mostly Monteverdi era presented in the ensemble’s period-instrument-with-a-hint-of-folk-blues-and-pop style, plus a few very entertaining encores.

The ensemble: seven instrumentalists dominated by plucked and struck strings, decidedly not Concentus Musicus Wien or anything resembling your daddy’s period instrument orchestra! The sound is more like that of a high baroque gypsy band, and the music of Monteverdi, Murcia and Strozzi is easily adapted to the instrumentation — arguably more comfortably than with a string orchestra. The continuo “body” of the ensemble is director Christina Pluhar on theorbo and guitar, Eero Palviainen on archlute and guitar, and Haru Kitamika on harpsichord and positif. Percussionist David Mayoral and psalterist Margit Übellacker alternated between filling out the instrumental texture and, for lack of better term, jamming out. Two other instrumental soloists, violinist Veronika Skuplik and cornettist Doron Sherwin, strutted some pretty amazing virtuoso solo playing.

Full review to follow @ classicalsource.com