A painting titled "Euterpe, The Muse of music and lyric poetry" by Simon Vouet, 17th century painter. It shows a women draped in classic clothing with a wreath of flowers on her head. In her left hand she is holding a flute.

THE museS' Delight

historically informed performance ensemble

Euterpe, The Muse of music and lyric poetry

by Simon Vouet, 17th century

“sensitive and beautiful expression”

“the interpretation by The Muses' Delight of this exhilarating music – electric”

Andrian Pertout, Classikon

“effortless mastery and high energy”

“straight from the hearts of the players to the hearts of the audience”

Bronwen Whyatt, Classic Melbourne

Charming audiences since 2017, The Muses’ Delight are one of Australia’s premier historically informed chamber ensembles.

Based in Melbourne and led by traverso (aka historical flute/s) player Meredith Beardmore, the ensemble is serious about historically informed performance practice. Time travellers at heart, they believe that using period instruments and informed practices provides exciting new ways to discover fresh and interesting sonic possibilities. Their rigorous historical approach is coupled with intelligent programming and a warm and inviting performance manner.

Exploring music from the 17th to 19th centuries, Meredith is joined by a range of talented period performers. The Muses’ Delight have performed to sold out audiences on their debut tour to regional NSW and VIC, have been guest artists at the Peninsula Festival, performed at intimate house concerts and internationally at the Urbino Early Music Festival in Italy. The Muses' Delight made their Melbourne Recital Centre debut early in 2022.

Composers and artists from the 17th and 18th centuries were inspired by the ancient Greek and Roman gods, and our name is a nod to this tradition. However, we dedicate our name to the women in this mythology, the nine muses, and in particular, Euterpe, the muse of music and whose name literally translates as the “giver of much delight”. The Muses’ Delight aims to not only please the muses, but of course, you our audience!

A photo of Meredith Beardmore amongst verdent, green ferns and trees. She is wearing a tie die top and a long black skirt.

CONCERTS

2023 concerts

A photo of Meredith Beardmore playing flute and Peter Hagen playing harpsichord. The background is dark.

Equal Voices

Meredith Beardmore (flute), Peter Hagen (harpsichord)

A program of intimate and challenging works that showcase a true musical dialogue between the flute and harpsichord. Towards the end of the Baroque period, many composers started to write obbligato sonatas. Obbligato sonatas are an exploration of the various styles of Baroque music and the emotional resonances of genres from joyful to melancholic. Rather than accompanying the instrumentalist, the harpsichordist’s right hand plays a line on an equal footing with the soloist. The Baroque tradition of rhetoric resulted in music that expressed intense feelings and passions to move an audience. The composer would draw inspiration from speech-like patterns in an attempt to ‘make music talk’. This concept is perfectly encapsulated in these sonatas where the two voices are intertwined. Join The Muses’ Delight as they present some of these fascinating works, with a focus on JS Bach, who wrote some of the best-known obbligato sonatas.

6pm Tuesday 21 February 2023

Primrose Potter Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre

4pm Sunday 22 October

Broadford Salon, Broadford 3658