THE HARP CONSORT, DIRECTED BY ANDREW LAWRENCE-KING, AT 
ST. PHILIP'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, MARCH 18, 1997.

     The Mississippi Academy of Ancient Music presented The Harp Consort
for the final concert of the 1996-97 season.  Members of the group
included Andrew Lawrence-King, director, Irish harp, and psaltery; 
Caitriona O'Leary, voice; Steve Player, dancer, gittern, and guitar;
Nancy Hadden, flutes and recorder; David Douglas, violin and fiddle;
Pat O'Brien, bandora and guitar; Paul O'Dette, theorbo and cittern;
and Pedro Estevan, percussion.  The program, entitled "Carolan's Harp",
featured instrumental pieces and songs by Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738),
itinerant harpist, poet, and the most famous of the Irish bards.  
     As detailed in the program notes, O'Carolan's music shows the 
influences of contemporary Italian composers, 17th-century French
dances, as well as dances from the Renaissance and Medieval periods,
all of which he blended with elements from his own Gaelic/Irish heritage.
 These diverse elements give a dynamic quality to the music, and it
seemed as if the performers were just as inspired by the music this
evening.  Some of the pieces featured solo instruments:  "The Fairy 
Queen", a solemn piece for harp; "Carolan's Rambles", a flute solo with
ornamental improvisations on each variation; and "Sir Arthur Sheane and
Mr. Daniel Kelly", a theorbo solo; while others featured mixed ensembles 
with or without the singer. The full ensemble displayed a high energy
level while performing "Planxty Connor", "Bumper Squire Jones", and
"Miss MacDermott", which had a piercingly loud introduction played on
the Irish whistle.
     The evening's most moving and emotional point occurred during the
final section of the program, which contained a group of pieces whose
hemes were about the final days and death of O'Carolan.  The lights
began to darken as Paul O'Dette performed "O Flin" on the cittern.
This was followed by "Carolan's Cup"; then "Carolan's Farewell to Music",
a harp solo; and then by "Seperation of Soul and Body", a beautiful
flute solo.  But, not wanting to end on such a somber note, the Consort
chose "Carolan's Favorite Jigg" as a boisterous encore (which probably
would have been O'Carolan's choice, too!).
     For many seasons the Mississippi Academy of Ancient Music has been
bringing to the Jackson area some of the finest ensembles and singers
who perform repetiore mainly from the Renaissance, Baroque, and Medieval
periods, and certainly The Harp Consort is no exception.  The Academy
would like to thank all those who helped make this concert a success,
and urge you to continue your support and participation to insure more of
the same for the 1997-98 season.

-Frank T. Laney