Wit and Mirth

Nocturnalia Ensemble presents 17th-century folk tunes preserved by Playford, a rarely heard trio sonata by Gottfried Finger, and the modern premiere of a violin sonata by William Viner, unheard since the early 18th century, alongside works by Henry Purcell, Matthew Locke and Nicola Matteis.

Taking as its title Wit and Mirth, or Pills to Purge Melancholy (1698), from the celebrated song collection by Thomas D'Urfey, the pieces reveal a lively dialogue between art music and dance traditions. In the same spirit, may this concert serve as a small pill against melancholy.