The term Collegium Musicum typically signifies a small ensemble with a focus on early music. Thus, the repertoire comes from the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque. This is a massive repertoire, of course, including such major genres as: liturgical and secular monophony; the madrigals of England and Italy; the “part-songs” of various European countries; the chanson (and its numerous offshoots); the polyphonic Mass; early and late motets; and various idioms of solo song.

In addition, we have in the past explored some rare musics from later eras and with long historical roots: folk repertoire, shape-note singing and other hymnody.

In a rehearsal / study environment topics such as the following are explored:

• The relationship of language and music; text-setting and archaic forms of major languages of the era(s).
• Varying forms of musical notation, with some work from original examples.
• Changes in metric constructs; unbarred music and the phrase; language / poetry as a force in rhythmic shape.
• Performance practice: including variable instrumentation, the approach to basic sound, questions of pitch-standard; intabulation; the “ayre” as solo vs. ensemble vocal medium; issues of transposition; original context / objectives of particular compositions; issues of “authenticity.”
• The complex issues of musica ficta, and the intricate interplay of modality / tonality.
• Constant review of harmonic scheme and phrase structure, as an aid in sight-reading, interpretation and comprehension.
• Working in unfamiliar clefs; related issues of transcription.
• Issues of balance, sound mass and tuning in early music.