May 9, 2008 -
Tage Alter Musik Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany (with the Baltimore Consort)
June 1, 2008 -
Easton, Maryland (solo)
June 7, 2008 -
Bethlehem Guitar Festival, Bethlehem, PA (solo)
June 22-27, 2008 -
Lute Society of America Summer Seminar, Cleveland, OH
July 11, 2008 -
Indianapolis, IN (with the Baltimore Consort)
July 12, 2008 -
Indianapolis, IN (children's concert with the Baltimore Consort)
August 13-17, 2008 -
Recording session with the Baltimore Consort
October 17, 2008 -
Juneau, AK (with the Baltimore Consort)
October 19, 2008 -
Fairbanks, AK (with the Baltimore Consort)
November 7, 2008 -
Melbourne, FL (with the Baltimore Consort)
January 9, 2009 -
Spartansburg, SC (solo)
July 10, 2009 -
Spartansburg, SC (with Chris Norman and David Greenberg)
I was born with twin passions for classical and popular music. By the time I first took up the lute, I had already worked both as a classical guitarist and a rock musician. It seemed impossible to reconcile these two musical lives I was leading. But I found that with the lute and its music my love for classical and popular music were finally joined together.
The lute's music has a strong popular and folk element. It seems that the popular music of each century has much in common: strong rhythms, uncomplicated melodies, a refreshing directness of expression and the opportunity for on-the-spot improvisation. The lute was often used to accompany dancing. Some of the lute's most rhythmically compelling music originated as dance music.
On the classical side, the first thing to strike a listener is the poetry of the lute's sound. Its tone is shaped by subtle shadings of the fingertips, creating a wide palette of tone colors. The moods and emotions of the music are expressed through direct contact between fingers and strings.I have always seen the lute as a spiritual instrument: one that can take its listeners into a finer, more delicate and beautiful world. Indeed, sixteenth century listeners seem to have had the same thought. The greatest Renaissance masters of the lute were credited with having semi-divine powers to move the souls of their listeners. The legendary Francesco da Milano is described in an old account as lifting his listeners into a "divine frenzy," then gently returning their earthly senses once again.
In the lute's repertory, there is no strong dividing line between classical, popular and folk music. Particularly in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, these happily existed side by side, often blending popular and classical elements together in the same piece.
My own first two decades of playing the lute were spent exclusively performing music of the past. As my own love and respect for the lute deepened over the years, I realized that the lute is in instrument capable of communicating in a variety of musical languages. Its natural ability to express emotional nuance, and its fine palette of tine colors make it an ideal vehicle for musical expression of our own time.
Historically, the lute player and the composer of lute music were one and the same - there was no gulf between performer and composer. For the past several years I have devoted myself to reviving the old tradition of the lutenist -composer. As in lute music of the Renaissance, many of these new pieces tread the line between popular, folk and classical music. Some of my works draw heavily on Renaissance and Baroque styles, while others are expressed in a completely modern idiom.
Solo Recordings
The Art of the Lute
This compilation, chosen by Ronn McFarlane, draws on tracks from Highland King, A Distant Shore, Between Two Hearts, The Renaissance Lute, The Lute Music of John Dowland and The Scottish Lute.
Highland King
This collection of 17th century Scottish lute music includes pieces from the Rowallan Lute Book, The Wemyss Lute Book and the Balcarres
Lute Book.
Between Two Hearts
Renaissance dances for lute. Includes music of Joanambrosio Dalza, Pierre Attaingnant , Cesare Negri, Hans Newsidler, Hans Judenkunig, Jean Baptiste Besard, Pietro Paolo Borrono and Vicenzo Capirola. Mark Cudek joins Ronn McFarlane on two lute duets (Saltarello and Piva) by Dalza.
Between Two Hearts
Renaissance dances for lute. Includes music of Joanambrosio Dalza, Pierre Attaingnant , Cesare Negri, Hans Newsidler, Hans Judenkunig, Jean Baptiste Besard, Pietro Paolo Borrono and Vicenzo Capirola. Mark Cudek joins Ronn McFarlane on two lute duets (Saltarello and Piva) by Dalza.
The Renaissance Lute
Lute music by Anonymous, Adrian LeRoy, William Byrd, John Dowland, Hans Judenkunig, Hans Newsidler, Luys de Narvaez, Luis Milan, Francesco da Milano, Robert Ballard, Joanambrosio Dalza.
The Lute Music of John Dowland
This disc features fantasias, dances, ballad settings and variations by the pre-eminent lutenist-composer of the Elizabethan age.
The Scottish Lute
Lute and mandora music of seventeenth century Scotland from The Rowallan Lute Book, The Straloch Lute Book, The Pickering Lute Book and The Skine Mandora Book.
Lute Song Recordings
The Italian Lute Song
with Julianne Baird, soprano. Includes lute songs and solos by Anonymous, Giussepe del Biabo, Pietro Paolo Borrono, Franciscus Bossinensis, Guilio Caccini, Marchetto Cara, Giacomo Carissimi, Girolamo Frescobaldi, Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger, Claudio Monteverdi, Cesare Negri, Josquin des Prez and Bartolomeo Tromboncino.
O Mistress Mine
A collection of English lute songs with Frederick Urrey, tenor. Songs by Dowland, Morley, Campion and Rosseter.
Greensleeves
A collection of English lute songs with Julianne Baird, soprano. Includes music by Anonymous, Thomas Campion, Michael Cavendish, John Dowland, Alfonso Ferrabosco, Anthony Holborne, Nicholas Lanier, Thomas Morley and Phillip Rosseter.
Recordings with The Baltimore Consort
The English Lute Song
with Julianne Baird, soprano. Songs by John Dowland, Robert Johnson, Thomas Morley, Nicholas Lanier, Alfonso Ferrabosco, John Wilson, Thomas Brewer, William Webb, Anonymous.
Adew Dundee
Early Music of Scotland
The Mad Buckgoat
Ancient Music of Ireland
The Ladyes Delight
Entertainment Music of Elizabethan England
Tunes from the Attic
A 15th Anniversary Celebration
A Trip to Kilburn
Playford Tunes and their Ballads
Bright Day Star
Music for the Yuletide Season: Old Carols and Dance Tunes from the British Isles, Germany and Appalachia
The Art of the Bawdy Song
with the Merry Companions
A Baltimore Consort Collection
Contains the CDs, La Rocque ‘n’ Roll, Watkin’s Ale and On the Banks of Helicon in a boxed set.
La Rocque ‘n’ Roll
Popular Music of Renaissance France
Watkin’s Ale
Music of the English Renaissance
Ballad Recordings with Custer LaRue and Members of The Baltimore Consort
On the Banks of Helicon
Early Music from Scotland
Amazing Grace
Spiritual Folk Songs of Early Americas
The True Lover's Farewell
Appalachian Folk Ballads
Video (published by Mel Bay Pulications, Inc.)
Custer LaRue Sings the Daemon Lover
Traditional Ballads and Songs of England, Scotland and America
Ronn McFarlane – Contemporary Lute Virtuoso
In this video performance, Ronn McFarlane plays a number of his own compositions for lute as well as music of the 16th and 17th centuries. He also briefly describes the lute’s history and playing technique.
Books (published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc.)
Highland King
Companion to the Highland King CD. Contains Scottish lute music from the 17th century, transcribed in standard modern guitar notation. The pull-out folio for lute includes French tablature for lutes in three tunings: Renaissance tuning for pieces from The Rowallan Lute Book, 10-course lute in Sharp tuning for pieces from The Wemyss Lute Book, and 11-course lute in d minor tuning for pieces from The Balcarres Lute Book.
The Scottish Lute
This is the companion book of music to The Scottish Lute CD (Dorian Recordings, DOR-90129) It offers the same 56 tunes transcribed in standard modern guitar notation. The book also includes a pull-out folio of the original French lute tablature.
Hey Ronn, register at www.createaconcert.com for FREE to get some college concerts. We're here to help bands like you get way more grassroots exposure.
Let me know if you have any questions, I will personally respond to all myspace messages/wallposts.
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 2 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): WALKABOUT WITH MY PEN
Once drove an old sedan, up north, From a place in Sydney to Cairns; Then to Kuranda I went forth, By train, to look without set plans.
I browsed through the trendy market, With fresh fruits of tropical kind; Walked to the creek through lush thicket - Nature’s hand giving peace of mind.
I dined in a scenic cafe; Then, outside, as I wrote for yen, Some passing Kooris called-out: “Hey, You go walkabout with your pen.”
Request or question, I don’t know - Assured voices, elderly men. That’s now several years ago, And I’ve seen the world - with my pen.
WE ARE VERY SAD... WE DON'T HAVE WORDS TO SAY ANYMORE... OUR SINGER AND DOBRO PLAYER ENRICO MICHELETTI IS DEAD. GOODBYE ENRICO KEEP THE BLUES ALIVE WHEREVER YOU ARE!!!!
Ron, thanks for the add and of course the wonderful lute playing. Bravo my friend. Please stop by my page for a listen. Regards, Nicholas Schuller - Classical Guitarist
I was kissed by an angle. Feel this way of Blues.
Hey Ronn, register at www.createaconcert.com for FREE to get some college concerts. We're here to help bands like you get way more grassroots exposure.
Let me know if you have any questions, I will personally respond to all myspace messages/wallposts.
-Varun
Founder, Createaconcert.com
(Hi: enjoyed my visit.)
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 2 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse
(please see my blog):
WALKABOUT WITH MY PEN
Once drove an old sedan, up north,
From a place in Sydney to Cairns;
Then to Kuranda I went forth,
By train, to look without set plans.
I browsed through the trendy market,
With fresh fruits of tropical kind;
Walked to the creek through lush thicket -
Nature’s hand giving peace of mind.
I dined in a scenic cafe;
Then, outside, as I wrote for yen,
Some passing Kooris called-out: “Hey,
You go walkabout with your pen.”
Request or question, I don’t know -
Assured voices, elderly men.
That’s now several years ago,
And I’ve seen the world - with my pen.
(C) David Franks 2003
THANK YOU FOR THE ADD!!
Still from three screen installation UTOPIA by Tom Estes
Hello
Thanks for the friendship!And thanks for your music,which open ears to luth'smusic
Hello Ronn,
Thank you very much for the add;
Lute music remains a great source of inspiration for me.
Cheers.
J.F.
Dear Ronn,
thank you for your friendship and love music!
All the best from Czech Republic
Fast fingers!!!
Štěpán Rak
Hi Ronn McFarlane
WE ARE NOW ONLINE WITH OURS CDS.
THIS IS THE SIGNAL THAT THE LIFE GOES ON.
WE WANT TO GO ON...
AND SO IN THE MEMORY OF A FRIEND THAT WE'LL NEVER FORGET HERE WE ARE:
ROOTS CONNECTION "ANIMYSTIC"
OUR SECOND LP .
(PHISICALLY ONLY IN ITALY FROM THE 1TH OF APRIL 2009).
IT'S ENRICO MICHELETTI LAST WILL.
ROOTS CONNECTION - 2003
OUR FIRST ALBUM.
IT'S A MEETING BETWEEN DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND DIFFERENT KIND OF MUSIC.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
KEEP THE BLUES ALIVE!
GOD BLESS YOU!!!!
Thank you for adding me. I've selected Indigo ... as one of my public playlist pieces, thanks!
Christina
..New Songs from the Upcoming Album
"VERSATILE TALES"
from ARNDT BANDER
+++++++NOW ON MY SPACE+++++++
NOW ON MY SPACE
CLICK HERE
..
Feliz Año 2009 – Happy New Year
Meilleurs Voeux pour 2009
Doroteo Arnáiz “Greco-Permutable 1” Aquatinta 1972
http://www. doroteoarnaiz. com
MyNiceSpace. com
Christmas Myspace Comments
Many Blessings,
Lilyth
WE ARE VERY SAD...
WE DON'T HAVE WORDS TO SAY ANYMORE...
OUR SINGER AND DOBRO PLAYER ENRICO MICHELETTI
IS DEAD.
GOODBYE ENRICO
KEEP THE BLUES ALIVE WHEREVER YOU ARE!!!!
ENRICO MICHELETTI
Bluesman
(1951-2008)
Still love to listen to you, looking forward to next CD.
Thank you so much for friendship. I feel very happy:-)
Thanks for your friendship.
Wonderful playing, and great looking page!
/TDM
HI Ronn McFarlane
THANX TO BE FRIENDS
KEEP THE BLUES ALIVE
WE TRY TOO
SALUTI DA REGGIO EMILIA !
Merci de nous compter parmi vos amis. En espérant vous voir un jour à Paris. D'ici là, bonne continuation.
Thanks you very much for being friend of Apsara. It's a honour to have you in MySpace list. Best wishes
Hi Ronn,
Greetings from Vancouver, Canada. I have one of your Cd's and love it. You are a true artist.
best wishes,
Don
Dear Ronn
you're Welcome,Bravo,,,
nice to meet you
salam from Pars-Bagdad ,
AMITIES
WWW. FWZYMUSIC. COM
Ron, thanks for the add and of course the wonderful lute playing. Bravo my friend. Please stop by my page for a listen. Regards, Nicholas Schuller - Classical Guitarist
thank you so much for the add!!!!!