(GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass., and LAKEVILLE, Conn.) – Early European vocal music will be showcased in Renaissance Treasures Unearthed at St. James Place in Great Barrington on Friday, May 19, at 6pm, and Trinity Lime Rock in Lakeville, Conn., on Sunday, May 21 at 4pm, as part of the Crescendo music series. Crescendo’s Vocal Ensemble and period instrument specialists will perform works by early Italian and German composers.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, influential churches such as the northern German church, St. Mary’s in Lübeck, kept a large number of scores of many composers’ music for use by their choirs. Two centuries later, in 1814, the church gave its choir library to the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna. Much of this repertoire was forgotten, “sitting in drawers gathering dust,” until, a few years ago, the distinguished music scholar Dr. Kerala Snyder, while researching a book, found this collection. Snyder catalogued the scores for performance use and published the catalog in 2015. Snyder has collaborated with Crescendo artistic director Christine Gevert in the design of this concert program.

Crescendo’s Vocal Ensemble, soprano Jennifer Tyo, tenor Christopher Sokolowski and period instrument specialists, including the highly-regarded Boston-based viola da gamba player Jane Hershey and baroque violinist Yi-Li Chang, will perform works by early Italian and German composers such as Giovanni Rovetta, Paolo Quagliati, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Heinrich Schütz, Jacobus Handl, and Dietrich Buxtehude. Christine Gevert will conduct and accompany from the organ.

Tickets are $30 general seating, $50 preferential seating and $10 for youth under 18 years of age. For more information, go to Crescendo or call 860.435.4866.