Harmonizing the Past and Present
 
The debut album of Laudonia, Scotland's Dynamic Baroque Ensemble, and award-winning soprano Susan Hamilton is taking you on a trip through Europe celebrating the musical journey of Sir John Clerk of Penicuik.
 
Clerk, a significant figure in Scottish history, made a Grand Tour through Europe in the 1690s, and this unique program for soprano, trumpet, strings, and bass continuo brings to life the music he may have heard on his travels. Featuring works by composers Clerk met and studied with, including his emotional cantata Leo Scotiae Irritatus, Corelli's passionate violin sonata in D minor La Follia, and Rosenmüller's ethereal concerto for voice, trumpet, and strings O Felicissimus Paradysi, this project highlights how Clerk's journey through Europe influenced some of the best music of its time to come out of Scotland. Despite a fire that destroyed much of Clerk's musical output, his surviving five vocal cantatas are a testament to his talent as a composer, making this tour a celebration of his musical legacy.