Grace Notes: Boundaries and Transgression in Early Music

Abstract

What does it mean to be an elite classical musician? Especially one working in the early music area. This conversation reflects on the balance of grace and grit in the working life of Australian violinist Aaron Brown. It explores his pushing the limits and the unusual relationship to time and tradition that is a feature of accessing and interpreting music from the past. A phenomenology of grace is found in the detailed and focused work of Brown’s approach to his art. The delight and ‘grace’ experienced by the listener to a work such as Merula’s Ciaconna is based on Brown’s meticulous attention to detail in a modern studio far from the early music imaginary.