EARLY MUSIC: Lutenist Daniel Swenberg, new artistic director of the Dryden Ensemble, is among the musicians on the program Sunday, March 16 at Princeton Theological Seminary.

The Dryden Ensemble returns with its new artistic director, Daniel Swenberg, in a program entitled “En Concert: The Marvelous Mr. Meusel “ on Sunday, March 16 at 4 p.m. at the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel, 64 Mercer Street. Admission is free, though donations will be accepted.

In the early 18th century, lute and harpsichord players would often arrange and expand their solo repertoire for an ensemble.  This genre or approach to repertoire is known as playing “En Concert.”  The melody lines of a plucked-instrument solo piece would be doubled by a violin, oboe, or flute and the bass line would be reinforced by a cello or viola da gamba.

“En Concert: The Marvelous Mr. Meusel” explores this “en concert” approach, featuring music from the court of Louis XIV (Couperin and DeVisée), the salons of London (Dieupart), and the palaces of Germany (Meusel and Bach).  Gottfried Meusel was the lutenist at the court of Gotha.  While he enjoyed the esteem of his colleagues, his early death resulted in his name being lost to history. His concerti for lute, flute, gamba, and continuo will have their American premieres. Flutist Taya König-Tarasevich joins Dryden Ensemble players Daniel Swenberg, lute, Lisa Terry, bass viol, and Webb Wiggins, harpsichord.

The season continues at the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel on Saturday, April 19 at 4 p.m. when the ensemble presents “Baroque Passion: Music for Holy Week,” featuring soprano Clara Rottsolk in sacred arias by Bach and Ferrandini for obbligato violas da gamba, and lute.

Visit drydenensemble.org for more information.