Four people standing together indoors, two holding musical instruments, with a large window revealing a scenic landscape in the background.

Tippet Rise Recording

Dec 9, 2024

Baroque Music Montana has a new album in the works.  Recording has wrapped up after three glorious days in November at Tippet Rise Arts Center. Rehearsals took place at Carrie Krause’s Bozeman home in the foothills of the Hyalite mountains, and concerts of the material were held in Bozeman, Helena, and Billings, just prior to making the journey to Tippet Rise on November 22.

I Melt Like Snow in the Sun of Your Beauty is a followup to BaMM’s 2023 debut album Sonata Tramontana, the first on period instruments ever recorded in Montana. That album featured the duo of Carrie on baroque violin and John on theorbo playing 17th century sonatas from the Prussian Alps. This new album is more ambitious, with an ensemble of four musicians. Its title comes from the lyrics of the album’s final track, by Monteverdi.

Those who know BaMM will be familiar with the artist lineup. Leading the charge in designing the repertoire and concept for the album is Seattle-based lutenist John Lenti, a star amongst continuo players recognized for the richness, verve, and variety of his strumming as well as his gracious humor. Here he plays the theorbo, a giant lute. Nate Helgeson is known for his bassoon chops, groove, and adoration of the French Baroque. On this album, he plays the dulcian, a precursor to the bassoon. Portland-based soprano Arwen Meyers is beloved amongst musicians and audiences for her relatable sincerity and humor as well as her “crystalline tone and delicate passagework” (San Francisco Chronicle). Baroque violinist Carrie Krause is founder and artistic director of BaMM and concertmaster of the Bozeman Symphony.

I Melt Like Snow in the Sun of Your Beauty draws on some of the most passionate music of the early 1600s—sacred and profane—for voice and instruments. Included are works by Merula, Monteverdi, Palestrina, Marini, Selma y Salaverde, and others. This effort will not only continue BaMM’s outreach to bring this unique music to Montanans but will also contribute to the early music and music recording canon given the unusual repertoire and rare, compelling instrumentation.

Tippet Rise Arts Center sits in 12,000 acres of working ranch land near Fishtail, Montana, with stunning views of the Beartooth Mountains and abundant wildlife. It is home to large-scale contemporary outdoor sculptures and concert spaces that host classical chamber music with internationally acclaimed artists. (In addition to concerts and special events, visitors are encouraged to explore the landscape and view the sculptures by foot, bike, or van.)

BaMM performed two concerts on Tippet Rise’s summer series, with Carrie, John, and Nate playing 17th century music by Italian, German, and Spanish composers in September. Independent of this, BaMM was also invited to record their second at Tippet Rise. This marks the first time period instruments have been recorded at Tippet Rise and the first time a local group has been invited.

Producer Ingrid Matthews and recording engineer Jeremiah Slovarp and the Tippet Rise engineering team worked with the musicians in the Olivier Music Barn, a setting with unparalleled acoustics. The group was in great hands with Ingrid, an extraordinary baroque violinist herself, who made sure that the basics of ensemble and intonation were covered. She is also familiar with the specific style of each composer and piece and with the intricacies and capabilities of each instrument and voice.

“It’s a rare world where your needs are instantly met, and it’s awesome” said Carrie about recording at Tippet Rise. “Nate’s bocal [the crook of the instrument] needed Teflon tape, John’s foot pedal [to turn pages on a tablet] ran out of batteries, the wooden platform I was standing on squeaked. All were magically fixed within minutes by the amazing crew at Tippet Rise.”

There was some leisure time to enjoy their gorgeous setting. Carrie was able to get out for a few hours of trail adventure to the upper sculptures on the morning of the middle day. “It had just snowed and the quiet, raw prairie with these amazing huge sculptures popping up from a turn of a coulee or ridge line was a running commentary on the purpose of art in nature,” she said. The group departed on November 25.

Next steps are to get the 296 tracks from Jeremiah and listen to the raw takes to make a base from which the other musicians can listen. This will be done during the winter holidays. The album will be released some time in 2025.

Funding to meet the $25,000 budget for I Melt Like Snow in the Sun of Your Beauty came from a private donor, an honorarium from Tippet Rise, concert income, and our Kickstarter backers.  For these funds, we are most grateful.

A snowy rural landscape featuring two wooden barns under a clear blue sky with a distant sculpture.Recording studio with wooden walls, large window, microphones, and stands on a wooden floor. Stage lighting is visible above.Two people adjust microphone stands in a recording studio with sheet music visible in the foreground.Three people sitting at a wooden table in a kitchen. They are smiling and have drinks. The kitchen has wooden cabinetry and shelves with plates. A bag of cookies is on the table.Snow-covered path leading to a barn under a blue sky, with a person in the distance near some trees.A woman stands singing into a microphone, while a man seated next to her plays a lute in a wooden recording studio surrounded by microphones and audio equipment.A person wearing a colorful beanie stands on a snowy trail in a grassy field with two large metal sculptures in the background.A trio of musicians perform outdoors, featuring a violinist, a lute player, and a recorder player. Spectators are visible in the foreground.Wooden structure with circular benches covered in snow, surrounded by a snowy landscape and leafless trees under a clear sky.Two men in a recording studio observe musicians performing on a large screen, with sound equipment in the foreground.Two people in plaid jackets stand on a snowy path with bare trees and hills in the background. One person gives a thumbs-up.A group of six people stand together in a wooden-floored room with recording equipment. One person holds a lute-like instrument.