(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Have you ever wondered what Christmas sounded like hundreds of years ago?
WBBM got an answer from a Northwestern music scholar who discovered ancient carols from Latin America for the first time in hundreds of years, music from the 16th and 17th century Mexico will be interpreted and performed for a Chicago audience.
“The last time that it was a performed, you know, have been 300 years ago. It's really incredible.”
You could call Paul Feller-Simmons, a musical archaeologist of sorts. He says he rediscovered the music from indigenous Mayans when he was doing some digging through manuscripts at Indiana University.
“We are very lucky to have this material, especially the Mayan manuscripts are the earliest, it's the earliest music that we know that was written down, notated by indigenous musicians at all.”
The music will be performed as part of the Newbury Library's concert and its annual Latin American Christmas concerts this weekend. There will also be a matinee at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen.
A concert on Saturday will take place at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Evanston at 7:30 p.m.
The concert at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen takes place at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
More information about the concerts can be found on the Newbury Library’s website.
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