On 19 December at 6:00 p.m., Bauska Castle Museum invites you to a special musical experience: a Christmas concert programme by the early music ensemble “The Playfords”, bringing to life melodies that have travelled through the centuries and continue to captivate audiences with their beauty and the magic of the festive season.

The concert “Nova! Nova!” offers an opportunity to experience Christmas music in its oldest yet surprisingly vibrant form, where timeless serenity, solemn reverence and joyful festive energy come together. Performed by “The Playfords”, these early melodies gain the freedom of improvisation, a playful spirit and a lively stage presence, sounding both authentic and contemporary.

The ensemble will perform European Christmas music dating from the 14th to the 18th centuries, spanning Germany, England, France and Spain. The ancient melodies will be brought to life with the sounds of the Baroque violin, lute, recorders, viola da gamba, percussion and carillon.

The aim of the early music ensemble “The Playfords” is to revive the almost-lost tradition of the improvising musician of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, allowing the music to explore a wide spectrum of Christmas moods—from peaceful restraint to exuberant joy—with a few subtle references to the modern day.