Strawberry Fields – Handel, Sancho, and English Country Dances

“Ruckus is a big continuo band… that creates these incredibly thick, resonant, groovy textures. They can lean into syncopation and have fun with rhythm games and also approach the melody in a more bass-heavy way.”
– The Strad

New York City’s ensemble Ruckus has a unique and playful approach to the world of early music, drawing inspiration from the groove of American roots music and the rhythm of jazz. The group’s fresh take on English Country Dances from the 18th century, with their gavottes and minuets, presents a pairing of Handel’s music with the British African composer Ignatius Sancho, and a wink to the Beatles’s hit song.

Strawberry Fields is a joyous feast of rustic dances from the 18th century. Featuring Ruckus’ dazzling arrangements of Ignatius Sancho’s 12 Country Dances for the year 1779 and the evergreen trio sonatas of George Frederic Handel, this program will have audiences craving to get on their feet.

Country dances in the 18th-century were among the most available and widely used music of their day, bringing people together through the joyous ritual of social dancing. In Strawberry Fields, our country dances come from Ignatius Sancho: a once-enslaved person living in London in the late 18th-century who, upon gaining his freedom, lived a vibrant life as a shop owner, musician, and abolitionist. Ignatius Sancho is unknown to many today, yet was a crucial figure in London at the end of the 18th century in music and politics alike. He was very likely the first person of African descent to vote in England, and his writings helped ignite the abolitionist movement. He published many compositions, including right at the end of his life, his 12 Country Dances. Originally set for the harpsichord, they are playfully written and set with delightful titles. Ruckus lights these tunes on fire with their infectious energy and colorful arrangements for violin, flute, and big band continuo.