THE 2018 York Early Music Festival will take the theme of Power & Politics across 400 years of history from the medieval Popes to the time of Beethoven.

Rowing against the tide of Brexit, the focus will be on Europe from July 6 to 14, when the festival will interweave international artists with emerging professionals from across Europe and the National Centre for Early Music's home-grown Minster Minstrels in a 10-day extravaganza of concerts, workshops and lectures.

"This year's theme, Power & Politics, is one of the most seductive, intoxicating and pertinent subjects of our age," says administrative director Delma Tomlin. "The festival will illustrate that nothing is new as we present music covering 400 years of conflicts.

"We'll mark the Catholic Church's endeavours to bring order to the clergy; examine the politics of England as it plunged into the horrors of the English Civil War; take a tantalising glimpse into the opulent court of Louis XIV, and feel the heat of Beethoven's outrage at the approach of conflict.

"Throughout all of this we marvel at the resilience of musicians to continue with their lives, travelling across borders, exchanging ideas and rebuilding society."

Guest musicians joining this year's festival include "some of the world's finest early music specialists," says Delma. "We are particularly excited to welcome violinist Rachel Podger with Brecon Baroque; Princeton University director of choral activities Gabriel Crouch, leading his vocal ensemble Gallicantus; the extraordinary viola de gamba virtoso Paolo Pandolfo; The Sixteen, led by Harry Christophers, and lutenist Nigel North."

The honour of opening the festival goes to Rachel Podger in her 50th birthday year, directing her instrumental ensemble Brecon Baroque in a celebration of the music of Venice’s "Red Priest" at the Sir Jack Lyons Concert hall, University of York, on July 6 at 7.30pm.

Venetian society in the 17th century was a hotbed of political intrigue, a powerful trading city whose fortunes were controlled by the all-pervading state and the power of the Doge. This febrile world is evoked in a 7.30pm programme of Vivaldi concertos, including the spicy Il Grosso Mogul and Podger and Brecon Baroque's much anticipated, uplifting interpretation of The Four Seasons.

Baritone Gabriel Crouch directs Gallicantus in a 7.30pm programme at St Michael le Belfrey Church on July 7, joined by the Rose Consort of Viols. The concert's title, These Distracted Times, is taken from a work penned by composer Thomas Tomkins after the execution of Charles I: A Sad Pavan For These Distracted Times.

York Press:

Rachel Podger: directing Brecon Baroque in York Early Music Festival's opening concert

There was a heavy price to be paid for loyalty to the King: Tomkins saw his home destroyed by cannon fire, while William Lawes, the King's favourite, lost his life courtesy of a Parliamentary musket-ball on account of his position in Charles I's garrison. Music for voices and viols from this period will be complemented by the British premiere of a specially commissioned piece by Judith Bingham, A Requiem For William Lawes.

Paolo Pandolfo, Amélie Chemin, Thomas Boysen and Markus Hunninger explore the chamber music of viol virtuoso Marin Marais, harpsichordist Francois Couperin and the French Baroque's star lutenist, Robert de Visée, at the NCEM on July 8 in a 7.30pm programme entitled Paris 1689. "The 'French Revolution' started a century before you think, when musicians broke all the rules and climbed the social layers according to their talent, rather than their often humble origins," says Delma.

Earlier that day, at 4.30pm, Ailsa Batters directs the Minster Minstrels, the NCEM's youth instrumental ensemble, in The French Connection at the Unitarian Chapel, St Saviourgate, where these blossoming young musicians will highlight Charles II's love of music in the French style.

Festival regulars The Sixteen return to York Minster on July 11 at 7.30pm to perform works by William Cornysh and Benjamin Britten, who are separated by 400 years but are two representatives of English music at its finest. Or maybe three, on account of Cornysh being two early 16th century people, probably father and son.

Harry Christophers has put together works under the title of Sacred And Profane to look at how Cornysh and Britten mixed the sacred with the secular, and among the pieces will be Britten's Advance Democracy and Cornysh's Woefully Array'd. Listen out for this concert on BBC Radio 3.

Nigel North and fellow lute player Michal Gondko present Musica Dorum, lute duets from Renaissance Europe by Francesco de Milano, John Johnson and John Dowland, at St Olave's Church, Marygate, on July 12 at 1pm. By the way, in the 16th century, the lute was a princely instrument throughout Europe, heard at courts from London to Rome to Copenhagen, and lutenists were often privy to the political and private life at court.

Lucie Skeaping will host BBC Radio 3's The Early Music Show live from the NCEM on July 8 from 2pm to 3pm, and immediately afterwards the festival will give its seventh biennial YEMF Lifetime Achievement Award to The English Concert orchestral pioneer Trevor Pinnock, who last played at the NCEM with Matthew Prescott, Sophie Gent and Jonathan Manson on April 24. "We are delighted to mark the remarkable career of harpsichordist/director Trevor Pinnock by presenting him with this award," says Delma.

Further concerts will be performed Elizabeth Kenny, Sollazzo Ensemble, Les Haulz Et Les Bas, Hathor Consort and Voces Suaves. A second preview of the York Early Music Festival will follow in The Press, including this year's showcase of exceptional young talents.

In the meantime, the full festival programme can be found at ncem.co.uk/yemf or via boxoffice@ncem.co.uk. Tickets are on sale at ncem.co.uk/yemf and on 01904 658338.