Through voices, a myriad of plucked strings, and some violin, Ménestrel performs old music in an intimate manner, with ayres and ballads recounting the transience of good fortune in the life of a voyager. In The Nine Maidens, these English-language folk songs provide vivid imagery of age-old expeditions, daring escapes and voyaging delights. In response to the action packed folk songs, baroque airs offer reflection and represent the inward feelings of the heroines. The program includes music by Purcell, Dowland, Gilles Binchois, and Guillaume de Machaut.