Grades 6-7-Beautifully presented and thoroughly readable 'modern' editions of the best of these pre-Baroque masterpieces. Carefully graded.It has often struck me as intriguing that The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (a collection of keyboard music spanning the period c.1562-1612) occupies a virtually non-existent place in the literature considered viable by pianists.Needless to say harpsichordists continue to hold the music in the highest esteem while a number of transcriptions for instruments and ensembles have been made available in more recent times. How can it be that this ancient heritage - which in keyboard music terms might be regarded as the equivalent to the DeadSea Scrolls - has hitherto seemed a no-go area for pianists? It is as if the first 'proper' keyboard music tumbled miraculously out of some parallel universe around Bach's time i.e. the first half of the 18th century. While our modern piano is perhaps as different from a virginal as a washing machine is from a mangle there are in fact a good many facets of virginal music which read across perfectly well to today's instruments. For this to be possible we need to take the time to look beyond peculiarities in translation which to a significant extent comes down to issues resulting from burgeoning notational practices. It also becomes necessary to re-imagine the music in light of what is possible as well as what is desirable. Problems with accessing the sound-world of pre-Baroque keyboard music can be overcome quite easily just as it is possible to become better in resonance with avant garde musical styles given appropriate immersion. Since the writing of the performance notes to The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book more than a century ago (by J.A. Fuller Maitland and W. Barclay Squire) the momentum generated by the Early Music Revival has brought about immeasurable insights into the intentions of Renaissance and Baroque composers. Performances on period instruments continue to reacquaint us with a bygone age and stimulate a healthy fascination for the

Great Fiddling Tunes - Early Music Gems. Early Music Gems contains 49 tunes dating from 1300-1791, including Medieval, Renaissance, and ancient melodies as well as a ?best of? John Playford's The Dancing Master. These delightful melodies are perfect for contradance, English country dance and concert settings. Suggested bowings, chords, tempos, and variations are included. An audio recording of each of the tunes includes the fiddle melody with guitar accompaniment. Includes access to online audio.

It has often struck me as intriguing that The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (a collection of keyboard music spanning the period c.1562-1612) occupies a virtually non-existent place in the literature considered viable by pianists.Needless to say harpsichordists continue to hold the music in the highest esteem while a number of transcriptions for instruments and ensembles have been made available in more recent times. How can it be that this ancient heritage - which in keyboard music terms might be regarded as the equivalent to the Dead Sea Scrolls - has hitherto seemed a no-go area for pianists? It is as if the first 'proper' keyboard music tumbledmiraculously out of some parallel universe around Bach's time i.e. the first half of the 18th century. While our modern piano is perhaps as different from a virginal as a washing machine is from a mangle there are in fact a good many facets of virginal music which read across perfectly well to today's instruments. For this to be possible we need to take the time to lookbeyond peculiarities in translation which to a significant extent comes down to issues resulting from burgeoning notational practices. It also becomes necessary to re-imagine the music in light of what is possible as well as what is desirable. Problems with accessing the sound-world of pre-Baroque keyboard music can be overcome quite easily just as it is possible to become better in resonance withavant garde musical styles given appropriate immersion. Since the writing of the performance notes to The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book more than a century ago (by J.A. Fuller Maitland and W. Barclay Squire) the momentum generated by the Early Music Revival has brought about immeasurable insights into the intentions of Renaissance and Baroque composers. Performances on periodinstruments continue to reacquaint us with a bygone age and stimulate a healthy fascination for the practices that were once fundamental to the craft. On balance however the potential for a major

Octo Tonorum Melodiae. Par STOLTZER THOMAS. Frutti Musicali, a series of ensemble music from the Renaissance and early Baroque, addresses itself to all friends of early music. Practical editions with authoritative musical texts offer an selection of pieces performable in a variety of instrumental combination, and allow a wide range of musicians to savor the delights of these largely unknown ; musical fruits. Thomas Stoltzer´ s (c. 1480& 1526) ; Octo Tonorum Melodiae are possibly the first five-part cycle conceived entirely for instruments. These eight fantasias in the church modes number among the most original works of their time./ Recueil / 5 Voix (Flûte à Bec et Instruments Renaissance)

This collection includes over 70 compositions from the Renaissance presented as melodies with accompanying chord changes. This simple format makes the material suitable for any C melody instrument and/or any instrument that canplay chord changes. The music includes some well known Renaissance melodies such as 'Greensleeves' and 'La Folias' along with rarer dance pieces and song melodies. Some of these melodies come from as early asthe 1400s and others as late as the 1600s. The music in this book is excellent for instrumentalists looking to expand their repertoire build an early music ensemble or for instructional purposes. The book also comes with a few'Grounds' (jamming chord progressions) rhythmic accompaniment ideas and performance notes.

Par GREENBERG STEVE. This treasury of part songs and sacred music for one to six voices will delight all lovers of medieval and Renaissance music. Containing a wealth of both religious and secular music from the 12th to the 17th centuries, the collection covers a broad range of moods. Approximately half the songs are secular, some from the popular tradition and others from the courtly poets and musicians surrounding such musically inclined monarchs. Some of the music contained is printed for the first time. Edited by Noah Greenberg / Musique religieuse / Recueil / Chant et Piano

Banchetto musicale 1617. Par SCHEIN JOHANN HERMANN. / Répertoire / 5 Voix (Flûte à Bec et Instruments à Cordes)

Lully Lullay was written at the request of Philip Reed music director of the Bury St Edmunds Bach Choir which gave the first performance on 17 December 2011 at Holy Trinity Church Long Melford Suffolk. Inspired by the familiar medieval text of the Coventry Carol it is sung a cappella and invokes the sense of a lullaby through its metre and lilting melody. The fragility and bittersweet tonality of the opening verse is reflected in the continuous interaction between the tonic and dominant keys and resolving dissonances. This develops into broader passages of increased range and dynamics during the second and third verses where the melody ispassed between the upper and lower voices clearly invoking the poignancy of the text. The last verse returns to the original theme with subtle harmonic changes and a reflective final cadence.An inspiring selection of new works from a range of contemporary composers the Novello New Choral Series offers pieces for all types of choirs including sacred and secular works from simple four-part settings to more expansive yet accessible repertoire in an exciting variety of styles.Harriet Wybor was born in Leeds in 1986 and read music as an undergraduate at Durham University followed by an M.A. in composition with Martyn Harry and António Pinho Vargas.Harriet’s main compositional interests are sacred and secular contemporary choral and chamber music and the relationship between music and time. Her work reflects a wide range of influences from renaissance choral music and medieval texts to 20th-century literature and art. Harriet has had works performed by the Northern Sinfonia (conducted by H K Gruber) Psappha the Allegri String Quartet St John’s College Choir Durham the Bury St Edmunds Bach Choir and the Fishburn Band broadcast on BBC Radio 2’s Listen to the Band.After graduating from Durham University Harriet continued her studies at the University of Edinburgh where she read for

Just Brass No. 26-Edited by Philip Jones & Elgar Howarth. The Just Brass series is regarded by brass players worldwide as the most important brass ensemble series available. There are more than 100 titles subdivided into Just Brass (mainstream) Junior Just Brass Just Brass Lollipops and Giant Just Brass. Supplied as score and parts together.

William Byrd (c. 1540-1623) was an English renaissance composer who wrote several well-known works in both the Catholic and Anglican traditions many of which are still highly popular today. He studied under ThomasTallis at the Chapel Royal before becoming Organist and Master of the Choristers at Lincoln. He later returned to the Chapel Royal as Gentleman and Organist. O Sacrum Convivium was inspired by the Antiphonto the Magnificat at the 2nd Vespers of Corpus Christi. It makes a perfect anthem for any Eucharist service or Mass. It is scored for SATB choir with Piano reduction for rehearsal purposes.

Edited by Thurston Dart23 madrigals for SSA by Bateson, Byrd, East, Hilton, Holborne, Johnson, Jones, Morley, Porter, Tomkins, Ward, Weelkes, Wilbye and Youll.CONTENTSBATESON, Thomas NightingaleBYRD, William BenedictusEAST, Michael See Amaryllis shamed How merrily we liveHILTON, John If it be loveHOLBORNE, William Gush forth, my tears Since Bonny-boots was deadJOHNSON, Robert Full fathom five Where the bee sucksJONES, Robert Sweet KateMORLEY, Thomas It was a lover and his lass Lady, those eyes See mine own sweet jewel This love is but a wanton fit Though Philomela lost her lovePORTER,Walter When first I saw theeTOMKINS, Thomas Sure there is no god of loveWARD, John Fly not so fast Go wailing accentsWEELKES, Thomas Those sweet delightful lilies Though my carriage be but carelessWILBYE, John Away, thou shalt not love meYOULL, Henry While joyful springtime lasteth

Chanteur, compositeur, théoricien de la musique, Thomas Ravenscroft (vers 1590-1635) est passé à la postérité comme collecteur et premier éditeur de chansons populaires et de canons anglais (rounds ou catches).
Conçus pour être chantés à l'unisson dans des tessitures variées, les canons étaient également appréciés sur des instruments tels que flûte à bec ou violes.
Les canons s'appuient sur des textes variés : comptines, cris de rue, chansons de tavernes, jeux de solmisation, ballades traditionnelles, mais aussi textes sacrés en latin et en anglais.
Nous avons laissé les textes, placés sous la portée, avec leur traduction.
Certaines pièces ont été transposées pour des raisons instrumentales en relation avec la progression pédagogique.


De la Renaissance anglaise, on connaît généralement les noms de compositeurs tels que William Byrd et John Dowland, dont les oeuvres sont encore souvent perçues comme difficiles d'accès par le musicien d'aujourd'hui, apprenti, amateur ou non-spécialiste. La collection de canons éditée par Thomas Ravenscroft au début du XVIIème siècle, des simples chansons enfantines aux pièces plus sophistiquées, constitue une formidable introduction, attrayante et variée, à cet univers.
Les musiciens et les professeurs à la recherche de répertoire pour jouer en ensembles de divers niveaux trouveront ici leur bonheur. De trois à onze parties, ces canons offrent de multiples possibilités d'exécution. Ils développent l'écoute collective, la mémoire et la concentration dans un processus ludique.
Fruit de la collaboration entre la musicologue Véronique Lafargue, spécialiste de musique ancienne, et mon collègue contrebassiste Daniel Massard, interprète et enseignant de longue date, cette édition allie rigueur des transcriptions, sérieux de la présentation et cohérence pédagogique, tant dans le choix des pièces que dans l'organisation progressive du volume.
Conçu originellement pour les contrebassistes, ce recueil de canons comblera tout autant avec noblesse les instruments graves en général.

Thierry Barbé
Contrebasse solo de l'Orchestre de l'Opéra National de Paris,
Professeur au CNSMDP,
Concertiste et compositeur,
Président de l'Association des Contrebassistes de France


Daniel Massard m'a fait l'amitié de me demander d'écrire quelques mots en exergue de ce recueil bienvenu.
Le texte de présentation de Véronique Lafargue est parfaitement exhaustif tant en ce qui concerne Thomas Ravenscroft, que l'utilisation des textes choisis, proposée aux musiciens.
Les contrepoints écrits ou rassemblés par ce compositeur et collecteur nous offrent une passionnante promenade entre Renaissance et Baroquie plus de 50 ans avant la naissance du cantor !
Il me serait difficile de ne pas applaudir cette initiative qui offre aux musiciens un matériau riche et authentique, après avoir moi-même proposé en 1973 que le solfège devienne formation musicale, précisément pour justifier ce qui aujourd'hui, apparaît tellement clair :... de préférence aux manuels didactiques, souvent bien pauvres, choisissons sans hésitation le répertoire musical pour s'initier à la musique de façon aussi évidente que l'on choisit sa littérature pour l'apprentissage d'une langue.
Merci à Véronique Lafargue et à Daniel Massard pour cette belle publication et pour les choix opérés...
Bonne découverte aux jeunes musiciens !

Marc Bleuse
Compositeur / Partition /

Most of the music in this book comes from editions or manuscripts from England in the late 1500’s. There are also a few French pieces. The cittern was popular in Italy England and France. Aside from various tunings there weretwo main kinds of instruments being played during the 16th and 17th centuries: the 4 course (four sets of doubled strings) and the 6 course cittern with several editions of music to go along with both. The pieces I have chosenfor this book were all written for the 4 course instrument and fall into three main categories: dance music song arrangements and free pieces. The free pieces are basically preludes that explore the melodic range of theinstrument. As the title suggests these pieces can be played very freely and need not have a very strict tempo. The dance pieces are not really meant to be danced to but rather take their form and rhythm from the popular courtdances of the time. These can be played with a wide range of overall tempo but once a tempo is chosen should be strictly adhered to. The song arrangements are settings of popular songs of the time as well as more formal vocalsettings. Care should be taken in making the melody clear and singing. Since the range of the cittern and mandolin are the same John Holenko has kept the melodies intact. Because of the difference in tuning however thevoicing of the harmonies have been changed so as to fit on the mandolin.