MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE MUSIC FOR RECORDER
If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.—G.K. Chesterton
I enjoy early music, so Bancalari’s Medieval and Renaissance Music for Recorder was a natural choice after I mastered my beginner’s book. The greatest learning curve was reading musical notes without the hint of letters, though I find to my satisfaction that both transcription and visual recognition come more quickly to me now.
{Recercada segunda—the aim of all this enterprise—is looking more and more attainable!}
Another challenge was the lack of recorded accompaniment to provide the proper beat and tempo. This is something I find difficult to extract from musical notation. I resorted to YouTube, but it took multiple search attempts to find quality recordings I could use with my soprano recorder.
I am compiling here an index of these links, corresponding to the contents of Bancalari’s book. As I continue to learn pieces and find appropriate (or better) recordings, I will update the list. This will be very convenient for me, and I hope also helpful to other musicians using Bancalari’s excellent book.
{Chesterton’s statement, quoted at top, is not an excuse to do poorly, but an injunction not to let imperfection stop us from doing what is worth doing. It’s an encouraging thought when I’ve scrambled eighth notes or when my recorder shrieks in the middle of a pavane.}
{MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE MUSIC FOR THE RECORDER}
TROUVÈRE (Or La Truix) ✓
Anonymous, 12th-13th century
ESTAMPIE ✓
Anonymous, 13th c.
TROUVÈRE (Ja Nuns Hons Pris) ✓
Richard Cœur de Leon, 1157-1199
Ja Nuns Hons Pris is translated from Old French to ‘No Prisoner Ever Tells His Story.’ During his captivity in Austria, Richard the Lion-hearted wrote this plaintive ballad, addressed to his sister Marie de Champagne. Richard grieves over his long imprisonment, but grieves ‘still more’ over the friends who have failed to pay his ransom. ‘They loved me but they have not loved me long.’
At almost ten minutes, the selected recording by Moda Antiqua provides plenty of practice, though I have yet to match the final, breathless rush of notes.
BALLADE (L Maus D’Amer)
Adame De La Halle, c.1230-1287
RONDEAU (Tant Con Je Vivrai) ✓
Adame De La Halle, c.1230-1287
This is an old French rondeau in triolet form, composed for three voices by the last of the Trouvères (trobadors, or poet-composers). Tant Con Je Vivrai is translated from Old French to ‘As Long as I Live.’ ‘As long as I live, I shall never love anyone but you; I shall not leave you as long as I live.’
This was the best recording I found, though I found it difficult to begin playing with its accompaniment. I listened and practiced separately at first.
Guillaume D’Amiens, 12th century
This recording was not available when I first learned the tune, and I did make some changes to my playing after hearing this. I am glad I learned the notes first, because I can hardly hear the recorder above the droning accompaniment.
BALLADE (Douce Dame) ✓
Perrin D’Agincourt, 12th century
Anonymous, 14th century
Lamento di Tristan is translated from Italian to ‘Lament of Tristan.’ This is a slow medieval dance.
The estampie in the recording is immediately followed by La Rotta.
Anonymous, 14th century
La Rotta is translated from Italian to ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ and this tune reflects the giddy turns of fate. Being found on the same fourteenth-century manuscript as the previous estampie, they are commonly played together and are sometimes considered two parts of a single tune.
The mandolin recording is perfect for learning this lively tune. This recording begins with Lamento di Tristan; La Rotta begins at 01:55. And then this recording will help you work up to speed.
SALTARELLO
Anonymous, 14th century
Anonymous, 15th century
L’Homme Arme translates from the French to ‘The Armed Man.’ This popular French Medieval song warns that ‘the armed man should be feared.’
DER NEVE BAUERNSCHWANZ
Anonymous, c.1460
VILLANCICO (Congoxa Mas Que Cruel) ✓
Juan Encina, 1469-1530
Claude Gervaise, FL.1550
The basse dance, or ‘low dance,’ was popular in the Burgundian court during the 15th and early 16th century. Basse indicates the nature of the dance, in which partners glided along the floor with stately grace. A basse dance was danced alongside the more lively pavane and gaillarde. La Volunte is translated from the Catalan to ‘The Volunteer.’
This recording by a guitar orchestra complements the soprano recorder beautifully and has the added benefit of containing three dances in succession—the Basse Dance, Pavane and Gaillarde by Gervaise.
Claude Gervaise, FL.1550
D’Angleterre is translated from Catalan to ‘The Englishman.’
Claude Gervaise, FL.1550
This is essentially the tune of the preceding pavane at a speedier tempo.
Claude Gervaise, FL.1550
This recording begins with the Gaillarde by Gervaise. The Allemande begins at 00:59.
CHANSON (Bon Jour, Mon Cœur) ✓
Orlando Di Lasso, 1532-1594
This delicate French madrigal bids ‘Good day, my sweetheart’ with a succession of endearments: ‘Precious good day... my sweet springtime, my sweet young flower, my sweet pleasure, my sweet little dove...’
Tilman Susato, FL.1551
Hoboken is a small Flemish town, and the name of its local dance. If played briskly enough, this can be dances as a ‘branle de poicto.’
I enjoyed practicing with the sweet string accompaniment of Fraunhofer playing hammered dulcimer, guitar and bass.
RONDO ✓
Tilman Susato, FL.1551
This tune was identified by one internet source as Susato’s Rondo #6. (?)
This recording allows you to join a recorder orchestra at an amateur musical festival in Boskovice, Czech Republic.
Tilman Susato, FL.1551
This tune is the speedier twin of the preceding Rondo. They are played together in the recording to which I’ve linked both.
This recording allows you to join a recorder orchestra at an amateur musical festival in Boskovice, Czech Republic.
PAVANE (Ferrarese)
P. Phalèse, FL.1571
GAILLIARDE (Ferrarese)
P.Phalèse, FL.1571
DER HEILIGEN DREI KONIGE AUFZUG
August Normiger, FL.1598
POLNISCHER TANZ ✓
August Norminger, FL.1598
TEUTSCHERTANZ
August Norminger, FL.1598
DE SPRUNG DRAUF ✓
August Norminger, FL.1598
John Dowland, 1563-1626
You can find multiple YouTube videos of this song, but I prefer this recording for its sprightliness.
John Dowland, 1563-1626
Although he isn’t the best singer, this accompaniment is the best I found for soprano recorder.
BALLET DU ROY POUR SONNER APRÈS ✓
Michael Prætorius, 1571-1621
I still haven’t matched the speed of this lively dance. (And the recording begins abruptly, with a note missing.) For my first practice sessions I preferred this slower guitar accompaniment, though its key sounded awful with the soprano recorder.
PADUAN
Paul Peurl, c.1575-c.1625
INTRADA
Paul Peurl, c.1575-c.1625
DANTZ
Paul Peurl, c.1575-c.1625
GALLIARDE
Paul Peurl, c.1575-c.1625
LIED (Ich Dank Dir, Liebe Herre)
Michael Prætorius, 1571-1621
GAGLIARDE
Giovanni Anerio, c.1567-1621
STUDENTENLEID
Erasmus Widmann, 1572-1634
LEID (Musica Boscareccia)
Johann Herman Schein, 1586-1630
LIED (Venuskränzlein)
Johann Herman Schein, 1586-1630
LIED
Andreas Hammerschmidt, 1611-1675
• unknown painting by an unknown artist •
July 19, 2013