The Early Instruments
Michael Roy is a collector and player of early (also called historical, period or ancient) musical instruments, that is, of the medieval, Renaissance and baroque eras of Western Europe. All of the instruments in his collection are authentic replicas made by master craftmen after historic models based on extant instruments, early artistic depictions, or historic descriptions. The families, or consorts include woodwinds, double reeds, brass, and plucked and bowed stringed instruments. Below are audio files and a slide show.
The Night Watch: This 16th c. Holbourne almain is a favorite of Renaissance and recorder societies, and is often played with a
"closed" recorder consort or a mixed consort of winds, lutes, and other plucked or bowed strings. Period brass instruments also like it, so all are welcome. Here it is presented with viols and recorders: soprano recorder, Rodolpho Guzman; alto recorder, Michael Roy; below these woodwinds are a tenor viol and two bass viols (violas da gamba), played by Jone Vaughn and Lynn Baumel (see slideshow photo # 37).
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Riu, Riu, Chiu: an early Renaissance song, is performed live in concert here by shifting consorts of instruments: the first verse is a
recorder consort heralded by an opening bass recorder (photos 1 & 17) solo by MR. The second verse is a krummhorn consort, with an interlude solo by MR on the great bass krumm. The final verse is a "mixed consort" of krumms, with a solo on the top by professional recorder player, Rodolpho Guzman, on th sopranino recorder.
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God: the great Martin Luther hymn is here overdubbed by MR using the family of krummhorns. The alto
krumm plays the hymn tune above the tenor, extended bass (photo # 23), and great bass krummhorns. The great or contra bass cadences on a super F (F1). See photos 28 - 33. MR's accompanist, Diane M. plays the organ.
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God: This performance was at Immanuel Presbyterian, (Palm Sunday Conc. - 2006) and features the
At a Renaissance fair, MR troubadours about with a theorbo. It has six double courses of strings that are fingered on the fret board, like a lute, and 7 more bass strings that are not fingered, but are plucked as they hang freely adjacent to the fret board,
Michael Roy, in Renaissance attire, plays the bass recorder for some school children to see and hear.
Lynn Baumel and Jone Vaughn play the bass viols, short for Violas da Gamba, or, "fiddle of the leg," in that viols are clamped between the knees and do not touch the floor as do 'cellos. The viol player learns not to wear silky or satiny apparel, which could result in a viol being squirted into the audience.
At a Renaissance fair, MR troubadours about with a theorbo. It has six double courses of strings that are fingered on the fret board, like a lute, and 7 more bass strings that are not fingered, but are plucked as they hang freely adjacent to the fret board,
Above is a slide show of early instruments in MR's collection. To identify the instrument, place your mouse over the photo.
Click on any photo to freeze and enlarge it.
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early consort with great bass krummhorn playing in consort and also with a solo (!)
Courante: A five-part recorder consort, with an explanation of what's going on by MR, who will play the following or 2nd recorder part to Larry Smith's leads and variations on the melody.
Ho la hé: another early Ren. dance tune, but this time, played with a consort of cornamusen (singular: cornamuse), which
are windcap double reeds, as are krummhorns. Cornamusen are straight-shaped, like recorders: see the slideshow photos (34 & 35). MR plays the bass cornamuse with the Courtly Sounds Early Consort. The year was 1995, down at the Redlands Church.
Gloria Patri (Palestrina,1525-1594): Early instruments have a rich tradition in the ancient church. They were often used to double the choral parts. This motet is an antiphonal choir piece intended for a double choir. Here the early consorts take the place of the second choir.
In the mixed consorts are recorders, krummhorns, cornamusen, viols, and sackbut. The Immanuel Choir sings.
Celtic Trilogy(arr. MR): The three songs are: "Sheebeg Sheemore" (Irish); "Killiecrankie" (Scottish); and "The Grenadier and the Lady" (English). The insrtrumentation is provocative: Alison Northup on fiddle, MR on Renaissance tenor recorder, and Jone Vaughn on bass viola da gamba. Diane M. plays organ.
Hear more ancient instruments with
early choral on this page:--------------->
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Agnus Dei: MR is the only one who can explain this: Here we have "early music" that isn't. It is written in the style and (largely) within the rigid rules of a medieval motet, but I wrote this in 1971 during my grad studies in theory & composition. It was a final exam assignment in modal counterpoint and it basically determined my grade for the semester class. I got an A- on the piece. I probably should have gotten a lower grade, but my composition professor gave me credit for writing, in his words, "something that follows most of the rules, which should normally guarantee that it sounds idiomatic, nevertheless, it doesn't!" The conventional wisdom is that writing within the rules of modal counterpoint invaribly produces idiomatic sounding music. I somehow contradicted that wisdom. I got the idea, however, that he personally liked the piece, was mildly impressed with the complex devices and was convinced that I had learned the rules of modal counterpoint and my only sin was over-writing. I therefore got my A in the class, but with an
admonition to learn when to set the pen down and relax. The various markings indicate the devices being employed. My canon, instead of simply being at the unison or octave, or quite boldly, at the fifth, was at the seventh! Needless to say, modal counterpoint does not commonly use that interval for canonic writing. I have sung the three parts and then overlaid the vocals with recorders.
Saltarello De La Rigione - "Saltarello" - a lively Italian dance for one person or a couple. "De La Rigione"-
lit. "for the reason." This is an oft performed Renaissance piece for recorder societies and professional consorts around the world. This performance is different only in that MR overdubbed the four recorder parts (soprano, alto, tenor and tenor), plus the light percussion, to make a one-man consort.
Gemshorn Skit and Consort: Mary je songay l’autre jour: MR tells the audience about the medieval gemshorn, which includes a musical skit demonstrating the short range of the instrument. The huge
audience for the Ancient and Celtic (525+) took to the esorteric artifact and was rewarded with a gemshorn consort, which was doubtless the first ever played in South Florida, such is its rarity. MR plays the bass gemshorn in the consort.
Reintanze (16th c. anon.) - MR tells the standing-room-only crowd about "open" and "closed" consorts. This German dance tune has both starting with all recorders, then to buzzies and serpent. In the first two
consorts, MR plays bass recorder and ext. bass krummhorn. The last consort,.. well, you'll have to hear it to believe it: not for the faint of heart (from Ancient & Celtic).
The Fairie Round (16th c. Holbourne.) - On this 5-part galliard, which is defined as a lively medieval/Renaissance dance in triple time for two people, MR plays the top soprano recorder; beneath him is an alto
Bass gemshorn in F
krummhorn, a tenor viol (viola da gamba) and a bass viol. The entire dance is in seemingly opposed meters: two against three, and it makes for a very entertaining listen: MR starts in two, that is, 6/8. The viols begin is a broad three meter, with the krummhorn bouncing back and forth between two and three. In a few measures, MR also plays in three. This is from a Night of Ancient Music at the Redlands Community Church, during the '90's.
Dit le Bourguignon - Anon (15th c.): a buzzie consort of krumms, cornamusen, koltholt, and a sop. recorder. MR changes from the ext. bass krumm to the curtal, the ancient forebear of the baroque
bassoon. This is the only recording of MR playing the curtal: also called the dulcian: German spelling. The British saw the dulcian as looking like cannon, or a howitzer, hence: curtal.
This Is the Record of John - A rare form of choral music from the 16th c., it was only in vogue for a short 40 years before being abandoned by composers. Gibbons was not the only writer of verse anthems, but he was the best. Patty Pluto sings the solos.
The Modern Instruments
Bluegrass Instrumental - Instead of recorders and krummhorns, we have guitar, banjo, string bass and fiddle
Earl's Breakdown: From the 2007 Country/Bluegrass Concert at Immanuel - MR on guitar. Click on the "Last Concert" button below and read the story on this song and the string band.
Duelin' Banjos: Often this bluegrass classic was added to the end of "I'll Fly Away," by the resident vocal group, as a concession to the 5-stringer player, in this case, Mark Richason, for all the non-bluegrassy modern chords foisted on him in the preceding song. Here, it is simply
a challenge proffered by MR, the guitarist in the duel, who said, just before the violence breaks out: "Some people say ol' Mark here is one of the best 5-stringer players in So. Florida; we'll just see about that!" This stand-alone version works well for the audience, and the tempo gets faster 'n faster.
Hear the "Orange Blossom Special" at this page --------------------------------->
Various woodwinds: (Flute, bass flute, clarinet) and piano
Once In Royal David's City: This poem was written by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1848. She also wrote "All Things Bright and Beautiful." MR has arranged this hymntune, written by Henry
John Gauntlet in 1849, for two flutes and piano; the arrangement was written to also work as a flute solo. MR played the principal flute part in performance, and later in the studio overdubbed the bass flute to achieve the duet. Diane M. is at the piano.
Come Thou Fount: a woodwind trio of the old hymn tune. Instruments are treble flute (Doris Hurwitt); clarinet (Debbie Knaus); and bass flute (Michael Roy). Diane is at the keyboard. Arr. by MR.
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus: This early advent hymn carol is arranged by MR for two flutes played by Doris Hurwitt and Michael Roy. Diane accompanies.
Pre-recorded background audio files for instrumental solo work
Telemann Minuett: (#1) pre-re with harpsichord and flute on second part. For Alto recorder solo. Diane Maltby, harpsichord. MR has overdubbed the flute part.
File temp. unavailable
Handel Gavotte: (#2) pre-re with harpsichord and flute on second part. For Alto recorder solo. Diane Maltby, harpsichord. MR has overdubbed the flute part.
Mozart Minuetto: (#3) pre-re with harpsichord and flute on second part. For Alto recorder solo. Diane Maltby, harpsichord. MR has overdubbed the flute part.
C.P.E. Bach - Minuet: (#4) pre-re with harpsichord and flute on second part. For Alto recorder solo. Diane Maltby, harpsichord. MR has overdubbed the flute part.
J.S. Bach - Gavotte: (#5) pre-re with harpsichord and flute on second part. For Alto recorder solo. Diane Maltby, harpsichord. MR has overdubbed the flute part.