Sunday of Ancient Music
Oct. 28, 1990
Redlands Community Church
This concert had two distinctions: it was the very first large scale concert advertised citywide, and more than 40 concerts of this size and production level were to follow in the next 18 years, with 33 being presented at RCC. The second interesting fact is, it was entirely instrumental (all early instruments), with not a note of choral music sounded. Ten more concerts of ancient music were to be given, and all were decidedly choral concerts, with the early instruments being the seasoning rather than the main course. In fact, every concert to follow this one in 1990 was a full-fledged choral concert, regardless of idiom or participating instruments: whatever the style or flavor of music: it was a choral concert. This first one was the only fully instrumental concert ever produced in this era: from here on, the chorale ruled the earth.
The Early Music Consort:
"Courtly Sounds"
Lynn Baumel, founder (RIP): recorders, kortholt, tenor viola da gamba
Larry Smith (RIP): recorders, kortholt
Ves Burford: recorders, cornamuse, tambor
Jone Vaughn: recorders, kortholt, krummhorn, treble/bass violas da gamba
Michael Roy: recorders, bass krummhorn, curtal, baroque lute
Corrante - Samuel Scheidt (1587-1684). Affectionately called "dueling recorders," which title the introduction will make clear. This is a closed consort of recorders, and the only sole recorder ensemble piece in the concert.
Heigh Ho Holiday - Anthony Holborne (? - 1602). Mixed consort of two recorders, alto cornamuse and two viols. This is a popular piece for both closed and mixed consorts, and often presented. MR plays the top decant recorder. Ves plays the corn, and Lynn and Jone do the viols.
Ma Trédol Rosignol - Borlet (14th c.). Mixed consort of recorders, baroque guitar (familiarly, lutar) and bass viol. This song form is called a "virelai," a medieval French verse used in poetry and music. Music of this period and style is extremely rare and the total number of compositions that survive are a little more than a hundred. It is
conjectured that the name "Borlet" may be an anagram of "Trebol," another contemporary French composer, making everything as mysterious as the music itself sounds. MR plays the lutar.
Ronde - Teilman Susato (1500 - 1561). Mixed consort of recorder, percussion and various (affectionately named by early music folk) "buzzies." Susato was not only a musician and composer, but also one of the very earliest publishers, to whom we
owe the preservation of a good bit of early music posterity. In his day it was not unheard of for a publisher to occasionally claim the compositions of others he would publish. It is suspected that Susato did some claim-jumping himself, but we do not know exactly what he did and did not personally compose. MR plays the extended bass krummhorn, which starts and ends the build-up of parts. Other buzzies sounding include cornamuse and koltholt. Larry Smith shines on the soprano recorder above.
Ronde and Hupfauf - Susato: an recorder consort and an buzzie consort, with lively percussion (by Ves) giving the players a chance to switch instruments. These two early dances are often performed together, with a recapitulation to the Ronde. MR is playing Ren. bass recorder and extended bass krummhorn.
Petite Fleur Coincte et Jolye - Thoman Crequillion (? - 1557). Mixed consort of recorders, viol, and lutar, the latter played by MR.
Extended bass krummhorn, made only as a prototype by the Moeck Co. Although in F, it has extended keying down to low C. Only six or seven were ever made: this is one of them.
Vous Estes Trop Jeune - Nicolas Gombert (1495 - 1570). Another mixed consort of recorders, viol, and lutar.
Noel's Galliard - Holborne: mixed consort of three recorders, and bass and tenor viols. This is a popular piece often played by professional groups and recorder societies. MR plays the top descant recorder.
The Fairie Round - Holborne: mixed consort of recorders, a single krummhorn, and viols. Another well known and oft played song by Holborne, one of the most popular of
Renaissance composers. This dance tune has a rhythmically complex three against two construction throughout. Hear MR give an intro about the perils of 3 X 2, and wait for his last comment after the applause ends. MR plays top.
The baroque guitar is often called the "lutar," by players. It is tuned like a modern classical guitar and uses the same strings.
Two Medieval Songs: J'Aloie L'Autre jor errant - Thibaut de Champagne (1230); La Franchoise Nouvelle - Marie de Bourgogne (1450). Jone plays the treble viol for the first time this concert. MR plays lutar. Two recorders are added.
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 known recording of MR playing the curtal, also called the dulcian, in concert. Curtal
Ho La He' - Anon (16th c.): all buzzies. MR is back to the ext. bass krummhorn. This same tune was played again by this consort five years later, only with all cornamusen: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. It may be the only corn consort in the history of South Florida. To hear it, go back to Early Music and Ancient Instruments.
