Reid Chamber Concert
'When Birds do Sing ...'
A lighthearted springtime anthology ranging over more than four centuries, from Landini's "Ecco la primavera" to a Scots song arrangement by Haydn
Venue:
Scottish Early Music Consort
Valerie Nunns - soprano
Fiona Milne - mezzo-soprano
Paul Hindmarsh - tenor
Christopher Field - rebec, violin
Jennifer Hill - recorders, crumhorn, douçaine, flageolet
Marjorie Rycroft - medieval fiddle, tenor viol, baroque cello, percussion
Warwick Edwards - harp, douçaine, bass viol, percussion
John Kitchen - organ, harpsichord, percussion
Programme devised and directed by Christopher Field
Programme
Ecco la primavera ... Francesco Landini (c. 1325-1397)
Saltarello ... Anonymous (Italian, 14th century)
Le jor ... Anonymous (Italian, c. 1400)
He, tres doulz roussingnol joly ... Borlet (fl. 1380-1410)
Le chant des oyseaux ... Nicolas Gombert (c.1495-c.1560)
from Tylman Susato, Xme Livre des Chansons (1545)
O lusty May ... Anonymous (Scots, early 16th century)
Ocelino, bel ocelino ... Anonymous (Italian, early 16th century)
Up Y arose in verno tempore ... Anonymous (English, late 15th century)
Bransle simple ... Claude Gervaise (fl. 1540-1600)
from VIme Livre de Danceries (1555)
La brunelette violette reflorit ... Claude de Jeune (c.1529-1600)
from 'Le Printemps' (1603)
La tortorella? ... Thomas Morley (c.1557-1602)
from 'Canzonets for Two Voyces' (1595)
(one of nine textless 'fantasies')
The nightingale, the organ of delight ... Thomas Weelkes (1576-1623)
from 'Ayeres or Phantasticke Spirites' (1608)
Fantasia super 'Vestiva i colli' ... John Bull (c.1562-1628)
Spring tyme mantleth every bough ... Thomas Morley
from 'Canzonets, or Little Short Songs' (1602)
Fugge il verno dei dolori ... Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)
from 'Scherzi musicali a tre voci' (1607)
Fortunato augellino ... Guilio Caccini (c.1545-1618)
from 'La nuove musiche' (1601)
(to a madrigal text by the poet Ottavio Rinuccini)
The primerose ... Martin Peerson (c.1572-1651)
(charming minuature for virginal)
Come, pretty wag, and sing! ... Martin Peerson
from 'Private Musicke' (1620)
(in the earlier part of his career, Peerson enjoyed the patronage of Sir Fulke Greville)
Scherzo d'Augelli con il Cuccu ... Johann Jakob Walther (c.1650-1717)
from 'Hortulus chelicus' (1688)
How pleasant is this flowery plain and grove ... Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
from Henry Playford, 'The Banquet of Musick' (1689)
(setting of verses by Abraham Cowley)
The merry cuckow, messenger of Spring ... Maurice Greene (1696-1755)
from 'Spenser's Amoretti set to Music' (1739)
Six Lessons ... Maurice Greene
from 'The Bird Fancyer's Delight' (1717)
1. For the Throstle 2. For the Woodlark
3. For the Skylark 4. For the Linnet
5. For the Canary Bird 6. For the Bullfinch
Le Rossignol-en-amour ... François Couperin (1668-1733)
from 'IIIme Livre de Pièces de Clavecin' (1722)
Jenny was fair ... Joseph Haydn
from William Napier, 'A Selection of Original Scots Songs' (1792)
It was a lover and his lass ... Thomas Morley
from 'The First Book of Ayres' (1600)
...........................
Performance Type:
Programme notes and translations by Christopher Field

Promoter:
The same concert was given in the Henry Wood Hall at the UNiversity of Glasgow on Friday 16 March 1984