The A Renaissance Anthology series 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 Dead Sea 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 practices that were once fundamental to the craft. On balance however, the potential for a major, rejuvenated interest in the earliest keyboard music perhaps lies in its absorption into the broader piano repertory, and to this end there is an outstanding need to put pianists in touch with the highly nuanced spirit of the pre-Baroque masters.
SKU: HL.49046465
ISBN 9783795715083. UPC: 840126930818. 0.382 inches.
Peter Bowman and Kathryn Bennetts present the fourth and final volume in the Renaissance Recorder Anthology. Standard Renaissance works are included alongside lesser known works for treble (alto) recorder and piano (keyboard). The pieces are all of an intermediate to advanced level of difficulty (UKGrade 7-8 UK). Detailed information on the composers, dance forms and pieces is alsoincluded.
SKU: HL.49046906
ISBN 9781847615466. UPC: 196288082057. 9.0x12.0x0.243 inches.
Author of the Baroque Recorder Anthology series, Peter Bowman, along with Kathryn Bennetts presents the second in a series of four volumes dedicated to recorder music from the Renaissance period. Featuring a variety of interesting pieces scored for recorder and keyboard accompaniment, this collection includes works by well-known figures as well as lesser known and rarely available pieces from a range of other composers. Suitable for students of ca. 4-5 years of playing experience, this book includes composer biographies and teaching notes on each piece, together with a CD recording of all works performed by Kathryn Bennetts.
SKU: UT.HS-303
ISBN 9790215327016. 9 x 12 inches.
This two-volume anthology has been designed on the living experience of teaching as material intended for descant recorder players at the beginner and intermediate level. The progressive order allows an approach to ensemble music, starting from the use of just the notes of the left hand, and proceeds with the acquisition of the new positions reaching the chromatic range of an octave and a sixth.The repertoire used consists exclusively of dance music from the French and Flemish area contained in various collections published between 1530 and 1583 by various composers and editors. This choice was dictated by a number of different factors: the extremely clear and symmetrical metric and formal schemes typical of the Renaissance dance form, with due and useful exceptions, help to understand the concept of musical phrase; the use of coded and recurring rhythmic formulas makes it possible to perfect the rhythmic division; harmony based mostly on the basic steps helps to form an experience of listening, intonation and understanding of the main harmonic functions. No less significant are other elements, such as variety in the length of the pieces, from a few bars up to several dozen, which favours the development of concentration and attention, with the same technical difficulties. Above all, however, the vastness of the repertoire, more than 500 compositions, makes it possible to choose and order the pieces with an idea of technical and musical progressiveness comparable to that of a method. The edition is produced in such a way that all the pieces can be performed in four parts except for some in five parts, in different ensembles. The most basic is in reduced three-part form of descant, tenor and bass, the latter two are given respectively to the right and left hand of the keyboard player. Since recorders play at the octave above, the tenor part is also transposed in the same way to make the sound of the three upper voices homogeneous, while the bass retains its original range. It is also possible to enlarge the group to play the full four voices with the addition of an alto or tenor recorder playing the alto part, available in the separate part, and two more instruments, tenor and bass recorders or others, performing the respective lines alone or doubling with the keyboard.
