Ancient and Early Music Show

[doversoul1]

Saturday
Catherine Bott is in Cambridge for a look at the Trinity Carol Roll, one of the earliest sources of English polyphonic carols. She visits the Wren Library where the manuscript is kept and talks about the music and the significance of the collection with David Skinner who has recently recorded it all with his group Alamire.
The thirteen works preserved in this manuscript include the patriotic 'Agincourt' carol, celebrating Henry V's victory over the French in 1415, and the most famous of all early English carols 'Ther is no rose'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pcq9q

Sunday
Lucie Skeaping presents highlights from a concert performed by The Society of Strange & Ancient Instruments, featuring everything from dulcimer and oud to nyckelharpa and Hardanger fiddle, recorded earlier this month at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pcr5d

[Roehre]

Saturday
Catherine Bott is in Cambridge for a look at the Trinity Carol Roll, one of the earliest sources of English polyphonic carols. She visits the Wren Library where the manuscript is kept and talks about the music and the significance of the collection with David Skinner who has recently recorded it all with his group Alamire.
The thirteen works preserved in this manuscript include the patriotic 'Agincourt' carol, celebrating Henry V's victory over the French in 1415, and the most famous of all early English carols 'Ther is no rose'.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pcq9q

It will be interesting not only to hear David Skinner talking about this very important manuscript, but also how he has interpreted/recorded the pieces. AFAIK all have been recorded previously (including a few by Catherine Bott herself??), but not put together onto one record/CD.

I'll listen (either "Live" oR through iPlayer later)

[ardcarp]

A fascinating programme. The Trinity Carol Roll is indeed a gem, and David Skinner has, without compromising scholarship, produced thoroughly enjoyable interpretations of its contents. Lovely performers too. Not to be missed!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pcq9q

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

A fascinating programme. The Trinity Carol Roll is indeed a gem, and David Skinner has, without compromising scholarship, produced thoroughly enjoyable interpretations of its contents. Lovely performers too. Not to be missed!

... and the MS is on display next month! Lucky people living near Cambridge!

[decantor]

A fascinating programme. The Trinity Carol Roll is indeed a gem, and David Skinner has, without compromising scholarship, produced thoroughly enjoyable interpretations of its contents. Lovely performers too. Not to be missed!

Seconded. I'd had plans for Sat lunchtime, but nothing got done. On these very boards a few weeks ago, I put in a plea to the gracious Lady Bott for more really early music, and here it was in all its seasonal glory: so much energy in the dancing rhythms and syncopations, so much bracing fresh air and teasing ambiguity in its open fourths and fifths, so much spontaneity in its improvised feel. And all the singing so joyous yet precise, all the talking so much to the point. The single disappointment is that the EMS web page shows no photo of the Trinity Roll. My thanks to all who produced a 'show' worthy of the Beeb's highest ideals, yet not at all po-faced.

[David-G]

You can see the Agincourt Carol page here:

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/from%20this%20day%20to%20the%20ending%20of%20the%20world

You can enlarge the image by clicking it.

And you can see some pictures of the recording session (which was actually in the Wren Library, I had not realised that) on a Facebook page here:

http://en-gb.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150302758308117.360902.57640578116&type=3

[ardcarp]

Thanks for that, David-G. A transcribed version of There is no rose is included in Elizabeth Poston's Cambridge Hymnal (1967). I can remember the delight with which our small student singing group 'discovered' it around that time. It is hard to remember that before then, medieval music was a cultish activity, and it was the amazing Davig Munrow and his EMC who brought it into the mainstream.

[Roehre]

Many differences and developments since the 1960s: hardly any Mahler then e.g., and basically no music earlier than say JSBach, with a bit of an exception for some of the polyphonists and a bit (but not much) of Monteverdi.
Munrow and Deller widened the horizon the musical world by centuries - it's as simple as that and we must be grateful for it..

[doversoul1]

David Skinner mentioned that polyphony was definitely only for the high class (performers and listeners, I guess). Just imagine what it might have been like to hear a song sung in polyphony for the first time… It was a fascinating programme.

As for early music practice, Laurence Cummings talks briefly about the changes and development on Monday’s Live performance in the evening. Nothing very new but it reminded me that not so long ago, things I take it for granted now did not exist.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01p9h9d

Many thanks, David-G for those photographs.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

On these very boards a few weeks ago, I put in a plea to the gracious Lady Bott for more really early music, and here it was in all its seasonal glory

Ah, so you're responsible?! There is only one possible response:

so much energy in the dancing rhythms and syncopations, so much bracing fresh air and teasing ambiguity in its open fourths and fifths, so much spontaneity in its improvised feel. And all the singing so joyous yet precise, all the talking so much to the point. The single disappointment is that the EMS web page shows no photo of the Trinity Roll. My thanks to all who produced a 'show' worthy of the Beeb's highest ideals, yet not at all po-faced.

I can only repeat my response to ardy's #3:



... one of the very best programmes of the year; just shows that R3 can still do it when it puts what's left of its mind to it!

[doversoul1]

... one of the very best programmes of the year; just shows that R3 can still do it when it puts what's left of its mind to it!

We’ve had quite a few of these on Early Music Show this year alone. Only two hours a week but imagination and intelligence shine through the fog of marketing and management. May the EMS team continue to rise above the current mass oriented trend of Radio 3.

Many, many thanks for all those wonderful programmes My best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

ds

[Globaltruth]

We’ve had quite a few of these on Early Music Show this year alon. Only two hours a week but imagination and intelligence shine through the fog of marketing and management. May the EMS team continue to rise above the current mass oriented trend of Radio 3.

Many, many thanks for all those wonderful programmes My best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

ds

I'm an occasional listener to this show - however I must add my thanks also for an excellent programme which we have just listened to via Listen Again.
I think I may be about to become a regular listener...sparkling.

[ardcarp]

Shh, Dovers. Too much of this....

Only two hours a week but imagination and intelligence shine through the fog of marketing and management

...and somebody's wed pen will be coming out.

[doversoul1]

...and somebody's wed pen will be coming out.

Apologies for my ignorance but what is a wed pen?

(If it is something embarrassing, though I can’t possibly think that’s the case, perhaps you could send me a pm?)

[ardcarp]

Woger?