Music
Lute Ensemble: Stanley Buetens Recordings 1964-1995 now available for download and streaming!
Over 50 years in the making, these are the preÂviÂousÂly unreÂleased recordÂings of StanÂley Buetens with a variÂety of ensemÂbles. He was workÂing on finalÂizÂing this album before his death. AvailÂable in all the usual places. Click the link of your liking below.
In A Medieval Garden: Instrumental and Vocal Music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance
We are proud to finalÂly re-release In A Medieval Garden after more than 40 years! A clasÂsic album of music spanÂning four cenÂturies re-released in digÂiÂtal form for the first time. WonÂderÂful instruÂmenÂtaÂtion and vocals which will take you back in time more than 400 years. This is the stereo verÂsion. See below for CD verÂsion. Please leave reviews on any site you buy from! OrigÂiÂnalÂly released in 1967. This recordÂing was origÂiÂnalÂly recordÂed for NoneÂsuch Records and is released under license from NoneÂsuch Records.
Stanley Buetens Lute Ensemble included:
StanÂley Buetens | lute, tenor, direcÂtor Martha BlackÂman | viols Roland Blow | recorders, krummhorns Diane TraÂmonÂtiÂni | sopraÂno Linda Nied | recorders CatherÂine LidÂdell | lute, perÂcusÂsion Lawrence Selman | viol, percussion
AvailÂable at:
Amazon | BandÂcamp | iTunes
BandÂcamp is slightÂly more expenÂsive but allows you to downÂload at CD qualÂiÂty if you wish.
Listen to samples from the album
The Renaissance Band - Stanford University Collegium Musicum
Works by Hassler, Isaac, Praetorius, Senfl, et al
A very rare recordÂing released only on LP in 1969. Though not availÂable for sale, all tracks have been digÂiÂtized for your lisÂtenÂing pleaÂsure below. THE RENAISSANCE BAND Lyle NordÂstrom, DirecÂtor TIMOTHY AARSET — Bass,recorders, crumhorns, rauschÂpfeife, alto dulÂcian, bass shawm DAVID BERRY — Crumhorn STANLEY BUETENS — Lute EDWIN A.HOPKINS — Recorders,bass flute, crumhorn,lute,bass gamba HERBERT MYERS — Recorders, lutes, crumhorns,treble shawm,viola da bracÂcio, rackett,virginal LYLE NORDSTROM — Recorders, crumhorns, alto shawm, corÂnetÂto, rauschÂpfeife, kortholt,lute,bass gamba PATRICIA NORDSTROM — Recorders, crumhorn, tenor shawm, bass gamba NILE NORTON — Tenor PHILLIP WARREN — Tenor recorder, crumhorn, bass shawm, tenor gamba JOHN WINBIGLER — BariÂtone KARI WINDINGSTAD — Soprano
InforÂmaÂtion from the back cover of the record
Austro-German music occuÂpied only a periphÂerÂal posiÂtion in the hisÂtoÂry of music until the second half of the 15th cenÂtuÂry. With the appearÂance of the great songÂbook colÂlecÂtions, espeÂcialÂly the monÂuÂmenÂtal GloÂgauer LiederÂbuch (1470), and the estabÂlishÂment of EmperÂor Maximilian’s Hofkapelle (1496), German music moved from the shadÂows. At the Emperor’s impeÂrÂiÂal courts in Vienna and InnsÂbruck, native German comÂposers came into close conÂtact with the ideals and techÂniques of the FlemÂish traÂdiÂtion. The smoother, sophisÂtiÂcatÂed style which emerged from this conÂtact relied more heavÂiÂly on imiÂtaÂtion and florid lines than had the anguÂlar and disÂsoÂnant writÂing of the earÂliÂer 15th cenÂtuÂry. Maximilian’s Hofkapelle, conÂsidÂered one of the finest musiÂcal estabÂlishÂments of its time, was assoÂciÂatÂed with at least three imporÂtant comÂposers. HeinÂrich Isaac, the most influÂenÂtial of the three, was appointÂed offiÂcial comÂposÂer to the court of LorenÂzo the MagÂnifÂiÂcent in FloÂrence. He was well trained in the techÂniques of FlemÂish comÂpoÂsiÂtion, with its charÂacÂterÂisÂtic use of comÂplex polyÂphonÂic lines woven around a cantus firmus, canon, and other imiÂtaÂtive devices. WorkÂing with these mateÂriÂals, he was able to assimÂiÂlate difÂferÂent styles with great ease, emergÂing as the first “interÂnaÂtionÂal” comÂposÂer — writÂing ItalÂian frotÂtole, French chanÂsons and German lieder, all with the same apparÂent fluÂidÂiÂty. His instruÂmenÂtal masÂterÂpiece, La la hö hö, seems on first hearÂing to be only a simple and lively work, but it has a subtly exeÂcutÂed strucÂture which, as in all great music, enhances the comÂpoÂsiÂtion withÂout being obviÂousÂly heard. A simple eight note motive is taken through three disÂtinct stages, each slightÂly more comÂplex. Isaac strongÂly influÂenced his colÂleagues and stuÂdents Paul Hofhaimer and Ludwig Senfl, parÂticÂuÂlarÂly in the use of imiÂtaÂtion. Hofhaimer, who was priÂmarÂiÂly attached to the court at InnsÂbruck, was known as the greatÂest organÂist of the time. UnforÂtuÂnateÂly, since the organ was almost entireÂly an improÂvisatoÂry instruÂment during this period, little of the music surÂvives. He was also, howÂevÂer, a fine comÂposÂer of polyÂphonÂic lieder, and a good samÂpling of this music is extant. Mein Trauens is set in the phryÂgian mode, is one of the most plainÂtive and beauÂtiÂful of the love-laments, a popÂuÂlar form in the RenaisÂsance. Ludwig Senfl probÂaÂbly entered the Hofkapelle at its incepÂtion, as a choir boy. He became a stuÂdent of Isaac and inherÂitÂed Isaac’s posiÂtion as court comÂposÂer upon the master’s resÂigÂnaÂtion. Although Senfl’s style bears the unmisÂtakÂable marks of Isaac’s influÂence, his writÂing retains a much more stark and draÂmatÂic GerÂmanÂic flavor. He had a gift for warm, flowÂing melody and rhythÂmic vitalÂiÂty which, when comÂbined with his masÂtery of counÂterÂpoint and conÂtraÂpunÂtal devices, rarely failed to proÂduce a work of surÂpassÂing beauty.
Most of Senfl’s lieder employ the usual tenor cantus firmus, but his Jove of counÂterÂpoint freÂquentÂly led him to put this cantus firmus into canon, as is the case with three of the selecÂtions on this record: the two verÂsions of Es taget vor dem Walde, and Wann ich des MorÂgens frueh aufÂsteh’. Ach ElseÂlein, liebes ElseÂlein mein is one of the few instances in which Senfl used a homorhythÂmic setÂting, putting the cantus firmus in the top voice. His quodliÂbet, comÂbinÂing these three cantus firmi, disÂplays a great conÂtraÂpunÂtal skill withÂout disÂtractÂing attenÂtion from the piece as a whole.
ErasÂmus LapiÂciÂda is one of many shadÂowy figÂures found in RenaisÂsance musiÂcal hisÂtoÂry. He can be traced to AusÂtria as late as 1544, but was cerÂtainÂly known outÂside the GerÂmanÂic realm, as some of his comÂpoÂsiÂtions were pubÂlished by PetrucÂci in Venice as early as 1503. His setÂting of the Tander naken melody (one of the most popÂuÂlar cantus firmi for the FlemÂish comÂposers) is cerÂtainÂly one of the loveliÂest comÂpoÂsiÂtions from the early 16th century.
In the later 16th cenÂtuÂry, there is almost no emphaÂsis on the use of a cantus firmus. Instead, comÂposers relied upon equal voices, in imiÂtaÂtion, or a homorhythÂmic style of writÂing which placed the melodÂic emphaÂsis in the top voice. These styles were often used alterÂnateÂly within the same piece, as is the case with all three of the madriÂgals found on this recordÂing: Ihr Musici, frisch auf!, Ich weiss ein Maedlein huebÂsch und fein, and Bernard Schmidt’s florid keyÂboard intabÂuÂlaÂtion of the ItalÂian DomeniÂco Ferrabosco’s Io mi son gioÂvanetÂta. Hassler’s Ihr Musici also reflects the influÂence of his VenetÂian instrucÂtor GioÂvanÂni Gabrieli. The freÂquent polyÂchorÂic effects give the impresÂsion of a double choir,but strictÂly speaking,the piece is only a six-voice madriÂgal. It was quite a common pracÂtice in this period to play madriÂgals on instruments,and this libÂerÂty has been taken here.
Dance, as one of the priÂmaÂry means of exerÂcise and courtÂly enterÂtainÂment, played an imporÂtant role in the social life of the RenaisÂsance courts. A culÂmiÂnaÂtion of the mulÂtiÂtude of 16th cenÂtuÂry dance pubÂliÂcaÂtions is found in Michael PraeÂtoÂrius’ TerpÂsiÂchore, pubÂlished in 1612. This huge colÂlecÂtion conÂtains well over 400 dances,many of them, espeÂcialÂly the bransles, arranged into long suites These bransles, derivÂing from peasÂant dances,were danced in a circle or a line, not unlike folk dances (the hora, for examÂple) still popÂuÂlar today. FreÂquentÂly a number of difÂferÂent types of bransles were includÂed in one suite,to be used to open the dancÂing at a fesÂtiÂval. The Bransle de la Royne, played in its entireÂty on the record,is unusuÂal in that it retains the strucÂture of the bransle double throughÂout all ten dances.
The volta was a vigÂorÂous form of galÂliard in which the woman was thrown high into the air. The parÂticÂuÂlar volta perÂformed on this record is a type of musiÂcal pun,for the music is comÂpleteÂly danceÂable in triple time (usual for a volta), but the phrase strucÂture of the music is in quadruÂple and quinÂtuÂple time. In this performance,the triple meter is played by the drum. — Lyle Nordstrom
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