Renaissance Music

[Peter]

I'd like to also ask members to contribute their favourite Renaissance music. Along the lines of the Contemporary music thread, recommended recordings and works you consider as landmark masterpieces - Palestrina's Papae Marcelli Mass is mine to start off!

[Sorrano]

I haven't delved much into this period, but Josquin des Prez comes to my mind immediately from the history classes. My recollections of his music have been pretty positive.

[Chris]

I agree with you on that one, Peter - it is a magnificent piece. Really, the same could be said of so much of Palestrina's music that it's hard to single any of them out!

Much the same can be said for William Byrd, and I particularly like his Mass settings for 3, 4, and 5 voices.

Thomas Tallis is another favorite. If I had to pick one piece of his that really stands out, it would be Spem in alium, his motet for 40 voices (!).

As for recordings, the Tallis Scholars have first-rate recordings of works of all three of these composers, and I definitely recommend them. And if you really like Tallis, Brilliant has an excellent box set of his complete works by the Chapelle du Roi and Alastair Dixon for only $50, which is more than worth it.

[Sorrano]

Much the same can be said for William Byrd, and I particularly like his Mass settings for 3, 4, and 5 voices.

Not too long ago the radio broadcast some of Byrd's works and I found them enjoyable; they were instrumental, however.

[Roehre]

da Vittoria: Requiem
Josquin Desprez: Missa La sol fa re mi; Missa l'Homme armé
Busnois: Missa L'Homme armé
Ockeghem; Missa L'Homme armé
Late MA/early reneaissance: Dufay Missa L'Homme armé
High renaissance: Palestrina Missa L'Homme armé

[Peter]

Not too long ago the radio broadcast some of Byrd's works and I found them enjoyable; they were instrumental, however.

Indeed they are, he really was one of England's finest composers. A light hearted example is this delightful piece played by Glenn Gould 'Sellingers Round'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyfZOZwuFM8

[Megan]

We've got this one, by the great Jordi Savall, he makes the period live again and imho, he is far better that Eliot Gardener, though good he is too.
Monteverdi's - Orfeo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxBT1pfVAKQ

Love this piece!

[Roehre]

For those who are interested in Renaissance music of all sorts, the "CD-set "The Art of the Netherlands" (Munrow, originally on EMI, now on Testament) as well at the Munrow CD "Two Renaissance Bands" opened up for me this fascinating musical era.

[Sorrano]

Thanks for sharing the links, Peter and Megan; this is all beautiful music!

[Joy]

Indeed both were beautiful selections. At one time I read that 'Greensleeves' might be a song that may have been written by King Henry VIII of England. This is probably one of the most famous tunes ever written from the Renaissance.

[Peter]

Indeed both were beautiful selections. At one time I read that 'Greensleeves' might be a song that may have been written by King Henry VIII of England. This is probably one of the most famous tunes ever written from the Renaissance.

Greensleeves is one of Mr.Anon's most famous hits, once attributed as you say to Henry VIII. Most of his extant pieces are in the Henry VIII Songbook, probably compiled around 1518, and includes 20 songs and 13 instrumental pieces ascribed to ‘The Kynge H. viij’.

The anthology also contains 76 pieces by other musicians associated with the court, including William Cornysh and Robert Fayrfax, as well as some foreign composers, but there are more pieces attributed to Henry than to any other composer. Some of the King’s pieces are musical arrangements, but there are also many original compositions - however I think he may have been assisted in these by such as Fayrfax.

‘Pastyme with good companye’ is probably the most famous of these pieces.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vottDdrRSVk

[Roehre]

Greensleeves is one of Mr.Anon's most famous hits, once attributed as you say to Henry VIII. Most of his extant pieces are in the Henry VIII Songbook, probably compiled around 1518, and includes 20 songs and 13 instrumental pieces ascribed to ‘The Kynge H. viij’.

The anthology also contains 76 pieces by other musicians associated with the court, including William Cornysh and Robert Fayrfax, as well as some foreign composers, but there are more pieces attributed to Henry than to any other composer. Some of the King’s pieces are musical arrangements, but there are also many original compositions - however I think he may have been assisted in these by such as Fayrfax.

What at the present is considered to be Henry VIII's complete output can be found on one very nice Chandos CD, strongly recommended.

[Joy]

Greensleeves is one of Mr.Anon's most famous hits, once attributed as you say to Henry VIII. Most of his extant pieces are in the Henry VIII Songbook, probably compiled around 1518, and includes 20 songs and 13 instrumental pieces ascribed to ‘The Kynge H. viij’.

The anthology also contains 76 pieces by other musicians associated with the court, including William Cornysh and Robert Fayrfax, as well as some foreign composers, but there are more pieces attributed to Henry than to any other composer. Some of the King’s pieces are musical arrangements, but there are also many original compositions - however I think he may have been assisted in these by such as Fayrfax.

‘Pastyme with good companye’ is probably the most famous of these pieces.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vottDdrRSVk

Thanks for the info. Pretty nice music. Didn't know the 'old goat' had it in him. Who would have thunk it?!

[Joy]

What at the present is considered to be Henry VIII's complete output can be found on one very nice Chandos CD, strongly recommended.

Thanks for that, Roehre, and I will definitely look into this.