Luogo e data di registrazione		Evangelische Kirche, Basel (Svizzera) - 24-26 maggio 1971
	Registrazione: live / studio		studio
	Producer / Engineer		Gerd Berg / Johann-Nikolaus Matthes / Wolfgang Gülich
	Prima Edizione LP		EMI Electrola "Reflexe" - 1C 063-30 105 - (1 lp) - durata 46' 35" - (p) 1972 - Analogico
	Prima Edizione CD		EMI "Classics" - 8 26471 2 - (1 cd) - durata 46' 35" - (c) 2000 - ADD
	Note		-

During the reign of Elisabeth I and James I - particularly between 1570 and 1625 - poetry, drama and music achieved a genuine climax in England. In that "Golden Age" sacred and incidental music were of great importance and nearly everybody performed music at home, everybody knew to play and sing at sight. Social conditions being rather favourable, musical performance was not restricted to aristocracy but extended to bourgeois people. Very frequently, chests of recorders or chests of viols were cherished from one generation to the next, and they were as highly esteemed as costly silver or splendid furniture. "Fancy" was one of the most important musical forms of those days. Fancy is a work divided into two clearly differing sections, artfully developed in all parts. The different episodes of a fancy are rather related to one another by uniform style than by direct thematic vicinity. Alfonso Ferrabosco was in the service of Queen Elisabeth I. He came from an italian family and travelled a lot during his employment with the court; temporarily, he was even charged with diplomatic missions. His fancies reflect a remarkable consideration of polyphonic work. Instrumentation was left at performers’ discretion. Here, his fancy is played by a mixed ensemble with contrasting sound of wind, string and plucked instruments. William Byrd enjoyed great reputation under Queen Elisabeth I and, later-on, James I. In 1575 he was granted by the Queen the exclusive privilege to produce and distribute notes in England. The "Father of Musicke" as he was called by his contemporaries was a true master in all forms of compository art. For a five-part work Byrd selected a popular song as "ground", the words of which are saying: "The leaves be green, the nuts be brown, they hang so high, they will not come down." Beginning in the bass this melody wanders through all parts and is counterpointed by a skilful net of contrasting parts. Every new variation provides its own melodic and rhythmic structures. Movement and denseness are increased from one section to the next until a simple part with the melody in discant sets the finale. Just like William Byrd’s composition the dance movements by Anthony Holborne are performed by a consort of recorders. Here, however, lute and viola da gamba are added as continuo instruments. In the second edition of "Pavans, Galliards..." such continuo group was recommended. Holborne’s dances are characterised by easy-to-catch melodies and a very artful setting alike. In this work elements of folklore and art music which were so often opposed in the history of music are amalgamating perfectly. "Masque" was a typically English form of artistic performance combining pantomime, dance music and delicate stage effects to an amusing entertainment. In most cases, music was rather simple and closely related to tradition. This was a genuine workaday music deriving out of everyday’s practice. For the examples chosen here only melody part and bass are existing. But from musicians' pay roll it can be seen that some more instruments were involved. Most probably, centre parts and accompaniment were improvised. It was tried for this recording to re-create such improvisation. A collection called "First Booke of Consort Lessons" gives us fine examples for performing "broken music" (Shakespeare). This book had been edited in 1599 by Thomas Morley, Byrd’s favourite scholar. (Reconstruction by Sidney Beck, New York, 1959.) We are introduced with a model consort as it is represented in other contemporary collections as well. Michael Praetorius described it as an ensemble "nach Art der Engelländer“ (as per the English). There are two contrasting sound groups. The first one includes discant viola da gamba or violin, alto flute or recorder and bass viola da gamba; the second one lute, cittern and pandora (guitar-like instruments with metal chords tuned b-flat, d, g', e' or C, D, G, c, e, a). The lute is connecting the two groups: it participates in the chords of the plucked instruments and also leads the way in extremely virtuosely varied repetition parts. We can only join Morley in his opinion that those who were charged with re-arranging these compositions, were "exquisite authors". Unfortunately, their names are not given. Just Richard Allison is known to have revised some pieces. The "Lessons" were based on folk songs, popular dances, lute or harpsichord pieces, madrigals and canzonettas. Music of this sort was performed at court and by ordinary people and also appreciated as incidental music. Hans-Martin Linde (Translation by Anne Frese)
EMI Electrola "Reflexe"