Luogo e data di registrazione		Kirche Neumünster, Zürich (Svizzera) - marzo 1974
	Registrazione: live / studio		studio
	Producer / Engineer		Gerd Berg / Johann-Nikolaus Matthes
	Prima Edizione LP		EMI Electrola "Reflexe" - 1C 063-30 119 - (1 lp) - durata 60' 14" - (p) 1974 - Analogico
	Prima Edizione CD		EMI "Classics" - 8 26488 2 - (1 cd) - durata 60' 14" - (c) 2000 - ADD
	Note		-

The King and His Court Henry VIII was born in Greenwich in 1491 and came to the throne in 1509. He was a clever, gay and handsome youth, well skilled in all manner of athletic games, though in later life he became coarse, fat and ungainly. He knew Latin, French and some Italian, was a talented student of mathematics and showed great interest in geometry and astronomy. As an athlete he excelled; he was one ot the finest archers in the land, wrestled, jousted (in 1510 took part incognito in the jousts at Richmond as the Oueen’s champion), hunted and enjoyed hawking. His greatest love, however, was music. An enthusiastic and gifted amateur, music accompanied him wherever he went, on progress or campaign. He played the lute well, could manage organ and virginals, and possessed a strong sure voice. His favourite instrument, however, seems to have been the recorder; an inventory of 1547 boasts seventy nine of them, and we are told that whilst in the course of a progress in 1511, Henry amused himself “in shooting, singing, dancing, wrestling... playing at the recorders, flute and virginals...". He also composed and is credited with having written ballads, songs, instrumental pieces and masses. Unfortunately none of his masses have survived, although some songs and instrumental pieces still exist. His court was concerned with feasting and merry making, revels, disguisings pageants and tilts. All this was balanced by outdoor activities such as hawking, riding and hunting. Henry’s courtiers were also his companions; he sang with Sir Peter Carew, discussed the universe with Thomas More, and rode and hunted with Lord Henry Stafford and Edward Neville. One account tells of how Henry and his friends burst into the Queen`s chamber at Westminster one morning dressed as Robin Hood's men to dance with the surprised ladies (no doubt, also to sing one ofthe many “foster” songs) and on other occasions dressed as Turks, or wearing brightly coloured costumes. Hardly a month went by without some celebration or festivity. Thousands of pounds were spent clothing and entertainments for the king and his court. Musicians were imported wholesale from abroad, and visiting ambassadors lavishly entertained. Later in his reign the pageants would take on political meanings and Henry was to grow into a noisy, extroverted overweight man with an obsession for fine clothes, jewelled rings, and an insatiable appetite for gambling and eating. Henry’s character changed much throughout his reign and as a man feared and revered by his chancellors he died on the 31st of Januar 1547. The King’s Musicians At the beginning of the sixteenth century the English court reflected a culture which had been in existence in France one hundred years earlier. The "courts of love", chivalry, courtly "pastimes"... these were essentials in the court when Henry VII ruled. The same atmosphere pervaded through Henry VIII’s (his son) reign until the late 1530‘s, when Italian influences, imported via musicians coming from Venice and Milan, began to make their impression on English courtly life. Musically, the two most important parts of the king’s court were the Chapel Royal, and the “Pryvat chambre". The former was made up of twenty singing men and ten boys. The boys received a thorough instruction in all subjects, their teachers being members of the Chapel, such as William Cornish (Master of the Children) and Robert Fayrfax. The Chapel Royal (which in its entirety also included clerical staff) accompanied the king on his travels until 1526 when it became apparent that long journeys would be much easier whit a smaller entourage. Thereafter only the Master of the Children and six singing men were allowed to travel with the royal household. The secular musicians of Henry’s court were assigned to one of three groups; trumpeters, minstrels, and string minstrels. The trumpeters were the most important because of their importance on ceremonial occasions (when they were required to announce events with fanfares), and at court where they heralded royal personages. Other important wind musicians were the sackbut and shawn players - a combination which was much in demand for the dance music of the court. Only string players were in the minority; until 1526 there were only two rebec players at court and a harp player. In the same year another rebec player, two continental viol players and lutenists appeared on the payroll. Numbers steadily increased and at the time of the king’s death, the secular musicians included lutenists Master Giles, the brothers Philip and Peter van Wilder, and a group of six italian viol-players. Professional dancers were also part of the court, the most prized being Mark Smeton who was oftimes summoned to dance for Anne Boleyn (second of Henry’s wives) in her chamber. The most important musicians were the keyboard players - they were valued for their virtuosity and really had very little connection with the other musicians of the court. They were John Heyward, Benedictus de Opitiis, and Fra Dionisius Memo (from Venice where he had been the organist at St. Marks). The two most responsible members of the musicians seem to have been William Cornish and Peter van Wilder, Cornish was Master of the Children at the Chapel Royal and van Wilder in charge of the instruments at Westminster. This entailed administrative duties of course, some quite ordinary, such as a payment to van Wilder for shawms and sackbuts, and others quite suprising, such as one to Cornish. "Mr. Cornisshe, paving, gutters of lead for urinals and other necessaries at Greenwich". This may well refer to jousts held in Greenwich that year. It is rather doubtful that Cornish would have been responsible for the general repairs of the Chapel Royal! Of course not all music-making was left to professionals, much was performed in the course of conversing or as a sign of good manners. Henry, for example, often played and sang for visiting ambassadors or during his travels throughout England. Most amateur music-making must, however, have been done behind closed doors. There are no references to such ocassions, or are these part of the “pastimes in chambers with company”? Certainly most of the pieces, that form the collection from which our selection for this recording have been taken, could have easliy been performed by amateurs, as well as professionals. The King’s Musical Instruments L ke all royal households the Tudor household kept a great number of instrurvents for the use of court musicians and talented amateurs at court. Henry’s collection was particularly rich and was housed at various locations in and around London. An inventory taken at the time of his death includes the following list of instruments. The King’s Instruments (From an Inventory of the Guarderobes... 1547) At Greenwich     1 Regal with case     1 Regal and Virginals     1 Pair of Virginals     1 Ivory horn At Westminster (in the study next to the Bellechambre)     1 Antique horn garnished with silver     2 Copper horns (inthe charge of Philip van Wilder)     3 Organs     5 Double Regals     13 Regals     7 Double Virginals     12 Virginals     25 Lutes     21 Cornets     2 Clavichords     19 Viols     5 Spanish viols or Gitterons     79 Recorders     6 Fifes     76 Flutes     1 Pipe for a taberde     17 Shawms     11 Crumhorns     13 Dulceuses     6 Bagpipes At Hampton Court     2 Portative organs     2 Regals     1 Pair of Virginals     7 Crumhorns At Windsor     1 Double Regal At the More     2 Pair of Virginals (old)     1 Regal (broken) At Newhall     1 Great Organ     1 Pair of Virginals (very old and broken)     1 Old lute At Nottingham Castle     1 Old pair of organs The Guarderobe of the Robes     17 Horns At Saint James House     1 Pair of organs At Westminster (in the little study)     1 Antique horn The Music 1. The Songs Most of the music on this recording is taken from a song-book which reflects musical life at court during the first part of Henry VIII’s reign. Thirty of the pieces can be ascribed to Henry himself, and others to members of his court musicians. Besides English part-songs, the collection contains many instrumental pieces in the form of dances and canons, and song “hits” from the continent. Compositions by the king include songs, several short instrumental pieces and an extended setting of Taundernaken. This is one of the best known melodies of the period, and Henry’s setting is only one of many. Another occurs in “Odhecaton” (published in Venice in 1501 by Petrucci) although considerably different from Henry’s version. Henry would certainly known of this famous publication either through his Italian visitors or court musiclans. The publication was extremely popular and, as the song-book shows, well known. Gentil prince appears to have started life as a three part piece and appears in this form in “Odhecaton”. Henry added the extra part no doubt, as his name occurs next to the English setting. This is also the case with Helas Madam. The rather fussy third voice part is quite obviously a later addition. The melody and words first appeared in Antonius de Arena’s “Ad Suos Compagnones, qui sunt de persona friantes; Bassas Dansas..." of 1536 where it is listed as a bass dance. Henry’s version contains several changes in the melody line, although these were most likely made before the addition of the third voice. Pastime with good company expresses admirably the sentiment of Henry’s court (“...Hunt, sing and dance... ") and can justifiably be called the "King’s Ballad". Even this song however may not be completely by Henry. It bears a strong resemblance to Richafort’s “De mon triste desplaisir" - published in Attaignant’s “Trente et quatre chansons musicales" of 1529 - and may well have been modelled on it. As can be seen, continental influence was very strong. Many foreign songs occur in this collection. Ough warder mount represents the german “tenor lied” and can be found in other versions, chiefly continental. An interesting English source is the Royal Appendix 58 where it appears as “Warda mut" (in fact a rather crude entabulation of the tenor and bass lines with the cadences ornamented). The other continental song on this record is De tous bien plane by Hayne van Ghizeghem. This, like several others, is taken from “Odhecaton" and has had an extra part added to a three part version. Of the English composers represented, William Cornish is the most important contributor. Ah Robin is an exquisite setting of Sir Thomas Wyatt’s poem. This canonic piece was probably based on a popular song of the period. The reworking of such a song would have amused the members of the court, particularly in such a reworking as Cornish’s. The second song by Cornish, Blow thi horn hunter, is one of the “foster” or “foresster" songs. The all too frequent mention of chasing does, and of bows and arrows is used as a very thin disguising for erotic double meanings, which in Henry’s court would have hardly been missed. The constant reference to the “greenwood” and hunting and shooting make these songs ideal for performance, not only at court, but also as part of the annual “mayings”’ (held every 1st of May). Of the two songs by Cooper one is also a “foster” song. I have been a foster laments the aging of a foster. “Every bow for me is too big; mine arrow nigh worn is... ". Though the mood is sad the meanings are crystal clear. Farewell my joy is a song of parting. The lover leaves his lady. Such a song is presumably intended as part of a courtly entertainment. Of the anonymous songs I love unloved shows the courtly preoccupation with love. The unrequieted love of a lover is here so pathetically expressed. Love was very important in Henry’s court; to be in love was essential, and even when unreturned it satisfied the curiosity of the court. Every lover had his ideal. The sun, brightness, all things unattainable were used to descibe the object of the lover’s affections. This is so admirably expressed in the song Madam d’amours. This is perhaps the most striking song in the whole collection. It has a richness found in no other song in the book expressing the emotions of courtly lovethrough the courtly language. 2. The Instrumental Music Interspersed with the songs are many short instrumental pieces, forthe main part untitled. They are in various styles; some showing a strong dance character (Consorts VIII, IX, X, XII), others a more polyphonic style (XVI), and some (IX, XXI) would seem to be written out improvisation. The titled instrumental pieces are all in some way unusual. It is very interesting to find a composition by John Dunstable at so late a date. His Puzzle canon (one of several contained in the book) consists of two complete parts and, instead of the tenor, a clue as to the form of the tenor line. Here the clue is; “A dorio tenor hic ascendens esse videtur, Quater per genera tetracordum refitetur“. (The tenor is seen to ascend from the Dorian and is repeated through four kinds of tetrachords). En vray amour displays very dance-like features and may well be a bass dance - the most popular dance at Henry’s court. Fors seulement is a setting of Ockeghem's "Fors seulement l'attente" and, as with the other continental pieces, exists in several other settings. The absence of words and changes in notes suggest that this is a purely instrumental setting. The pieces for lute and Pavin and Galliard of Albart are taken from two other books, which date from the latter part of Henry’s reign. The pavan-galliard pair represent the new Italian style. They use, for their thematic material, the theme “Belle qui tiens ma vie" which occurs much later in "Orchesography" (a dance treatise by Thoinot Arbeau published in 1589). Here the setting is for five instruments. The pieces for lute cannot be dated with any certainty before 1540. Pastyme is an entabulation of the “king’s ballad” - "Pastime with good company". This version has minor differences and a surprise ending! Warda mut is simply an entabulation of the tenor and bass lines of Ough warder mount. The Duke of Somersette's Dompe is the most substantial of the three pieces for lute. It consists of six variations on a ground. An earlier version, under the title “Padoana”, can be found in Vincenzo Capirola’s lute book of 1517 and another in Hans Newsidler's book of 1540 with the title “ein sehr guter welscher tantz im abzug" The dompe (or dump) became an accepted instrumental form. There were two types; the “merry dompe” and the "doleful dompe" and references to them are common in literature of the time. The Duke of Somerset, for whom this dompe was written was Edward Seymour. He received his title in 1547 and was sent to the tower of London twice, being executed in 1552. It is possible that the piece was retitled to celebrate Seymour’s receiving the title. Anthony Bailes
EMI Electrola "Reflexe"