medieval.org
BIS LP-120
1978
CD edition, 1990
Side A 1. Saltarello [3:53] anonymous, 14th c. 2. Nel boscho senza folglie [1:47] Giovanni da FIRENZE 3. Drinking Canon [1:29] Oswald von WOLKENSTEIN 4. Es fur ein Pawr [1:30] anonymous, ca. 1450 anonymous, Cancionero de Upsala, ca. 1500 5. Vesame y abraçame [1:47] 6. Dizen a mi [2:29] 7. Falalalan [2:21] 8. La quinte estampie reale [1:44] anonymous, 13th c. 9. Under den linden [4:41] Walther von der VOGELWEIDE |
Side B 1. Vitrum nostrum gloriosum [1:30] anonymous, early 16th c. 2. Sauff aus und machs nit lang [0:48] Hermann FINCK 3. Es wollt ein Jäger jagen [1:37] Matthias GREITER 4. Elslein lieb(st)es Elselein (4 versions) [3:08] • monophonic – anonymous • 2-part – anonymous, Georg Rhaw's Bicinia germanica, 1545 • 3-part – anonymous, Glogauer Liederbuch • 4-part descant Lied – Ludwig SENFL, attr. 5. Galliarde “Le Tout” [1:20] anonymous, ca. 1550 6. Mir ist ein feins brauns Maidelein [1:41] Jobst von BRANDT 7. Es gieng guot Trösher [1:24] anonymous, ca. 1500 8. Basse danse “Mon Desir” [2:00] anonymous, ca. 1550 9. Fine knacks for ladies [2:59] John DOWLAND 10. Wolseys Wilde [2:16] William BYRD 11. Margot, labourez les vignes [4:48] Jacob ARCADELT 12. So trinken wir alle [1:25] Arnold von BRUCK 13. Al vol [2:00] anonymous, ca. 1470 |
medieval.org
Bis CD-120
1990
[Cantigas/Cantiones, BIS LP-225] :
Piæ Cantiones (1582)
1. Personent hodie [2:02]
2. In dulci iubilo [2:18]
3. Omnis mundus iucundetur [1:02]
4. Verbum caro [2:42]
5. Gaudete [1:31]
6. Iesu dulcis memoria [1:56]
7. Iesus Christus nostra salus [3:00]
8. Scribere proposui [1:10]
9. In stadio laboris [1:11]
10. In vernali tempore [2:57]
11. Tempus adest floridum [1:46]
[Skogen, Flickan och Flaskan, BIS LP-120, Side A] :
12. Saltarello [3:45] anonymous, 14th c. —
arr.: Sven Berger
13. Nel boscho senza folglie [1:38] Giovanni da FIRENZE (ca. 1350)
14. Drinking Canon [1:22] Oswald von WOLKENSTEIN (c. 1377-1445)
15. Es fur ein Pawr [1:21] anonymous, ca. 1450 —
arr.: Sven Berger
anonymous, Cancionero de Upsala, ca. 1500
16. Vesame y abraçame [1:37]
17. Dizen a mi [2:24]
18. Falalalan [2:14]
19. La quinte estampie reale [1:36] anonymous, 13th c. —
arr.: Sven Berger
20. Under den linden [4:38] Walther von der VOGELWEIDE (c. 1170-c. 1230) — arr.: Sven Berger
[Skogen, Flickan och Flaskan, BIS LP-120, Side B] :
21. Vitrum nostrum gloriosum [1:19] anonymous, early 16th c.
22. Sauff aus und machs nit lang [0:43] Hermann FINCK (1527-1558)
23. Es wollt ein Jäger jagen [1:30] Matthias GREITER (ca. 1490-1552)
24. Elslein lieb(st)es Elselein (4 versions) [3:01]
• monophonic – anonymous, instrumental [0:27]
• 2-part – anonymous, instrumental, Georg Rhaw's Bicinia germanica, 1545 [0:33]
• 3-part – anonymous, Glogauer Liederbuch [1:13]
• 4-part descant Lied – Ludwig SENFL, attr. [0:46]
25. Galliarde “Le Tout” [1:16] ca. 1550
26. Mir ist ein feins brauns Maidelein (1556) [1:34] Jobst von BRANDT (1517-1570)
27. Es gieng guot Trösher [1:18] ca. 1500
28. Basse danse “Mon Desir” [1:53] ca. 1550
29. Fine knacks for ladies [2:52] John DOWLAND (ca. 1563-1626)
arr.: Anders Bragsjö
30. Wolseys Wilde [2:09] William BYRD (1543-1622)
arr.: Sven Berger
31. Margot, labourez les vignes [4:40] Jacob ARCADELT (ca. 1500-1568)
32. So trinken wir alle [1:20] Arnold von BRUCK (ca. 1490-1554)
33. Al vol [1:40] ca. 1470
Joculatores Upsalienses (Upsala Jesters) are a group of musicians
devoted to bringing to life music of the past — primarily from the 13th
to the beginning of the 17th centuries. Their repertoire consists of
both sacred music and secular songs, dance music etc., sung and played
on more or less exotic sounding instruments of old design. The group
started in 1965 as a pure spare-time venture, but soon became engaged in
public performances and has appeared with increasing frequency in
concerts and on both international and domestic radio and television. By
virtue of their free-wheeling, captivating style, the Joculatores and
their music have become known and appreciated by people from all walks
of life. Over the years the number and nature of the group has changed,
but of its five founder members, four are still active. Several are
music teachers, but there is an astronomer, a librarian, a computer
specialist, a chemist, one museum director and even a musician (!), all
joined by their enthusiasm for old music. Joculatores Upsalienses appear
on three BIS compact discs: BIS-CD-3, BIS-CD-75 and BIS-CD-120.
Heard on this recording are:
Jan-Ewert Andersson, Rolf Berger, Satoko Berger, Sven Berger, John Björklund, Anders
Bragsjö, Annika Eliasson-Frick, Eva Ericsson, Kjell Frisk, Christina Högman, Jan Johansson, Lisbeth Kallaes, Jan Kling,
Cecilia Peijel, Henry Ragnarsson, Thomas Rolfner, Christer Söderbäck,
Georg Thöinners, Sören Törnkvist, Lars Wiberg, Per Åberg.
Recording data: 9.4. & 6-7.5.1978 and (Tracks 1-11) 5-7.11.1982 at Wik's Castle (Wiks Slott), Sweden
Recording engineer: Robert von Bahr
Producer: Robert von Bahr
2 Sennheiser MKH105 microphones, Revox A-77 tape recorder, 15 i.p.s., Scotch 206 and Agfa PEM468 tape, no Dolby
Tape editing: Robert von Bahr
CD transfer: Siegbert Ernst
Cover text: Sven Berger (Tracks 1-11: Anders Bragsjö)
English translation: John Skinner, Philip Tagg
Front cover: Anonymous (?Basel, ca. 1430) representation of Venus from a woodcut, coloured by Christina Högman
Instrument drawings: mostly from Michael Praetorius' Syntagma Musicum, Volume II, De Organographia. Wolfenbüttel
1619-20; additional drawings by Per Adrielsson and Sven Berger.
Type setting: Andrew Barnett
Lay-out: Andrew & Kyllikki Barnett
Printing: Hartung. Hamburg, West Germany 1990
© & ℗ 1978, 1982 & 1990, Grammofon AB BIS, Djursholm
Instrumentarium:
Bombards: Hanchet, Körber, Moeck
Cornetto: Lindahl
Crumhorn: Körber
Curtal (Dulcian): Körber
Fiddles: Anonymous, Gummesson, Sandell
Flute: Anonymous (Canton, China)
Gemshorn: Rainer Weber
Harp: Sandell
Hurdy-gurdy: Patt
Jew's Harp: Schwarz
Kortholt: Moeck
Lutes: Lindahl
Rebec: Mishimura
Recorders: Bärenreiter, Coelsma, Küng, Fehr
Trombones: Finke, Meinl & Lauber, Monke
Viol: Sämann
Short Glossary of Medieval and Renaissance Instruments
Piae Cantiones (1582)
Piae Cantiones was published
in 1582 in Greifswald by the Finnish student Theodoricus Petri. The
collection was conceived for use by young Finnish and Swedish students,
and is thus one of the earliest printed school song-books in existence.
It was used very widely and appeared in several new editions and
reprints over the course of a couple of centuries. The collection
contains mainly sacred and morally edifying songs and hymns, but also
includes a few ironic songs about the excellence of scholastic life,
together with two beautiful songs to Spring. A number of songs,
including some of the very oldest, were apparently "imported" by the
highly cosmopolitan scholars of the day. The majority of the songs are
for a single voice, although some arrangements for several voices occur.
Joculatores have "coloured" the unison songs in various ways. Obviously
ancient songs have been provided with a bourdon in the medieval fashion and one well-known melody (In dulci Jubilo)
has "borrowed" an extant setting. Other tunes have been given 2 to 4
extra voices by Anders Bragsjö, although every effort has been made to
preserve the special melos and harmony of the 15th and 16th centuries.
1. Personent hodie:
"Let songs of praise resound today!" The compelling introduction to
this Christmas song, which then summarises most of the Christmas story.
The song is in three parts, which enter one after the other until all
instruments and voices are joined together in praise.
2. In dulci Iubilo:
(setting by John Eccard (1553-1611)). The only song in the whole
collection with vernacular text (Swedish). The Swedish words are not
allowed to stand alone, however, but alternate with short Latin phrases
which rhyme with the Swedish. The song is one of the most popular
Christmas songs in Northern Europe and can be found in many
arrangements. Eccard's setting is performed here with the human voice
for the melody, together with recorder, three fiddles, bass gamba and
lute.
3. Omnis mundus iucundetur: A lively spontaneous and
catching song, celebrating the joy of Christ's birth. Accompanied by
loud reed instruments (treble, nicolo (low alto) and tenor pommers, bass
dulcian) together with percussion.
4. Verbum caro factum est:
"The Word is become Flesh through the Virgin Mary." Another composition
based on the well-known words. This meditative, gently lilting song is
duly performed with "soft" accompanying instruments. Lute, fiddle and
bass gamba, together with bells in the verses.
5. Gaudete:
This song is one of the few songs in Pia Cantiones originally printed
in a four part setting. But only the rousing chorus with its text of
"Rejoice, rejoice, Christ is born of the Virgin Mary" is in four parts.
The verses in between had no music at all in the 1582 edition, so the
tune has been added from a later edition.
6. Iesu, dulcis memoria:
An almost pietistically devout passion song. Mankind should keep Jesus,
"the fountain of goodness", in loving memory for all his martyrdom has
accomplished. Original version in four voices. Song, lute, bass
recorder, fiddle and bass
7. Iesus Christus, nostra salus:
A well-known communion hymn found in the Swedish hymn-book. In this
performance, the original single voice in the song collection alternates
with verses in four parts. Tenor and treble recorders, lute, fiddle,
sackbut and bass gamba play the instrumental parts.
8. Scribere proposui:
"On the transience and misery of the human condition" is the almost
Brechtian heading to one group of songs in the Piae Cantiones. In the
present song, devoted to precisely this subject, human hardships are
bewailed by a soprano accompanied by lute and bass gamba and supported
by a descant recorder.
9. In stadio laboris: The scholastic songs in Piae Cantiones include this example which, in spite of its almost schlager-like
tune, deals with a rather serious subject: in the "contest of life",
not everybody can win, so one should be satisfied with one's own
position.
10. In vernali tempore: A very beautiful and
apparently very ancient song to Spring with, to our "modern" ears at
least, a distinctly melancholy turn. The tune is sung alternately by
soprano and tenor, "coloured" by fiddle and recorder and supported by
wandering bourdons from the lute.
11. Tempus adest floridum:
A very well-known spring or even summer song: "Now is the time of
flowers". In England, however, the tune is best known as a Christmas
carol! As it swells from one to three to four to six voices, all
available resources of strings, woodwind, brass and percussion are used
to give the song a genuinely cheerful setting.
12. Anonymous, 14th century: Saltarello (arr. Sven Berger)
A
British Museum manuscript, probably Italian in origin, provided this
dance tune which has been elaborated with counter-parts and rhythmic
effects. After an improvised introduction the original theme appears in
rondo form: A b A c A d A. — Instrumentation: bombard, recorder,
fiddles, lutes, flute and percussion.
13. Giovanni da Firenze (ca. 1350): Nel boscho senza folglie (caccia)
Caccia (hunt), a typical form in Italian trecento
music, consists of a two-part vocal canon over a third instrumental
voice. As well as the fact that one voice of the canon hunts the other
(cf. catch), the text is concerned with hunting, often as an allegory of
the "love hunt", in this case in the "leafless woods". — The final
ritornello has here been omitted. Ensemble: voices with lutes and
bombard.
14. Oswald von Wolkenstein (c. 1377-1445): Drinking Canon
"Landlord,
thirst torments us sorely — bring more wine...!" This is the opening of
a three-part canon by the colourful adventurer, poet and singer Oswald
von Wolkenstein. A jew's harp accompanies the four singers.
15. Anonymous, ca. 1450: Es fur ein Pawr
This
"gossip song" gives a short, pithy account of how the peasant left for
the forest to chop wood and his wife to be visited by the rascally
priest. What may have happened subsequently is only suggested by
primitive prepositional phrases. — Ensemble: drum, fiddle, voice(s),
recorder, "onion-flute", bombard, trombones.
The cancioneros
or collections of songs used at the Spanish courts in the 15th and 16th
centuries reveal a rich and variegated musical life. Here courtly and
burlesque love songs jostle with religious songs and lampoons. As far as
is known, only one of these collections was printed (Venice, 1556), and
it is now named after the place where it was later discovered, Cancionero de Upsala. The three following songs are taken from this collection.
16. Anonymous, ca. 1500: Vesame y abraçame (villancico)
"Kiss
me, embrace me, my dear husband!" says the young woman in a vain
attempt to coax her sluggish husband out of bed. "I've washed and ironed
a shirt for you." — When not even threats and recriminations seem to
help, she tries once again with the clean shirt. This unaffected song
provides a glimpse of the life of simple people and (like many other
Spanish songs) has the popular villancico form (a b b a). — Ensemble:
two singers, two recorders, trombone and clapped hands.
17. Anonymous., ca. 1500: Dizen a mi
"They
say that I'm in love. They say in the village that I carry love under
my belt. May the Devil take me if I harbour such thoughts!" — But the
singers, supported by flute, fiddles and viols, do not manage to
convince the listener with their vehement denials — or do they...?
18. Anonymous, ca. 1500: Falalalan (villancico)
Three
"impressionistic" pictures from the life of Pedro, a poor shepherd boy:
1. Everyone calls him "Newly-wed", because he dreams in vain of his
master's daughter, the unattainable. — 2. He stays with the flocks out
in the pastures and must sleep by his fire under the open sky. — 3.
During lent he eats neither sardines nor salted food, but breadcrumbs
dipped in oil which puts his teeth on edge. — The carefree falalalan falalalera
of the refrain, however, suggests a basically optimistic attitude. — In
the verses, the melody is accompanied by two parts, played on
crumhorns. In the four-part refrain sections there are more voices and
instruments (lute, fiddle, viol, recorder and "onion-flute"). The
flexible, infectious rhythm of the song is marked by percussion.
19. Anonymous, 13th century: La Quinte Estampie reale (arr. Sven Berger)
A considerable variety of songs and purely instrumental dance pieces in the middle ages were given the designation estampie (estampida, istampita).
A characteristic feature of this type of dance tune appears to be the
easily recognisable cadence formulae of the different repeats (two
variants, overt and clos, first and second time
respectively). — "The fifth royal estampie" is here performed on the
rebec, accompanied by wandering parallel fifths in a hurdy-gurdy, plus
sparse drum beats.
20. Anonymous trouvère/Walther von der Vogelweide, ca. 1200: Under der Linden (arr. Sven Berger)
The South German Minnesinger (Minne = love) Walther von der Vogelweide has set one of his own texts to a contemporary French chanson de trouvère.
Walther lets the young girl tenderly describe her secret rendezvous,
witnessed only by the nightingale, "tandaradei, and he will not tell". —
The song is accompanied by harp and gemshorn.
21. Anonymous, early 16th century: Vitrum nostrum gloriosum (drinking song)
The
lay brothers provided links between the Church and the secular world.
Consciously or unconsciously, they supplied elements from sacred music
to the choral societies of burgers active in such contexts as guild
feasts. This tribute to wine in "Our glorious glass" (from Georg
Forster's song book, Nuremberg 1540) makes obvious fun of the
contemporary Church music style. The drinking song is here performed by a
vocal quartet including lead singer.
22. Hermann Finck (1527-1558): Sauff aus und machs nit lang
"Bottoms up, don't sip too long!" This song appears without further text in Wolfgang Kiiffer's Notenbuch,
compiled in Wittenberg in the 1550s. Instrumental versions of songs
were very common at the time. The drinking song is here played on
cornetts, bombards and trombones.
23. Matthias Greiter (ca. 1490-1552): Es wollt ein jiiger jagen (1540)
As
in other contemporary hunting songs, the hunter in this Bavarian song
meets three beautiful girls in the forest. The first is called
Margareta, the second Ursula, but the hunter/nobleman finds delight in
the third girl, who doesn't reveal her name, and takes her home to his
castle. — Ensemble: trombone/voice and three crumhorns.
24. Elslein, lieb(st)es Elselein in four versions:
24/1. Anonymous (monophonic presentation)
24/2. Anonymous (2-part setting from Georg Rhaw's Bicinia germanica, 1545)
24/3. Anonymous (3-part setting from Glogauer Liederbuch, c. 1470)
24/4. probably Ludwig Senfl (ca. 1489-1543: 4-part descant Lied, printed in 1540)
Elslein, Little Elsa
was apparently one of the most popular and widely performed songs
around 1500, judging from all the arrangements by composers known and
unknown. The text is about two lovers longing for each other, but
separated by great distances and deep water. (The more detailed text,
informing us that the lovers are royal children, is omitted in most
versions, perhaps to bring the song nearer to the people.) — The melody
is presented on gemshorn, the bicinium is played on lute and viol, the
three-part setting is performed by voice, trombone and viol, whilst the
final four-part version is performed with voices, lute, fiddle,
recorder, trombone and viol.
25. Anonymous, ca.1550: Gaillarde "Le Tout"
An
energetic dance movement from Susato's collection of dances (Antwerp
1551) with the gaillard's characteristic hemiola dualism (3 beats
against 2). — Ensemble: recorder, crumhorn, trombone and lute, fiddle,
curtal, bombards, cornett and percussion.
26. Jobst vom Brandt (1517-1570): Mir ist ein feins brauns Maidelein (1556)
A
beautiful five-part song with a sensitive text, depicting the poet's
(singer's) longing for a graceful brown-haired girl who has made an
indelible impression on him, performed here by kortholt, fiddle,
recorder, voice and curtal.
27. Anonymous, ca. 1500: Es gieng guot Tröscher
A musty song from the Swiss Liederbuch des Johannes Heer von Glarus (1510). With the double meaning of the verb "to thresh" (tröschen, dreschen),
found in other German songs from the period, the seed is here dealt
with in more than one way (cf. "to have one's oats"). The temporary
thresher, a wandering tramp, is happy to lay the female threshing-hand
on the floor and "do with her like the cock with the hen". The joyful
harmony of the lovemaking is depicted in the refrain at the end of every
verse: "Then he fiddled for her and she jigged for him so sweetly."
Naturally the song is accompanied by string instruments, fiddles and
viols.
28. Anonymous, ca. 1550: Basse danse "Mon desir"
Like many other dances of the period, this basse danse
from Susato's Danserye (1551, cf. Track 25) is also based on a song. On
the whole, a composer considered it an honour if his tunes were used in
arrangements by other musicians. — Instrumentation: lute, two low
recorders and viol.
29. John Dowland (1563?-1626): Fine knacks for ladies (arr. Anders Bragsjö)
This Dowland setting of an anonymous text is included in the composer's Second Booke of Songs or Ayres
(1600). The knick-knacks and trumpery sold by the pedlar in the text
stand in striking contrast to his feelings towards his female customers:
"Though all my wares be trash, the hart is true!" — Dowland's original
setting for voice and lute has been expanded here to include (in order
of entry): voice, lutes, bass viol, recorders, fiddles, cornett and
trombone.
30. William Byrd (1543-1622): Wolseys Wilde (arr. Sven Berger)
The
rather mysterious heading is a corruption of "The Woods so Wilde", a
title used for other contemporary settings of the same tune. Byrd's
keyboard version (in Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, with pieces from
the period 1562-1612) has here been adapted for crumhorn quartet with
harmonies partly modified but in accordance with contemporary practice.
31. Jacob Arcadelt, (ca. 1500-1568): Margot, labourez les vignes
The
text of this French folksong tells about Margot, whom three captains
refer to as a peasant girl, but who impudently declares that she is more
than this. The king's son himself wants her and has given her a bouquet
to care for. If it blooms she will be queen, if not she must bear the
shame. Arcadelt has reflected the question/answer form of the text in
his setting by letting the tenor and soprano voices answer each other.
The dialogue is further stressed in this performance in that the tenor
is accompanied by the strings and the soprano by recorders and lutes. A
hurdy-gurdy has been added in keeping with the song's popular character
and origin.
32. Arnold von Bruck, (ca. 1490-1554): So trinken wir alle (1540)
Praise of wine is the subject of this Gesellschaftslied.
The magnificent, spirited five-part setting by the Flemish born
Austrian Arnold von Bruck (Brugge/Bruges) was printed (like Tracks 21
and 23) in Georg Forster's Liederbuch (Nuremberg 1540). — The
most melodious parts, the tenor (c.f.) and the descant, are sung with
octave reinforcement by cornett and recorder respectively; the other
parts are played by crumhorns.
33. Anonymous, ca. 1470: Al vol
When, in the 1470s, contemporary music was recorded in the part books, subsequently known as the Gloguaer Liederbuch,
no attention was apparently paid to the order in which the contents
were presented. Between two responsoria, intended for church use, there
is a remarkable drunkard's song, a dialogue between the incurable toper
and his fatalistically ironic wife. Moral: "You've yourself to blame!" —
The voices are accompanied by lute, curtal and crumhorn.