Lux Luminum  /  Pøbel

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Monophon
2017

[52:00]

1. At the Marketplace  [3:07]
Rejoice! The minstrels have come to town!
Saltarello  ·:·  from MS. Add. 29987, British Library (14th century)


2. Drinking Music  [5:31]
Quand je bois du vin clairet
Procurans odium   CB  12


3. When the Cat's Away ...  [4:00]
the rats will dance...
English Dance  ·:·  Anon. dance tune from MS Douce 139, Oxford Bodleian Library (13th century)
La Rotta della Manfredina  ·:·  from MS. Add. 29987, British Library (14th century)


4. Dance Macabre  [4:23]
Peasant, beggar, king or cleric - memento mori! In the end, we will all be dancing with Death...
Bransle Simple  ·:·  Claude Gervaise (1525–1583)
Pavane Dellestarpe  ·:·  Claude Gervaise (1525–1583)


5. Requiem  [3:38]
Passe et Medio  ·:·  “Ut enim ad meni veniam”


6. Fishing Daydreams  [3:43]
After a long day's work in the fields a couple of peasants unwind at the creek...
Tanto son da Grorïosa  ·:·  from Cantigas de Santa Maria no. 48 (13th century)   CSM  48


7. Dancing Plague of 1518  [4:30]
The outbreak began in July when a woman began to dance fervently on a street in Strasbourg…
Os sete dões que dá Deus  ·:·  from Cantigas de Santa Maria no. 418 (13th century)   CSM  418
Branle d’Ecosse  ·:·  from Orchesographie (1589) by Thoinot ARBEAU (1519–1595)


8. Lullaby  [5:26]
Mariam Matrem Virginem   LV  8


9. Saltarello Mediterraneo  [5:19]
Tuscany, 1374 - Pungent odours of spices, incense and camels waft into the harbor as a persian trader offloads…
Saltarello  ·:·  from MS. Add. 29987, British Library (14th century)


10. Lux Luminum  [4:24]
Mit hjerte brænder hedt som et bål og så det skal


11. The Siege  [4:00]
Somewhere in northern Catalonia a bloody battle is raging...
Tocs Occitans  ·:·  trad. Catalonia


12. Grand Banquet  [4:50]
Bread, cheese, fish and meat aplenty... bring forth the wine!
Donna s'amor  ·:·  EGIDIUS de FRANCIA (14th century)
Non é gran cousa  ·:·  from Cantigas de Santa Maria no. 26 (13th century)   CSM  26
Tant m'abelis  ·:·  Berenguier de PALAZOL (1160–1209)






Pøbel




Mads Kjøller-Henningsen : hurdy-gurdy, shawms, flutes, bagpipes & vocals




Thor Ahlgren : bagpipes, laouto, recorder, kaval & vocals




Lasse Væver Jacobsen : medieval fiddles & vocals




Magnus Heebøll : cylindrical drum, frame drum, doumbek, tambourine & vocals





All tracks arranged by Pøbel
Special guest on track 8 Agnes Åhlund
Produced and recorded by Troels Alsted at his studio (2017)
Track 12 recorded by Michael Caplin at Skurups Folkhögskola (2014)
Mixed by Troels Alsted & Pøbel
Mastering by Per Tidstrand
Photos by Benjamin Tarp
Cover layout by Mads Kjøller-Henningsen

“Is this a genuine medieval CD?” you might ask. Alas, we must confess; it is but plastic and paper. Some historians and more well-read practitioners of early music may say the same thing about the music on this album – and perhaps rightfully so. But we fear that until we invent some sort of time machine, we will never know exactly how music sounded in the Middle Ages.

That being said, 18 out of the 19 pieces of music recorded on this album can be found in medieval and renaissance sources and the same is true of all the instruments featured. However, in Pøbel we choose to approach both as ‘modern-day minstrels’, not trying to strictly recreate historical medieval music, but interpreting and arranging the material in a way that we hope makes it more accessible and enjoyable for modern audiences. Hence we allow ourselves to combine different melodies from across countries and centuries, and to transform solemn hymns into feisty dance tunes and vice versa.

A famous bard once sung; ”It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!”, and that pretty much sums up our approach to medieval music – and to music in general. Nevertheless, the starting point was, and always will be, our common love for good tunes, and an eternal fascination with the past. It is our earnest and sincere hope that this album will be to Your Grace’s liking!

Pøbel would like to thank: Dansk Artist Forbund, Troels Alsted, Agnes Åhlund, Per Tidstrand, Benjamin Tarp our friends and colleagues in Krapyl, Virelai, Luntertuns Artilleri Corps, Company of Crooked Sticks and Genz d'Armes 1415 (pictured on the left). We would also like to thank that English guy and his Dutch friend for acting as extras in the photos that didn’t make it onto this cover.

Last but not least, Mads would like to give a special thanks to Signe Winther, Nicolas Koch-Simms, Patrik Tunberg and our late fiddling friend John Hart - without you there would be no Pøbel.