Anthony Holborne (c1545 - 29 novembre 1602): The Image of Melancholy, pavana a 5 parti strumentali (pubblicata in Pavans, Galliards, Almains and other Short Aeirs, 1599, n. 27). Ensemble Masques: Sophie Gent e Tuomo Suni, violini; Margaret Little e Mélisande Corriveau, bass viols; Benoît van den Bemden, violone; Olivier Fortin, clavicembalo.
Nicholas Strogers (attivo nella 2a metà del XVI secolo): In nomine a 6. Hespèrion XX, dir. Jordi Savall.
William Byrd (c1540 - 1623): In nomine a 4 (n. 1). The Voice of the Viol.
Thomas Tallis (c1505 - 1585): In nomine I a 4 e II a 5 parti strumentali. Ensemble Charivari Agréable.
John Dowland (1563 - 1626): In darkness let me dwell, ayre. Ellen Hargis, soprano; Jacob Heringman, liuto; Mary Springfels, viol.
In darkness let me dwell; the ground shall sorrow be,
The roof despair, to bar all cheerful light from me;
The walls of marble black, that moist’ned still shall weep;
My music, hellish jarring sounds, to banish friendly sleep.
Thus, wedded to my woes, and bedded in my tomb,
O let me living die, till death doth come, till death doth come.
Capolavoro di Dowland, il brano fu pubblicato dal figlio del compositore, Robert (1591 - 1641), nell’antologia A Musicall Banquet (Londra 1610, n. X).
In darkness let me dwell è l’ultima delle composizioni vocali su testo inglese della raccolta: fanno seguito tre airs de cour francesi (tutti e tre di Pierre Guédron, il cui nome non è tuttavia menzionato nella pubblicazione), due romances spagnoli e cinque arie su testo italiano.
John Dowland (1563 - 1626): Lady if you so spight me, ayre. Martyn Hill, tenore; Anthony Rooley, liuto; Trevor Jones, viol.
Lady if you so spight me,
Wherfore do you so oft kisse and delight mee?
Sure that my hart opprest and overcloyed,
May breake thus overjoyde,
If you seeke to spill mee,
Come kisse me sweet and kill mee,
So shal your hart be eased,
And I shall rest content and dye well pleased.
Il brano fu pubblicato dal figlio del compositore, Robert (1591 - 1641), nella raccolta A Musicall Banquet (Londra 1610, n. IX).
John Dowland (1563 - 1626): Lady if you so spight me, ayre « for one voice only to sing » su testo di sir Henry Lee of Ditchley (1533 - 1611). Emma Kirkby, soprano; Anthony Rooley, liuto.
Far from triumphing Court and wonted glory
He dwelt in shady unfrequented places,
Time’s prisoner now, he made his pastime story;
Glady forgets Court’s erst-afforded graces.
That goddess whom he served to heaven is gone,
And he on earth in darkness left to moan.
But lo, a glorious light from his dark rest
Shone from the place where erst this goddess dwelt;
A light whose beams the world with fruit hath blest;
Blest was the knight while he that light beheld.
Since then a star fixed on his head hath shined,
And a saint’s image in his heart is shrined.
Ravished with joy, so graced by such a saint,
He quite forgat his cell and self denaid;
He thought it shame in thankfulness to faint,
Debts due to princes must be duly paid;
Nothing so hateful to a noble mind
As finding kindness for to prove unkind.
But ah! poor knight, though thus in dream he ranged,
Hoping to serve this saint in sort most meet,
Time with his golden locks to silver changed
Hath with age-fetters bound him hands and feet.
Ay me! he cries, goddess, my limbs grow faint,
Though I Time’s prisoner be, be you my saint.
Il brano fu pubblicato dal figlio del compositore, Robert (1591 - 1641), nella raccolta A Musicall Banquet (Londra 1610, n. VIII).
Anonimo: The Liverpool Hornpipe (dalla Atholl Collection, Perth, A. K. Bell Library). Jordi Savall, treble viol; Andrew Lawrence-King, arpa irlandese.
la regina gioiosa