The Medieval LadyCD: Music by medieval women composers: Soprano Andrea Folan with Elizabethan Conversation: Susan Sandman: medieval fiddle, lute, recorders, viola da gamba, bass viola da gamba; Derwood Crocker: symphonia, psaltery, organetto, lute. Catalog #LE340. Total Time 64:21 Leonarda Home Page.
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Reviews: "A delightful view in miniature of
the evolution of song and instrumental airs preceding the boom of the Baroque...Andrea
Folan's youthful, sweet soprano is well-suited to Boleyn's and later dance-influenced
English-language songs. Her broad knowledge of the repertoire is evidenced in
her decoration of the melody line of a poem by the Countess of Dia from 12th
Century southern France; there are suggestions of Ladino and later Spanish stylings.
The accompaniments and non-vocal numbers are performed gently but confidently
on period instruments." Jeff Kaliss, Muze (Muze
provides reviews for online merchants.) Kaliss also writes for The
San Francisco Chronicle. * "Nicely engineered CD...has the intimate
ambiance needed for this style of music...Susan Sandman and Derwood Crocker
play nine instruments between them...Both are consummate musicians..."[Folan's]
light, yet warm soprano is beautifully suited to the works here. Her diction
is exemplary and ornamentation tasteful and varied. The balance between the
three performers here is excellent...Several of the cuts are instrumental only,
and each line is clearly heard in the texture of the whole piece." Candace
Magner, Journal of Singing. * "Folan
is sweet-voiced, artfully capturing the mood of the mainly melancholy words
and tunes. Sandman and Crocker are erudite, yet sensitive to the music."
Parsons, American Record Guide.
Recording: Recording producer/engineer and post production: Marnie Hall. Recorded at Alice Barler Recital Hall, Wells College, Aurora, New York, September, 1994. DDD. Support: This recording is made possible with public funds from The New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. Additional support provided by the Mitch Miller Foundation, Wells College, Dilly Patrick, and a Special Opportunity Stipend from the New York Foundation for the Arts and the Upper Catskill Community Council of the Arts, Inc.
Performance Practices: "Manuscripts of medieval songs contain only melody, with no indication of instrumentation. We chose to use psaltery, fiddle, lute, symphonia, and organetto, instruments common in the 12th and 13th centuries. In keeping with early practices in performance, we have added our own counter-melodies, ornamentation, and, where manuscripts are ambiguous, rhythmic interpretation. The later songs appear more complete in manuscripts. Single-line melodies are replaced with multipart compositions. We perform them in the English lute song style, with voice, lute and bass viola da gamba. Lute realizations for the three Mary Harvey songs were supplied by Dr. Sandman." -Susan G. Sandman.
Music Sources: Countess of Dia: Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, MS Fr. 844, Fol. 204R. Maroie de Dregnau de Lille: "Le Manuscrit du Roi". Queen Blanche: Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, MS f.fr. 21677. Hildegard of Bingen: the Dendermonde Codex. Anne Boleyn (attributed): can be found in Briscoe, ed., "Historical Anthology of Music by Women," (1987). Killigrew: Oxford, Tenbury MS 1018; ornamented version from Bodelian Lib. Add. 10337 fol. 55v. Mary Harvey: Henry Lawes' Second Book of Select Ayres and Dialogues (John Playford, 1655). "In Vain, fair Chloris" is published in "English Songs," Musica Britannica, Vol. 33, ed. Ian Spink (London, Stainer & Bell Ltd., 1971). Anonymous lute duets from "The Jane Pickering Lute Book" (c. 1615-1645) and Folger MS. 1610. Farnaby pieces: Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
Cover Photo: "Angel with Symphonia," c. 1360, possibly Pisan. Samuel H. Kress Collection, ©1966, Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Graphic Design: Marnie Hall. ©1997, Leonarda Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. Made in the U.S.A.
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music by medieval women composers, medieval songs, medieval dances, early music, Jacobean music, classical CDs, Countess of Dia
