– Anon. (early 1600s, South America) – Hanacpachap cusicuinin
– Anthony Holborne (c. 1545-1602)– Dance Suite
Galliard: Wanton
Almaine: The fruit of love
Galliard: The Fairie-round
Almaine: The Choise
Galliard: As it fell on a holie Eve
– John Dowland (1563-1626)
Flow my tears
Whoever thinks or hopes of love for love
– Henry Purcell (1659 – 1695)
Fantasia
Fairest Isle
– Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632 –1687)
Prelude (transcribed for viol consort by Jennifer Eriksson)
Air pour la Gloire (from the opera “Alceste”)
– Marin Marais (1656-1728)
Marche pour let Matelots (from the opera “Alcione”)
– Paul Cutlan (1964 – )
Times Past (Commissioned with the support of Father Arthur Bridge and Ars Musica Australis)
– Cristóbal de Morales – (c. 1500 –1553)
Officium Defunctorum
– John Bull (1562 or 63 –1628)
Fantasia
– Stanley Myers (1930-1993)
He was beautiful/Cavatina (arranged for viol consort by Christopher Keane)
Program notes
Seaven Teares lounging around
“Seaven Teares” takes its name from a famous piece by John Dowland, the renowned English composer. Dowland lived and worked in England around the time of Queen Elizabeth, before English spelling was standardised. “Seaven Teares” is thus the old spelling of “Seven Tears”. Dowland and the other composers we play today wrote a great deal of beautiful and sophisticated music for viol consort which sounds very fresh to our ears even though some works are quite ancient in terms of Western music.
In this program we literally take a tour through several centuries of music for viol consort from the 1500s to 2012. The latter is represented by, Times Past, composed by Paul Cutlan. Paul will join us to improvise the bass clarinet part in his work which we suspect might be an Australian first combination of instruments!
Paul Cutlan
The viol consort had its high point during the renaissance and the early baroque and is quite distinct in instrumental tone and repertoire compared to it most obvious comparator, the classical-era string quartet. Our instruments are by nature more softly spoken and more given to contrapuntal music than the violin family. In addition, the viols have six or seven sheep gut strings and of course we bow “under arm”. The variety of music we present in this concert will enable the audience to get a sense of the consort’s wide expressive range. In addition, we have also transcribed several works for consort including pieces by Marais and the great opera and ballet composer, Lully, who was
Susie Bishop - vocalist
Marais’ employer at the court of Louis XIV. We are thankful to Christopher Keane for arranging the lovely 20th century song “He was beautiful”, made famous by Cleo Laine, for our ensemble. As with Paul Cutlan’s “Times Past”, we think it fits very well on viols but let us know what you think after the concert!
Jennifer Eriksson on behalf of Shaun, Imogen and Cathy
Tickets – $30/20 at door; family ticket $80 (2 adults + 2 children); bookings ph: (02) 9809 5185; on-line at: www.maraisproject.com.au