Music for Tudor Kings (Henry VII & VIII)

Songs from the time of Henry VII

1. I Love Unloved (Fayrfax, 1464-1521) b,d,e
2. Woefully Arrayed (Cornysh, ? – 1523) a,b,d,e
3. That Was My Woe (Fayrfax) a,b
4. Ah Gentle Jesu (Sheryngham) a,b,c,d
5. Most Clear of Colour (Fayrfax) a,b,c
6. Hoyda Hoyda Jolly Rutterkin (Cornysh) b,c,d

Songs and music from the time of Henry VIII

1. O Lusty May a,b,d,k,o,q
2. This Day Daws a,b,d
3. Begone Sweit Night b, r
4. En Vray Amoure m,o,q
5. O My Heart a,b,d
6. Madame d’amours a,b,d.f
7. Consort Piece XX g, r
8. Absent I Am a,b,d,f
9. My Heartly Service b,d,k
10. Hey Trolly Lolly Lo! a,b,d
11. En Frolyk Weson a,b,o
12. Be Peace! Ye Make Me Spill My Ale! a,b,d
13. The Duke of Somersette’s Dompe r
14. Ah Robin a,b,d
15. I Love Unloved a,b,d
16. Up I Arose in Verno Tempore d, l, p
17. Puzzle Canon VI i, o
18. And I Were a Maiden a,b,d,f,n,r
19. England Be Glad b,d,f

The Hilliard Ensemble

(a) David James, counter-tenor / (b) Paul Elliot, tenor / (c) Leigh Nixon, tenor / (d) Paul Hillier, baritone / (e) Judith Nelson, soprano / (f) Errol Girdlestone, bass

The New London Consort

Phil Pickett, (g) tenor recorder, (h) bass recorder, (i) soprano crumhorn, (j) tenor dulcian, (k) tenor shawm, (l) bass cornamuse and (m) soprano shawm Paul Nieman, (n) tenor recorder, (o) tenor sackbut and (p) alto cornamuse (q) Martin Nicholls, bass sackbut (r) Nigel North, lute

These recordings were amongst the very first by one of the world’s most successful vocal groups. The Hilliard Ensemble formed in 1974 to perform the vocal chamber music from many periods. As many of the pieces in its repertoire were musical miniatures by English composers, the original members decided to associate themselves with that famous Elizabethan creator of miniature portraits, Nicholas Hilliard (c1547-1619). Despite various changes of personnel since, the Hilliards continue to great acclaim, giving both a cappella concerts of music from all periods and appearing with musicians in new and challenging repertoire. The New London Consort, directed by Philip Pickett, is firmly established as one of the world’s leading early music ensembles with a uniquely wide and colourful repertoire of Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music, much of it unpublished. It has an enviable reputation for the flair, versatility and virtuosity of its members, displayed beautifully on this disc.