The Renaissance Lute

The Renaissance Lute
Ronn McFarlane
Dorian 90186

Contents:

  1. Branle, Pierre Attaingnant pub. (Paris, 1530)
  2. Branle gay
  3. Haulberroys
  4. Haulberroys
  5. Branle de Poictou
  6. Petite fantasie dessus l'accord du Leut, Adrian Le Roy (1520-98)
  7. Passemeze
  8. Pavana Bray, William Byrd (1543-1623)
  9. Galliard
  10. Forlorn Hope Fancy, John Dowland (1563-1626)
  11. Greensleeves (Ballet Lute Book, c.1590)
  12. Greensleeves (Thysius Lute Book, c.1600)
  13. Greensleeves, Thomas Cutting (c.1595)
  14. John Come Kiss Me Now (Cozens Lute Book, c.1600)
  15. Madonna katerina, Hans Judenkünig (Vienna, c.1517)
  16. Christ ist erstanden
  17. Und wer er nit erstanden
  18. Der hoff dantz
  19. Der hoff dantz (nach tantz)
  20. Preambel, Hans Newsidler (Nürnberg, 1536)
  21. Elslein liebstes Elslein mein
  22. Ich klg den tag
  23. Ein welscher tanz Wascha mesa
  24. Der hupff auff
  25. Fantasia, Luis Milan (Valencia, 1536)
  26. Conde Claros, Luis de Narvaez (Valladolid, 1538)
  27. Mille regretz
  28. Passacaglia, Alessandro Piccinini (1566-1638)
  29. Branles de village, Robert Ballard (Paris, 1614)
  30. Fantasia, Valentin Barkfark (1507-76)
  31. Pavana alla ferrarese, Joanambrosio Dalza (Venice, 1508)
  32. Saltarello
  33. Piva
  34. Ricercar # 51, Francesco da Milano (1497-1543)
  35. Ricercar # 16
  36. Ricercar # 33
  37. Ricercar # 34
  38. O Bone Jesu

Playing time: 78'

Recording date: April-June, 1993

This long (78') selection of Renaissance lute music, performed by Ronn McFarlane on a pair of Renaissance lutes (6 and 8-course), ranges from 1508 to 1614 and visits Italy, France, Spain, Austria, Germany and England. It contains a mix of straightforward dances (e.g., branles), themes and variations (including three versions of Greensleeves), vocal intabulations or transcriptions of songs, and works of pure fantasy such as ricercars and fantasias.

McFarlane's performance is outstanding. His technique is varied, he displays a great variety of sounds and effects, and combines almost impish inventiveness with perfectly assured good taste. He is especially good in Francesco da Milano and Dowland, but can make any branle as lively as it must have been.

Of related interest, by the same performer:

The Scottish Lute
Dorian 90129
Lute Music of John Dowland
Dorian 90148
Blame not My Lute
Elizabethan Lute Music and Poetry
Ronn McFarlane / Robert Aubry Davis
Dorian 92105
François Velde

A performance of even more modernity than McFarlane's:

Archguitar Renaissance
Peter Blanchette / The Virtual Consort
Dorian 93178

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Todd M. McComb