Posted on 09/29/2014 7:06:41 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Choral music not heard since the time of Henry VIII has been brought to life for the first time in 500 years, as an academic unearths an untouched manuscript and shows it to a modern choir.
The manuscript, a book of 34 religious songs, was given to Henry VIII as a lavish gift from a French diplomat in his early reign.
Containing songs referencing Henry and his then-bride Catherine of Aragon, it is considered the most "luxurious" surviving diplomatic gift of its kind.
It remained in the Royal Collection after the king's death, and was later given to the nation by George II where it has remained untouched in the vaults of the British Library ever since.
Dr David Skinner, a Cambridge fellow, has now examined the manuscript for the first time in hundreds of years, before bringing the music back to life with ensemble choir featuring nine singers and period instruments. Dr Skinner said the existence of the manuscript had been known to specialist scholars, but added no-one had ever studied it, leaving the parchment pages "white as snow" when he opened it.
Given to Henry VIII around 1516, it was tailor-made for the Royal couple and produced in the workshop of Petrus Alamire, a scribe and musician who went on to spy for the king.
The elaborately illuminated book, catalogued in the British Library as "Royal 8 G VII", has now been turned into 34 pieces of music, sung by choir Alamire.
~snip~
The entire collection has now been recorded, and will be available for sale under the name The Spy's Choirbook from October 1.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Thanks for posting. Amazing sound! Reminds me of old madrigals.
http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/record.asp?MSID=6516&CollID=16&NStart=80707
https://www.google.com/search?q=Royal+8+G+VII&oq=Royal+8+G+VII&tbm=vid
the studio version, total bootleg, but it is difficult to get in print; a second version came out perhaps ten years ago, it's not a patch to this one. And, my thread hijacking is over, we're diverting back to the original course. [blush]
+1
Very cool!
Does this remind anybody else of the hilarious scene in the movie “Time Bandits” where the troupe of midgets take over the stage in an Italian inn to entertain the Emperor Napoleon?
The hapless Italian musicians in the orchestra are given new music to play with their period instruments and the result is a discordant and hilarious rendition of “Me and my Shadow”
I love that movie.
Pretty cool. bookmarking for later; thanks for the heads up!
Some of the same tonal quality as Alesandro Striggio’s Mass in 40 Parts. As Dick Clark would say: nice beat, hard to dance to.
Too beautiful for that murdering pig.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.