# Looking for Some Great Early Music (pre-1650) Gems



## Guest (Oct 2, 2011)

Does anybody have some recommendations for some great early music-- albums that they really enjoy listening to, not merely music which is famous or historically significant.

I'm looking for pre-Baroque or early Baroque, say before 1650. I'm not fishing for Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann, Handel, etc, or their immediate predecessors with this query.

To make things even tougher, I'm not very fond of early vocal/choral music. So arguably I'm looking for mostly instrumental music from a period before most modern instruments were invented. Who says life is fair?

Thanks in advance for your input - I'm looking to broaden my horizons in this area.


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## Guest (Oct 2, 2011)

To start things off, I'll post two of my current favorites:










and:










I have no idea how good these are compared to what else is out there, but I quite like them.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Purcell: The Fantazias, performed by the Rose Consort of Viols (Naxos 8.553957)

Take a break from the lute music.


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

If you like keyboard music, there's the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (late Renaissance), and Frescobaldi's first and second books of toccatas (early Baroque), as well as some early French dance music by Louis Couperin, D'Anglebert, and others.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Hilltroll72 said:


> Take a break from the lute music.


I would disagree with HillTroll here. But would agree with the rest of the suggestions...also check out Lute Music by Dowland, Muddara, and Holborne. Maybe some organ works by Buxtehude, and Gabrieli's Sacrae Symphoniae.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

For keyboard music, also try Tisdale's Virginal Book, and also William Byrd's My Lady Nevill's Book(various weird spellings).


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## Guest (Oct 2, 2011)

Thanks to all for the recommendations... but what do you LOVE to listen to?


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

BPS said:


> Does anybody have some recommendations for some great early music-- albums that they really enjoy listening to, not merely music which is famous or historically significant...
> To make things even tougher, I'm not very fond of early vocal/choral music. So arguably I'm looking for mostly instrumental music...


Unfortunately (for you) most of the music that survives pre-say, 1550 is sacred vocal music for the simple reason that composers were retained by religious establishments and they wrote the music required by their employer, which was music to be sung in church. Between 1550 roughly and 1650 roughly secular music survives, but much of this is in the form of madrigals and other vocal music plus, towards the end of that period, the first forays into opera.

So, I am going to ask you to be prepared to discover you're wrong that you're not very fond of vocal music and give it a whirl.

Surely one of the greatest composers who ever lived was Claudio Monteverdi and I suggest listening to some pieces of his enough times that you're familiar with the style. Inevitably, one of his masterpieces, _Vespro della beata Vergine_, usually known as the _1610 Vespers_, pushes to the front of the pack.

My preferred performance is Andrew Parrott's on EMI (and I admit I have not heard them all), with John Eliot Gardiner (on Decca not DG) offering a modern instruments version which is imaginatively conceived.

This work offers a variety of styles - most of the pieces can legitimately be performed outside the context of the _Vespers _- there is none of the dreariness that envelopes rather too much C18 and C19 choral music. Instead you have vibrant music, often sung by soloists, full of tunes and beguiling harmonies that comes up as fresh as paint.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

BPS said:


> Thanks to all for the recommendations... but what do you LOVE to listen to?


The Purcell. Try to pay attention!!


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Also, for your Baroque list, you did not mention Corelli. Do you know his music? He is pre-bach, the Concerto Grossi he wrote were a model for the concerto grossi that followed. He also wrote these brilliant trio sonatas. I do love this music.


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## rajeev (Sep 21, 2015)

*Concerti Grossi*



clavichorder said:


> Also, for your Baroque list, you did not mention Corelli. Do you know his music? He is pre-bach, the Concerto Grossi he wrote were a model for the concerto grossi that followed. He also wrote these brilliant trio sonatas. I do love this music.


Corelli is an angelic composer, specially his Concerto Grossi is excellent. Trevor Pinnock's recording is one of the best, also Warchal's and Jan Belder's recordings also are good.


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## rajeev (Sep 21, 2015)

*Savall*

Check also for Jordi Savall's recordings under Hyperion


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Icarus said:


> Does anybody have some recommendations for some great early music-- albums that they really enjoy listening to, not merely music which is famous or historically significant.
> 
> I'm looking for pre-Baroque or early Baroque, say before 1650. I'm not fishing for Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann, Handel, etc, or their immediate predecessors with this query.
> 
> ...


Frescoballdi's instrumental canzoni played by Il Teatro alla Moda (Bruno Ré) (Is this too late for you?)
Christopher Tye's consort music played by The Spirit of Gambo
Keyboard transcriptions by Pierre Attaingnant played by Pierre Gallon
Renaissance and early baroque dance music played by Ulsamer-Collegium
Selections from the Buxheimer Orgelbuch by Joseph Kelemen
The recording of 16th Century French Organ Music by André Isoir And Xavier Darasse, the contribution by Darasse (Titelouze hymns) has never been on CD but I can let you have the files by PM if you want.
The recording of Cabezon's intabulations for harp by Véronique Musson-Gonneaud
Keyboard music by Orlando Gibbons played by Richard Egarr
Keyboard music by Giles Farnaby played by Glen Wilson
Music by Andrea Gabrieli played by Christopher Stembridge
The CD called Elizabethan Songs and Dances by Colin Tilney
The selection of music by John Bull played by Bob van Asperen

Bloody hell -- I've just put in all that work and then realised that the OP is from 2011. I feel as though I've been talking to myself.


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## trazom (Apr 13, 2009)

The OP can no longer see your recommendations(he fell), however...



Mandryka said:


> Frescoballdi's instrumental canzoni played by Il Teatro alla Moda (Bruno Ré) (Is this too late for you?)
> Christopher Tye's consort music played by The Spirit of Gambo
> Keyboard transcriptions by Pierre Attaingnant played by Pierre Gallon
> Renaissance and early baroque dance music played by Ulsamer-Collegium
> ...


I found this list helpful, though. Thank you!


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## candi (Nov 15, 2014)

great thread. I too enjoy baroque/pre-baroque instrumental. Samuel Scheidt is good. Ludi Musici by Savall. Tabulatura Nova played on the harpsichord by Aniko Horvath, 1977 is great, though it looks to be an old vinyl on youtube. 

i'm going to hit this list by Mandryka. So talk some more!


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

Seeing as this thread has been resuscitated, I might as well mention the Top Recommended Pre-1700 Works list.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Just looking at that list again, I'd make some changes. 

First, I think the recordings by Tasto Solo are well worth hearing, everyone loves them, everyone loves Guillermo Pérez and his organetto. 

Second it seems silly to say you should get Darasse's Titelouze when it's unobtainable. Try the Magnificats in Robert Bates's set. I thought the Isoir LP was on CD but it turns out that I was wrong. 

Third, the Tilney recording is hard to find too. Recently I found a CD by Kenneth Weiss of music from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book called "A Cleare Day" which seems to me to take early English keyboard music to a new place. That's one to hear. 

I said get Frescobaldi's Canzoni for little ensembles. But really Frescobaldi's strength is in keyboard music. I have listened to a lot of Frescobaldi over the past few months, he has become a favourite composer, and I am now convinced that Sergio Vartolo's recordings are specially insightful and rewarding and imaginative, followed by Alessandrini's and Leonhardt's. 

I don't know if this music is too late, but I've been knocked out by two early viol CDs. One of Stoeffkens by Jonathan Dunford (everything by him is good) and one of music by Tobias Hume by Susanne Heinrich. 

Lute deserves a mention. Maybe a good place to start is with the recordings of duets by Francesco da Milano by Christopher Wilson.


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## bioluminescentsquid (Jul 22, 2016)

I listen to quite a lot of Organ, keyboard, and Instrumental music of the Renaissance.

Let's start from the earliest: The Buxheimer organ book, and other early Rennaisance/Late Gothic Composers such as Hofhaimer, Paumann, Schlick etc.





Then, you get all this marvelous music from Italy, starting from Andrea Antico to greats such as Frescobaldi, Merula, Gabrieli Family, Monteverdi, Castello, Valentini, Bertali, de Macque (who worked with Gesualdo) et.al., along with their students such as Hassler, Kerll, Schmelzer, or Schütz.





Merula's Ciaconna played by Il Giardino Armonico (Warning - trippy photography with flashing lights)





Valentini's "Enharmonic" sonata in G played by ACRONYM

And then, meanwhile in the North, there are also English, Dutch, and German composers who merge the new, Italianate Baroque style with the traditional Renaissance style - these are Sweelinck, Byrd, Farnaby, Tomkins (and all the other English Virginalists), the Praetorius family, etc., and the many students of Sweelinck (The Amsterdam "Organist maker") such as Scheidt, Scheidemann, Duben, Schildt, along the people associated with these students such as Weckmann, van Noordt, Tunder, etc., eventually cumulating into Buxtehude, Bach, and Bruhns, the masters of this "Northern German school"





Tomkins' "Barafostus' Dreame" from the Fitzwilliam Virginal book played by Maestro Leonhardt on the 1640 "Ahaus" Ruckers harpsichord





Sweelinck's Mein junges Leben hat ein End variations played by J. Lee on the Scherer/Fritsche/Schnitger organ in Hamburg





Scheidt "Canzon super O Nachbar Roland" played by L'Acheron

Related to these people: the English Composers for Viol consorts, such as Lawes, Holborne, Jenkins, etc.





Lawes Sett in F a5 played by Phantasm viol Consort

Oh, and Dowland - and Morley - extraordinary English Lutenists!





Morley "Would you buy a fine dog" Davies & Dunford :lol:

A sort of "Outlier" with influences from England, the Netherlands, France, Italy, and Spain: Peeter Cornet




Verset du Tantum Ergo played by Van de Cauter on a French-style organ by Westenfelder

In France, there was a whole organ school started by Titelouze (who wrote in a conservative Renaissance style). Composers such as Chambonnières (a Harpsichord composer), Louis Couperin, and Froberger (a "Fat German" who traveled everywhere and thus had varied influences) introduced different styles to the school, until it's height at around 1700. L. Couperin and Froberger (Their lives "Spill over" into the 1660's) are probably some of the greatest composers for Harpsichord in the 17th century.





Something by Titelouze - you get the idea 





L. Couperin Unmeasured Prelude in d played by Bob van Asperen on the earliest surviving French Harpsichord (from around 1630)





Froberger Suite #6 "Auff der Mayern" played by Bob van Asperen on a Couchet/Blanchet/Taskin harpsichord

At last, getting out of chronological order, the Spanish school.
Cabezón is probably the earliest (and the greatest) member of the Spanish school of composing, which was heavily influenced by the Italian Renaissance style (Cabezón himself made intabulations of works by Josquin and di Lasso)





Cabezón "Diferencias sobre la gallarda milanesa" played by de Rubia on a sweet little Renaissance Claviorganum (Harpsichord + Organ)

There are many other worthy Spanish Rennaisance composers, such as Pablo Bruna, de Heredia, de Arauxo, etc.





Bruna "Tiento de Falsas" played by Suarez on a 1650 organ in Tlacochahuaya, Mexico

Phew!
I apologize for being long-winded, and being very biased towards keyboard music!


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## Myriadi (Mar 6, 2016)

For instrumental music before c. 1580 or so, I believe nothing can touch the lute/vihuela repertoire, at least for sheer variety. This music had it all, from the simplest dances (e.g. 



 ) to contrapuntal pieces of varying complexity and intensity of expression (e.g. 



 ), from far out rhapsodic flights of imagination (e.g. 



 ), to incredibly attractive simple arpeggiated preludes (e.g. 



 ). It's a whole separate world seldom visited by most listeners, and very rewarding to explore. You can buy pretty much anything by Hopkinson Smith and Paul O'Dette to get you started.


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## Five and Dime (Jul 8, 2016)

Thanks to all for the comments above.

I bought this one:

LE CHANT DE LESCHIQUIER










The new CD by TASTO SOLO (2015) receveid the celebrated "Diapason d'Or" prize, Classica-Magazine 4/4 Stars and many other excellent reviews! (quoted from Perez' website)

I look forward to exploring the recommendations further.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

I'd be surprised if you didn't enjoy it, and if you didn't want to hear their Buxheimer Orgelbuch recording too.

In a very different vein, another one I forgot about is called Neo- Medieval by Hesperus


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

bioluminescentsquid said:


> I listen to quite a lot of Organ, keyboard, and Instrumental music of the Renaissance.
> 
> Let's start from the earliest: The Buxheimer organ book, and other early Rennaisance/Late Gothic Composers such as Hofhaimer, Paumann, Schlick etc.
> 
> ...


Was Froberger fat? You know, I know so little about his life, I can read only English and French, but there seem to be no books on Froberger at all.

. What would you say Cabezon's best pieces of music are?


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## Five and Dime (Jul 8, 2016)

Picked up another one per recommendation above:









Purcell: Fantazias & In Nomines
by Sit Fast


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## bioluminescentsquid (Jul 22, 2016)

Mandryka said:


> Was Froberger fat? You know, I know so little about his life, I can read only English and French, but there seem to be no books on Froberger at all.
> 
> . What would you say Cabezon's best pieces of music are?


I think in a Parisan Musical periodical in 1652, a "Fat German" who was an organist to the emperor and worked under Archduke Leopold was mentioned. Most scholars take that to be Froberger.

As for Cabezon, most of what I know of him comes from this disc:








I'll admit that I haven't listened to much of his works, as I don't really like Spanish keyboard music that much. But some pieces are still quite charming - for instance, his Diferencias, Dic nobis Maria, and Duuinensela. I should listen to more of his Tientos, though.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

bioluminescentsquid said:


> I think in a Parisan Musical periodical in 1652, a "Fat German" who was an organist to the emperor and worked under Archduke Leopold was mentioned. Most scholars take that to be Froberger.
> 
> As for Cabezon, most of what I know of him comes from this disc:
> 
> ...


The two things I like the most are the transcription of Josquin's Benedictus from one of the Homme Armé masses, and the Tiento in two parts in the 6th tone. Over the years my favourite performer of Cabezon has become Clemencic, who recorded both those pieces in fact.









(Paola Erdas also good I think, and Veronique Musson-Gonneaud and Andras Céa - I would need to listen to Uriol again to comment, I have both his Cabezon recordings somewhere.)


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2016)

Great music on these pages,I like to add one of my favorites.Thank you all for the contributions.:tiphat:


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## geralmar (Feb 15, 2013)

Tielman Susato, Danserye, published 1551. Patrick Dunnigan arrangement for the University of Texas Wind Ensemble on the Reference Recording CD, "Bells for Stokowski".


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## bioluminescentsquid (Jul 22, 2016)

Traverso said:


> Great music on these pages,I like to add one of my favorites.Thank you all for the contributions.:tiphat:


This piece was called "absurd" by those Victorian editors of the Fitzwilliam virginal book - but it's simply marvelous! I like Ton Koopman's playing of this piece, but Leonhardt (the master) plays it well too.


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2016)

bioluminescentsquid said:


> This piece was called "absurd" by those Victorian editors of the Fitzwilliam virginal book - but it's simply marvelous! I like Ton Koopman's playing of this piece, but Leonhardt (the master) plays it well too.


I used to have it played by Koopman but I sold practically all my lp's.Do you know if it is available on cd?
This one I have.


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## Five and Dime (Jul 8, 2016)

Here's something on iTunes which might help:





Amazon only seems to sell it as a download:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WVJ9GQ/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2016)

Five and Dime said:


> Here's something on iTunes which might help:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you,I see that it is on the Capriccio label.I will find out or it is still for sale.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Traverso said:


> Thank you,I see that it is on the Capriccio label.I will find out or it is still for sale.


It is a worthwhile recording IMO, not at all over-energetic (as indeed is evident in the Picchi)

I just wish Koopman was more interested in affects (he's too preoccupied with effects.) And the instrument (or maybe his way of playing it) sounds a bit meh (anyone know what it is?) But we can't have everything I suppose, and the phrasing, the sense of joy, the movement forward, is good to hear.


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## Guest (Aug 28, 2016)

Mandryka said:


> It is a worthwhile recording IMO, not at all over-energetic (as indeed is evident in the Picchi)
> 
> I just wish Koopman was more interested in affects (he's too preoccupied with effects.) And the instrument (or maybe his way of playing it) sounds a bit meh (anyone know what it is?) But we can't have everything I suppose, and the phrasing, the sense of joy, the movement forward, is good to hear.


Koopman is Koopman and I find that sometimes disturbing.I do not have "das Wohltemperierte" with Koopman (Leonhardt, van Asperen,Ross, Moroney and Richter) I have the experience that I listen too much to the performer instead of the composer but that is my opinion.


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## bioluminescentsquid (Jul 22, 2016)

I believe that Koopman's Italian harpsichord of choice is a B. Stefanini copy by Kroesbergen (also Koopman's harpsichord-maker of choice).

In defense of him: I don't think that Koopman sacrifices Affekt for Effects - he just expresses it in a different way, and likes to put the pieces in a new light with his idiosyncratic interpretations and notoriously high tempos. They can work marvelously (His Wachet Auf, BWV 565, or BWV 564), not-so-marvelously (as in his Buxtehude; they're mighty fine but I often prefer Koito's or Piet Kee's statelier interpretations), or become hectic (His Bruhns "great" prelude). It really depends on your taste. (as everything does)

If I have a complaint of him, it is that he often sounds rather heavy-handed when on harpsichord. But his playing is so marvelous that I can ignore that. Still, I think he is a better Organist than harpsichordist.

And then there is his Forqueray, which is utterly unmatched whether in instrument, or playing.

Oh, and there's his crazy, organ-bellows-slaying Froberger Toccata II on his Kiedrich disk - as if that piece wasn't crazy enough!


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

I agree about Koopman's Forqueray! The way the recital moves from tempestuousness to tenderness is unforgettable. I am sure Louis XIV would have enjoyed it. Just maybe Mario Rasquin is similar in style, but Koopman is even more extreme and uncompromising. (but no, listening now again to Koopman play Jupiter and no one, not even Raskin, comes close!)

Traverso may not appreciate this but I love his WTC 2 - I haven't heard Bk 1. It's so healthy sounding, and naive and joyful and the ornaments are astonishing and I think, never intrusive. 

I appreciate his Bach a lot, the organ complete set and the earlier recordings. There's a BWV 656 on Novalis which is out of this world, I think he has a special rapport with the Leipzig Chorales.


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2016)

The Novalis recordings are also on Brilljant Classics and I am glad to say that I have the complete organ works by Ton Koopman as they are included in the massive Teldec 2000 complete Bach boxes.
I regret that I have not the Couperin Masses for organ.Ton Koopman made a very fine reording.Does anyone know if it is available on cd?










Koopman is here playing on a French organ that just was restored.it sounds great !


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