# Holy crap Renaissance music is awesome



## pasido (Apr 2, 2012)

Been listening to some Susato, and various other Renaissance composers that I don't remember. Damn, really loving this music. It's easy to listen to, and makes you feel as if you are in the medieval ages where peasants gather around in a tavern or watch knights cross by.

Albums in mind:
Italian Renaissance Music - Vecchie Letrose - Syntagma Musica

Susato - Danserye - New London Consort - surprisingly, this album sounds like a 20th century composition. There are many weird instruments and sounds to enjoy.


----------



## Oskaar (Mar 17, 2011)

Thank you for making a thread like this. I absolutely agree! Think I will listen to some reneissance todnight. But there is so much I should listen to!


----------



## Winterreisender (Jul 13, 2013)

I share your enthusiasm for Renaissance dance music! I would mention some of my favourite pieces but then I remembered this old thread: http://www.talkclassical.com/28274-renaissance-dance-music.html

EDIT: Another great album worth trying is this one from the composer Praetorius: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Praetorius-...4&keywords=praetorius+dances+from+terpsichore

Here's a piece from said album:


----------



## Blake (Nov 6, 2013)

Definitely give Jordy Savall a look. He does top-notch work.


----------



## Whistler Fred (Feb 6, 2014)

LOVE Renaissance music! But then my avatar might suggest as much.


----------



## hocket (Feb 21, 2010)

> Holy crap Renaissance music is awesome


True!

...but then I would say that. I've spent the last few days listening to Alexander Agricola, Heinrich Isaac, Adrian Willaert, Loyset Compere, Johannes Ockeghem and Guillaume Dufay. It's probably fair to say that I also have a bit of a Renaissance bias (not quite as sartorially as Fred there though).


----------



## chalkpie (Oct 5, 2011)

Seriously the best. Medieval and Renaissance taken as a pair is unbeatable. I love, love Bach, but it's almost a crime that most folks don't recognize similarly genius composers prior to him who were as innovative for their time. Its almost as music was born with Bach, but Dowland, Tallis, Byrd, de Machaut, plus all of the amazing dance music (Playford, Morley, etc) did their own thing before him, and honestly I don't see any of this as inferior to him. Plus all of the amazing instruments that flew the roost when the baroque came by - krumhorns, lutes, viols, etc, etc etc.


----------



## chalkpie (Oct 5, 2011)

Check out:

The Baltimore Consort
The Toronto Consort
Paul O' Dette
Ronn McFarlane
Musicians of Swan Alley
Folger Consort
Ellen Hargis
Philip Pickett
Sequentia
David Munrow
Hilliard Ensemble
The Dufay Collective

plus a ton more!!


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

At the very least, it gets you to learn how to spell some really big words.


----------



## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

Absolutely, Renaissance music is marvelous!

So much richness in both sacred and secular works. I haven't yet come across a Renaissance piece that I dislike.


----------



## Guest (Mar 9, 2014)

Love Renaissance music. While the secular and dance music is great, though, my preference is definitely for the Renaissance polyphonic religious works. That is a seemingly endless treasure trove. Tallies' Spam in alum is breathtaking. Go grab any recording by the Tallies Scholars.


----------



## hocket (Feb 21, 2010)

There's been a remarkable surge in quality Medieval/Renaissance vocal ensembles, and performance standards just seem to get better and better as we learn more about these kinds of music.

Some outstanding groups that spring to mind: The Sound and the Fury, Cinquecento, Henry's Eight (horrible name guys, what were you thinking?), The Cardinall's Musick, The Clerks, Stimmerwerk, Capilla Flamenca, The Orlando Consort, Blue Heron, Diabolus in Musica, Ensemble Plus Ultra, La Colombina, Singer Pur, Musica Ficta, De Labyrintho.

These have really built on the foundations of old stalwarts like The Tallis Scholars, The Hilliard Ensemble, The Huelgas Ensemble, Gothic Voices and The Sixteen who have done so much to popularize these types of music and these are exciting times to be interested in this stuff as we're hearing real and continuing progress in understanding and performance.


----------

