# Giles Farnaby - Virginal Music



## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Giles Farnaby (1560-1620) wasn't mentioned (I think) in the recent thread involving his contemporaries. I gather that he received no formal music training, nor gained an influential position. But he was well known for compositions of clarity and cheerful character - the latter attribute not all that common at the time.

Bradford Tracey recorded several of his works - on several different instruments including virginal, spinettino and harpsichords, for the FSM Adagio label. The pieces are from the Fritz Neumeyer collection, in Bad Krozingen. The CD is out of print, and the listing at amazon.com is _seriously_ overpriced. The link below is to an upload of the first track on the CD: "Farmer's Pavan", performed on a copy of a 1627 Ruckers (Antwerp) Harpsichord.

http://www.yousendit.com/download/TEhYK0duTkFRYTlnRXNUQw


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Thanks Hilltroll72!

Edit, my computer can't use that file...


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## hocket (Feb 21, 2010)

Although he was of relatively humble origins, Farnaby did graduate from Oxford with a Bachelor's degree in music (see:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giles_Farnaby). He was there at the same time as Bull to whom he seems to have been some kind of protege (they're almost the same age but Bull was of a more genteel background). I suspect that the 'lack of formal training' refers to his early years.

However as members of his family (certainly his cousin, possibly his father too) actually made harpsichords, clavichords, virginals etc its likely that he grew up in an environment that was very musical and in which the skills with which to test the products were necessary (like Orlando Bloom's blacksmith's apprentice in Pirates of the Carribean!).

The main examples of his music I've got are on these two albums:


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

clavichorder said:


> Thanks Hilltroll72!
> 
> Edit, my computer can't use that file...


Do a Google search for Final Media Player. It's functional and free.

[The flac format is widely used and I think open source. Apple's MP4 Audio is the commercial equivalent.]


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

hocket said:


> Although he was of relatively humble origins, Farnaby did graduate from Oxford with a Bachelor's degree in music (see:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giles_Farnaby). He was there at the same time as Bull to whom he seems to have been some kind of protege (they're almost the same age but Bull was of a more genteel background). I suspect that the 'lack of formal training' refers to his early years.
> 
> However as members of his family (certainly his cousin, possibly his father too) actually made harpsichords, clavichords, virginals etc its likely that he grew up in an environment that was very musical and in which the skills with which to test the products were necessary (like Orlando Bloom's blacksmith's apprentice in Pirates of the Carribean!).
> 
> ...


Thanks for the poop, _@hocket_. My info came from a quick scan of the liner notes.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Hilltroll72 said:


> Do a Google search for Final Media Player. It's functional and free.
> 
> [The flac format is widely used and I think open source. Apple's MP4 Audio is the commercial equivalent.]


Thanks! :tiphat:


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

This CD has Farnaby's complete fantasias. I particularly like number 5. I think Farnaby really had a good imagination and ideas, even if a little rough around the edges.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

I like Glen Wilson's CD, and Pierre Hantaï's. 

For a very different style you may want to try Bradford Tracy's CD. Basically Tracy chooses a tempo and sticks to it, and he doesn't use much rubato, and all the voices start and end in sync. I think he's boring, but you may feel that Wilson and Haintaï are too portentious and turgid and pretentious. Tracy uses a whole bunch of different virginals, all very nice sounding, so from that point of view the recording's special.

Ukko mentioned a CD by Derek Adlam of music by Bull and Farnaby which I just found on spotify. It contains the worst performance of the Wallsingham Variations I've ever heard - stiff and on a very bass-up instrument.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Mandryka, what do you think of Belder's work in the Fitzwilliam book set that he recorded? He does a Walsingham that I find pretty good, but I'm curious if there are better.

And do you know this CD by Parmentier?


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

clavichorder said:


> Mandryka, what do you think of Belder's work in the Fitzwilliam book set that he recorded? He does a Walsingham that I find pretty good, but I'm curious if there are better.
> 
> And do you know this CD by Parmentier?
> 
> View attachment 54555


I like Belder's two CDs, but there are some very HIP people who don't think he's lyrical enough for English music, that he uses too much expressive rubato and intrusive ornamentation. But I think that makes it better! People seem to want early English music to sound light, playful, lyrical, pastoral, I don't know why.

I haven't heard the Parmentier.

The best Walsingham Variations, for me, was by Léon Berben, live on youtube (sorry, I can't post a link very easily with my ipad, but it's still there.) It's really angry and bitter protest music I think, and Berben brings this out very well.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Oh I forgot, another amazing Walsingham Variations is from Leonhardt. Strong, angry, resolute. Just right to inspire some courage in the Catholic refugees. I like that one as much as Berben's - though Berben's sound quality doesn't help.

Leonhardt doesn't take repeats, so it's about half the length of Berben's


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