This programme features music which was nearly all composed (or at least written down) in the lifetime of Henry V of England (1387-1422). It divides into broad sections depicting various important stages in his life from his wild youth to his marriage to Catherine de Valois and the treaty following the battle of Agincourt. The texts are taken from three sources: Holinshed’s Chronicles, Shakespeare’s 'Henry V' and 'The Archer’s Story' by Esmond Knight, who played Fluellen in Laurence Olivier’s film of play. The spoken texts narrate the story of the battle, its build-up and aftermath from different points of view.
Falsobordone is one of Sweden's foremost medieval ensembles. This record with music from France, Italy and Galicia (performed on bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, harp, rebec, medieval lute, percussion, organetto - and vocals) was first released back in 2003 and has since become a classic. The two core members of Falsbordone, Anna Rynefors and Erik Ask-Upmark, invited many friends to join them and the result is an invigorating and entrancing recording that has received rave reviews from all over the world.
A beautiful showcase of the traditional, Swedish nyckelharpa backed by the Celtic folk harp and Swedish and medieval bagpipes, Dram's self-titled album transports their listeners instantaneously to a life much simpler and earth-based, rich with tradition and culture. Interestingly, the word "dram" is an old dialect word for "drone," which makes up much of this musical language, giving it an ancient, yet timeless feel. This album sits so poignantly and memorably with its listeners largely due to the distinct and plaintive, haunting quality of both the nyckelharpa and the bagpipes, lending a yearning, desiring quality to the music, one that speaks of the universal, human condition, regardless of time period. However, all analysis aside, this is simply a heartfelt, moving album.
In Extremo is a German medieval metal band originating from Berlin. The band's musical style combines metal with medieval traditional songs, blending the sound of the standard rock/metal instruments with historical instruments (such as bagpipes, harp, hurdy-gurdy and shawm). Versions of well-known traditional/medieval ballads make up the main part of their repertoire, but the band has written an increasing share of original material in recent years. Their own material is written in German, whilst the traditional songs and cover songs are in a variety of languages. In August 1996, they began work on the first In Extremo album, which already contained two tracks of the new rock project. Because the album had no official name, it became known as Gold because of the golden cover. In February 1997, like the single Der Galgen (engl. "The Gallows"), it quickly sold out in Medieval markets. The 2006 reissue, Die Goldene, contains two acoustic bonus tracks, including an alternate version of Villeman og Manhild.
With their first official rock album, Berlin's In Extremo have developed from an insider tip to one of the most popular metal acts in Germany. Wake up the dead! is a spontaneous, crisp and, above all, unprecedented record in this form. Guitars complement each other seamlessly with three bagpipes, brute drumming is in harmony with tender, medieval songs. In Extremo, traditional melodies mix with their own ideas and add robust rock to the original sounds. And so they sing their old tunes in old Norwegian, old French, Spanish, Latin, old German and German. The debut album includes the pieces "Ai Vis Lo Lop", "Totus Floreo" and "Villeman og Magnhild", which are played regularly by traveling musicians at medieval markets. The real highlights, however, are the "Palestinian Song", one of the oldest, traditional pieces in human history (in a gripping, cracking metal version) as well as the worn, highly independent "Before full bowls". In short: if you want to have a say in medieval music, you have to get this long player.
Tales of Miracles — wonderful and magical stories from the Spanish Middle Ages based on the famous "Cantigas de Santa Maria". A colorful fusion of medieval and contemporary music reveals a distant dream-like world, whoise threatening specters and demons Maria defeats with her miraculous powers. The melting voices with historic, ethnic and electronic instruments imbues the Cantigas with a spirituality that trascends time.
After FAUN's last five albums won gold and platinum awards as well as placings in the Top 5 of the German album charts, with „PAGAN“, the exceptional formation returns to its musical roots…
Duo Ultreya's Martina Diessner and Peter Van Wonterghem collect ancient instruments, and they also craft exact replicas based on illustrations such as Brueghel paintings. With these hurdy-gurdies, bagpipes, and other rare musical devices, the talented and versatile duo has made wonderful music for more than fifteen years. This CD offers a selection of their repertoire of medieval and folk music. You will be enchanted by the sound and colour of "Long-forgotten strings and strange flutes"!
In the thirteenth century, King Alfonso el Sabio (the wise), gathered together in his 'Cantigas de Santa Maria' four hundred songs (cantigas). These mystical, non-liturgical pieces were sung at various festivities, sometimes - as we see from the illuminated manuscripts - accompanied by dancing. Their form, verses with dialogue between texts and instruments, and so on. The 'Cantigas' involve celebration, dancing, storytelling, tales of miracles. The language used is Gallego-Portuguese, the language of lyric poetry at that time in the Iberian Peninsula.