A Songbook for Isabella: Music from the circle of Isabella d’Este

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Release Date: 19th May 2003
Catalogue No: SIGCD039
Label: Signum
Length: 73 minutes

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La Fortuna

Work length7:29

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Or su corere à 4 - anon

Track length3:32

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Fortuna desperata à 4 - Antoine Busnois

Track length1:35

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Facia ognon in fin che po à - anon

Track length2:22

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Prenez sur moy vostre example

Work length9:54

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Prenez sur moy à 3 - Johannes Ockeghem

Track length3:21

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Helas que pora advenire à 3 - Firminius Caron

Track length3:13

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Or che son di pregion à 4 - Bartolomeo Tromboncin

Track length3:20

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A la cazza

Work length4:36

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Musica Antiqua of London

A la pesca à 4 - Iannes Plice

Track length2:08

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[Gagliarda] Peschatore - anon

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A la cazza à 4 - anon

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Kyrie Eleison

Work length9:24

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Kyrie leison à 4 - anon

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Colomba senza fielle - anon

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Pavana regia - anon

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Musica Antiqua of London

Carmine sine verbis I

Work length4:29

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Musica Antiqua of London

El piove à 3 - anon

Track length1:57

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Si dedero à 3, à 4 - Alexander Agricola

Track length2:32

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Ave Maris Stella: Ave maris stella à 3 - anon

Work length5:34

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Musica Antiqua of London

La Mi La Sol

Work length4:01

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Musica Antiqua of London

La mi à 4 - Heinrich Isaac

Track length2:15

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La mi la sol la mi gia vol à 4 - anon

Track length1:46

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Viva el Grand Hercule!

Work length2:04

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O triumphale diamante à 4 - G.L.

Track length1:18

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Tente alora à 4 - anon

Track length0:46

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In Festo Natalis Domini

Work length4:53

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Verbum caro factus est à 3 - anon

Track length2:10

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Ne la digna stalla à 2 - anon

Track length2:43

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Recerchar di Benedictus - anon

Work length1:30

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Benedictus - anon / Isaac

Work length2:17

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Musica Antiqua of London

Carmine sine Verbis II

Work length6:19

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Absque verbis à 3 - Isaac

Track length2:03

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Gratis acceptistis à 4 - Isaac

Track length1:50

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La Mora à 3, à 4 - Isaac

Track length2:26

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La Speranza

Work length9:20

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Musica Antiqua of London

In te Domine speravi à 4 - Josquin des Prez

Track length4:20

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[Salterelli] Zorzi, Giorgio - anon

Track length1:32

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Forte cosa e la speranza à 5 - anon

Track length3:28

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About

Isabella d’Este was brought up in the midst of an extremely active musical court. After her marriage in 1490 to Francesco Gonzaga Duke of Mantua she began to remodel the Duke's relatively modest musical establishment in imitation of that of her father, Hercule. She was herself a gifted musician and favoured above all the viol. Not only was the viol the favourite vehicle for aristocratic instrumental performance, but it was the ideal accompaniment to the voice.

Under Isabella’s patronage the tradition of improvised song accompanied by the singer on a lira da braccio developed into the frottola, shared between two, three or even four viols. In employing Italian composers, and herself performing their music, Isabella played a key role in the development of this new music, and of the consort of viole which developed alongside it.

This disc presents a selection of music from the circle of Isabella. The repertoire is centred around the Milliare Songbook - a hand written songbook compiled in 1502 by, or for, one Ludovico Milliare. This contains a wonderfully rich cross section of the vocal and instrumental repertoire loved by the d’Este family of Mantua. An attractive feature of the collection is the inclusion of sacred pieces, mostly non-liturgical and apparently intended for private devotional use.

The instruments used for this recording have been thoroughly researched by examining documented and iconographic evidence - for example contemporary paintings of the period. The custom-made viols are cannot be called "copies"; they are recreations using the best information and scholarship available. This CD offers a rare opportunity to hear the very different sound these instruments make - rather different from their more modern counterparts from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

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