Presto Music Classical Podcast,
Episode 45: Tudor Wild Child - Thomas Weelkes with Dr Katie Bank
Although plenty of attention has been lavished on the four hundredth anniversary of the death of William Byrd, his contemporary Thomas Weelkes also died in 1623 - on the 30th of November - and has seen rather less in the way of commemoration.
In addition to Weelkes being a composer of great gifts, his reputation also rests in part on his track record of poor and unruly behaviour throughout his career, especially during his time at Chichester Cathedral; posterity has enthusiastically elaborated on some of these tales, perhaps to the point of overshadowing Weelkes's music.
Fortunately, amid all the Byrd-related festivities that this year has seen, there are still some stalwarts to fly the flag for Weelkes, and among them is Dr Katie Bank of the University of Birmingham, an expert on musical culture of the Tudor period. She takes us through the real Weelkes, the made-up Weelkes and everything in-between, in a wide-ranging discussion featuring madrigals and memorials, disciplinaries and dogs.
https://www.katiebankmusic.com/
The recordings (and books) mentioned in this episode...
King's Singers, Fretwork
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Stephen Darlington
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC
Les Trompettes des Plaisirs, Lingua Franca & Vox Luminis, Lionel Meunier
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Westminster Abbey Choir, Andrew Nethsingha
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Resurgam, The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble, Mark Duley
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Knowledge Building in Early Modern English Music is a rich, interdisciplinary investigation into the role of music and musical culture in the development of metaphysical thought in late sixteenth-, early seventeenth-century England. The book considers how music presented questions about the relationships between the mind, body, passions, and the soul, drawing out examples of domestic music that explicitly address topics of human consciousness, such as dreams, love, and sensing. Focusing on music by John Dowland, Martin Peerson, Thomas Weelkes, and William Byrd, this study revises historiography by reflecting on the experience of music and how music contributed to the way early modern awareness was shaped.
Available Format: Book
The Pursuit of Musick is an encyclopedic and generously illustrated anthology of original written sources, exploring some 600 years of musical activity in Europe, from the first troubadours to the emergence of the pianoforte. Through this book Andrew Parrott presents an extraordinary treasure trove of material documenting myriad ways in which our recent ancestors engaged with music.
Available Format: Book
27 madrigals, mostly for three voices (SSA or SST)
Available Format: Sheet Music
David Smith - Head of Digital
