Madrigal by Thomas Vautor for five part choir. (a vulture composes a song about an owl!? - political correctness gone mad!) The owl is depicted as a thing of beauty a fierce force of nature and a mysterious companion to dying souls The drawin...  moreMadrigal by Thomas Vautor for five part choir. (a vulture composes a song about an owl!? - political correctness gone mad!) The owl is depicted as a thing of beauty a fierce force of nature and a mysterious companion to dying souls The drawing is by my late mother, the painting is by Caspar David Friedrich the carvings are by my father  

La Folia (literally "madness") was a Portuguese dance from the renaissance, and it has been used by many composers in the ensuing centuries. This version is for voices and guitar. It introduces the theme as a repeated verse on voice 1 and then adds a co...  moreLa Folia (literally "madness") was a Portuguese dance from the renaissance, and it has been used by many composers in the ensuing centuries. This version is for voices and guitar. It introduces the theme as a repeated verse on voice 1 and then adds a couple of vocalize additions above and below it. The pdf file contains the score and a separate guitar part. The sound sample is performed by the composer. Let's sing la Folia Oh let's sing la Folia Oh let's sing la Folia as in the Baroque time Oh let's sing la Folia Oh let's sing la Folia It spans all the centuries up to now (la la la) (cu cu cu!)  less

Vivaldi Gloria sung by a one-man choir (sopranos are transposed in order to keep the key changes - sorry for the "Pinky and Perky" effects)

Lamento d'Arianna (Ariadne's Lament) This is the five part madrigal version of Ariadne's Lament, which she sings when she is abandoned on the island of Naxos by her lover Theseus. The translation is by Francesco Campelli on CPDL The performance was cre...  moreLamento d'Arianna (Ariadne's Lament) This is the five part madrigal version of Ariadne's Lament, which she sings when she is abandoned on the island of Naxos by her lover Theseus. The translation is by Francesco Campelli on CPDL The performance was created in memory of the late Richard Gofton, who introduced me to the music back in 1976 (Our Strasbourg choir Psalterion performed it at that time)  

Sweet Kate, of late Ran away and left me 'plaining: “Abide,” I cried, “Or I die with thy disdaining.” “Tee! hee! hee!” quoth she, “Gladly would I see, Any man to die with loving. Never any yet, Died of such a fit, Neither have I fear of proving.”...  moreSweet Kate, of late Ran away and left me 'plaining: “Abide,” I cried, “Or I die with thy disdaining.” “Tee! hee! hee!” quoth she, “Gladly would I see, Any man to die with loving. Never any yet, Died of such a fit, Neither have I fear of proving.” “Unkind, I find Thy delight is in tormenting, Abide,” I cried, “Or I die with thy consenting.” “Tee! hee! hee!” quoth she, “Make no fool of me, Men I know have oaths at pleasure; But their hopes attained, They belay they feigned, and their oaths are kept at leisure.”  less

Improved version - This satirical little frottola by Josquin is believed to be a gentle reminder to his patron Galeazzo Sforza that his musicians need paying. Josquin may be punning on the name of a fellow impecunious musician (Frillo) by calling him a...  moreImproved version - This satirical little frottola by Josquin is believed to be a gentle reminder to his patron Galeazzo Sforza that his musicians need paying. Josquin may be punning on the name of a fellow impecunious musician (Frillo) by calling him a cricket (Grillo). This performance is by the dwsChorale (David Solomons) It can be downloaded at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dwsChorale3  

Motet by Thomas Tomkins - one of the greatest emotional expressions of the late Renaissance. Absalom, son of King David, was a handsome prince and considered by some to be worthy of the throne of Israel, even before David's death. One day, as Absalom w...  moreMotet by Thomas Tomkins - one of the greatest emotional expressions of the late Renaissance. Absalom, son of King David, was a handsome prince and considered by some to be worthy of the throne of Israel, even before David's death. One day, as Absalom went riding, a tree's branches caught his luxuriant hair and he hung there helpless. He was slain by his enemies. King David was inconsolable. Performed by the dwsChorale, a multitracking one-man choir  

On Christmas Eve morning 2017, I was approached by a member of our congregation who said he had been inspired by the Holy Ghost to write some words and that he would like me to set them to music. To begin with I wasn't sure, since they seemed somewhat re...  moreOn Christmas Eve morning 2017, I was approached by a member of our congregation who said he had been inspired by the Holy Ghost to write some words and that he would like me to set them to music. To begin with I wasn't sure, since they seemed somewhat repetitive, but as the day progressed to the early afternoon I found that I was also inspired (I even missed lunch!). The piece varies in mode from D Dorian to A Aeolian. The performance is by me (multi-tracking).  

Bring us in good ale is a mediaeval drinking song. The premise of the song is that the singers (or players) want no food and so they find all sorts of reasons not to eat: they just want good ale!

Il est bel et bon by Pierre Passereau (fl. 1509 - 1547). Sung in a transposed version Video contains the words and my English translation