Early music recs wanted

[ellid]

I'm particularly interested in pilgrimage songs, but any good early music collection will do. I just picked up a CD by the New London Consort and am craving more.

:D

Comments

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

How early are we talking here? I have the almost everything by the Mediaeval Baebes, who do a lot of 13th and 14th century stuff, Bartholmew Faire's "The Red Book", a good bit of Malicorne, a few pieces from Ensemble Microlagus, and the Dead Can Dance's version of Saltarello.

And some Hildegarde von Bingen by Anonymous 4 someplace around here -- I don't particularly like it, since it's very breathy for me, but it can be useful background music if I'm writing.

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Anything from 1600 on back. I always liked Malicorne but I've never actually heard the Medieval Baebes even though a lot of people rave about them. I'll have to check them out.

Just My $0.02

[shalmestere.livejournal.com]

I've never actually heard the Medieval Baebes even though a lot of people rave about them.

Meh. I have some of their albums, but they don't do much for me (and their Middle English pronunciation bugs me :-P).

If you specifically want pilgrim songs, I believe that Alla Francesca did a recording of Llibre Vermeill. So did Hesperion XX/XXI (Jordi Savall's group). Sequentia didn't (IIRC), but most of their recordings of medieval Spanish songs should scratch that itch; ditto Altramar and Ensemble Alcatraz.

Re: Just My $0.02

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the list! These sound terrific.

Question: do you have any recs for John Dowland? I'm not crazy about Emma Kirkby and Sting's version drove me nuts....

Re: Just My $0.02

[shalmestere.livejournal.com]

do you have any recs for John Dowland?

I tend to sing Dowland more than listen to him :-) so I don't have any recs off the top of my head--I can check after I get home tonight. Is it just Kirkby, or do you not like British vocal style generally?

Re: Just My $0.02

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Kirkby. I've never cared for her voice. OTOH, I'll take an English oratorio tenor over just about anyone except the late, great Fritz Wunderlich.

[shalmestere.livejournal.com]

...the Mediaeval Baebes...do a lot of 13th and 14th century stuff....

Well...yes and no. They do a lot of 13th- and 14th-century lyrics, but most of the melodies are original (composed by one of the members of the group).

I can provide recs for recordings of medieval secular monody, if anyone's interested....

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Sure.

TOYOTA

[shalmestere.livejournal.com]

"I can provide recs for recordings of medieval secular monody, if anyone's interested...."

"Sure."

OK.

We should probably update these (I have some newer discs to add), but this or this should get you started :-)