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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Musica Antiqua of London

Or su corere à 4 - anon

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Fortuna desperata à 4 - Antoine Busnois

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Facia ognon in fin che po à - anon

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Prenez sur moy vostre example

Work length9:54

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Musica Antiqua of London

Prenez sur moy à 3 - Johannes Ockeghem

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Helas que pora advenire à 3 - Firminius Caron

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Or che son di pregion à 4 - Bartolomeo Tromboncin

Track length3:20

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A la cazza

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Musica Antiqua of London

A la pesca à 4 - Iannes Plice

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[Gagliarda] Peschatore - anon

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A la cazza à 4 - anon

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Kyrie Eleison

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Musica Antiqua of London

Kyrie leison à 4 - anon

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Colomba senza fielle - anon

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Pavana regia - anon

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Carmine sine verbis I

Work length4:29

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Musica Antiqua of London

El piove à 3 - anon

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Si dedero à 3, à 4 - Alexander Agricola

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Ave Maris Stella: Ave maris stella à 3 - anon

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Musica Antiqua of London

La Mi La Sol

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Musica Antiqua of London

La mi à 4 - Heinrich Isaac

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La mi la sol la mi gia vol à 4 - anon

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Viva el Grand Hercule!

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O triumphale diamante à 4 - G.L.

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Tente alora à 4 - anon

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In Festo Natalis Domini

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Musica Antiqua of London

Verbum caro factus est à 3 - anon

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Ne la digna stalla à 2 - anon

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Recerchar di Benedictus - anon

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Musica Antiqua of London

Benedictus - anon / Isaac

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Musica Antiqua of London

Carmine sine Verbis II

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Absque verbis à 3 - Isaac

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Gratis acceptistis à 4 - Isaac

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La Mora à 3, à 4 - Isaac

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La Speranza

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Musica Antiqua of London

In te Domine speravi à 4 - Josquin des Prez

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[Salterelli] Zorzi, Giorgio - anon

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Forte cosa e la speranza à 5 - anon

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About
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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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