Search - Jean d' Estree, John [Composer] Johnson, Thomas Ravenscroft :: Watkins Ale: Music of the English Renaissance

Watkins Ale: Music of the English Renaissance
Jean d' Estree, John [Composer] Johnson, Thomas Ravenscroft
Watkins Ale: Music of the English Renaissance
Genres: Dance & Electronic, Folk, International Music, Special Interest, Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (19) - Disc #1

If you think people didn't have much fun in the 16th century, you may change your mind after you hear the kind of music the ordinary folks were singing, playing, and listening to. The Baltimore Consort, internationally ...  more »

     
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Amazon.com
If you think people didn't have much fun in the 16th century, you may change your mind after you hear the kind of music the ordinary folks were singing, playing, and listening to. The Baltimore Consort, internationally recognized for its outstanding programs and performances of early music, offer us an immediately appealing--and irresistible--assortment of popular tunes from 16th-century England, some of which you may recognize in their modern incarnations. "There were three ravens," "Greensleeves," and John Dowland's famous "Lachrimae Pavan" are a few of the better-known pieces. The Baltimore Consort is known not only for its fabulous musicianship but also for its arrangements, which always seem to perfectly suit the tunes; this disc comprises 20 examples of that virtuosity, and you'll want to hear them again and again. --David Vernier

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CD Reviews

Captures the spirit of a live performance
Bookseller | Pittsburgh, PA | 06/14/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"A few years ago I had the privilege of seeing the Baltimore Consort perform live. It was an electrifying evening filled with great energy and sound. This CD manages to capture that. It is an excellent recording that definitely does justice to the material.In addition, the selection of song is varied and allows a lot of the period specific instruments to demonstrate what kind of sound they can make.Also, I always consider it a bonus when the lyrics to the songs are included. I think its even better (and rarer) when that happens with early Renaissance music. In this case, the CD not only come with the lyrics in English, but in German and French as well."
Pure artistic joy-bottled and caught up on a compact disc
NotATameLion | Michigan | 06/06/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have already noted my fondness for The Baltimore Consort, and Custer LaRue in particular, elsewhere...but I still feel compelled to praise this album--"Watkins Ale." It is awesome. "Watkins Ale" is, like most of The Consort's recordings, pure artistic joy-bottled and caught up on a compact disc. LaRue's singing, and the playing of the rest of the crew, is absolutely stunning. "There Were Three Ravens" is a deep, beautifully dark, introspective masterpiece. Some of the instrumentals are worth the price of the disc by themselves. The rendition of Dowland's Lachrimae Pavan is--like the rest of the disc--sheer brilliance! If I've put too many commas in my review, it is because I lack the proper superlatives for the task at hand...I recommend this CD most highly."
More than just an alcoholic drink
Matthew Mendlik | Boston, MA, United States | 08/09/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Baltimore Consort are performers in the truest sense -- the energy and sheer brilliance they exude during performances is infectious and heady. Luckily for those of us who rarely or never get to see them perform, all of this comes across in their recordings. This CD makes both an excellent introduction for those uninitiated in the joy that is English Renaissance music, and an important addition to the library of anyone already familiar with such music. The emotion, grace and at times sheer bawdiness of the Baltimore Consort's performances will entertain you and make you smile with glee; "Watkins Ale" is *not* just some sort of alcohol proffered to a young maiden by a strapping young lad -- it may take some careful listening and thinking about the text to realize this! Custer LaRue's flawless vocals, here sounding like a young woman and there like a young lad, are breathtaking. Check your pulse if you don't find yourself dancing along."