Music session - 17th April 2018
Present:
Katherine of Glastonbury, harp
Elyna Delynor, alto rebec & lever harp
Emily of Ildhafn, soprano recorder
Cicilia Lyon, soprano recorder and voice
Ysemay Rede, dizi (chinese flute)
Rosalind Ryne, various recorders
Sympkyn of the Moor, hammered dulcimer
Tunes played:
- Pinagay Bransle
Starts on a G and although Arbeau doesn't specify we play with a raised 7th i.e. F# in the melody. B part is repeated. Played 4 times.
- Charlotte Bransle
Starts on G and has a Bb, and as mentioned before we play the high E near the end of the melody as a natural (not flattened as sometimes opted for). Played 4 times.
- Cassandra Bransle
Starts on C. By Arbeau this isn't written with any 'key signature' but does have the last B in the tune written as flattened. Harps therefore leave out the (only) other B in the tune, which recorders and dulcimer play as B natural. Played 4 times.
- Montarde Bransle
Starts on G and has Bb. I refer to the A part and the B part for ease of reference. The structure is based on the number of dancers:
The A part is repeated (if there are many many dancers it can be repeated more than twice but for our practice sessions we'll just go twice) and then the B part is played once for each dancer. Then that whole structure is repeated once for each dancer, with a single A part as an ending, and a G chord to indicate the finish (allows the dancers to reverence).
This week as we had 7 people we pretended there were 7 dancers. So the structure becomes: (AABBBBBBB)x7+A+final G chord.
- Stella Splendens
Version used is on page 66 of the Snogbook. After bar 34 we hold for another bar, so effectively the minim D and A become four beats long. Similarly when we repeat from the start, the very last bar also becomes four beats.
- Dona Nobis Pacem
Version used is on page 29 of the Snogbook. Played in unison for familiarity then broke into three-part canon. We achieve canon by breaking into groups and each group repeating the first passage an increasing number of times, once, twice, and three times, before continuing through the piece. Once your group has played three times through, repeat the last passage until everyone is done.
- Oh My Heart
Version used is on page 50 of the Snogbook. Mostly played as written except the dulcimer has no Eb so when Sympkyn is playing the Tenor line he uses a C instead. Other instruments have this option if the Eb is too high for comfort.
This session we had two on soprano, two on tenor and two on bass, with an extra voice on soprano. The instruments playing soprano and tenor switched parts for alternating repeats, the bass parts stayed as they were. Very pleasing result.
- Cantiga 36
As written. REGULARS NOTE: there is a very slight melodic change in bars 15 and 19 to what we learned by ear.
- Cantiga 119
As written.
Tuesday 24th April is a PRACTICE AT HOME session. Same tunes as previous, PLUS! start having a look at If You Love Me on pages 34 and 35 of the Lochac Snogbook.
**Reminder**
Future group music sessions will take place on Tuesdays ONCE A FORTNIGHT. Email me on music@ildhafn.lochac.sca.org for address or to check when next group session falls, same time (7.30pm - 9.30pm).
Newcomers are very welcome :)
Regards,
Elyna Delynor