Date:Late 16th century (c. 1580–1590) Description:“Célébrons sans cesse de Dieu les bontés” (Let us ceaselessly celebrate the goodness of God) is a French sacred chanson or psalm setting by Orlando di Lasso (also known as Orlande de Lassus), one of the most prolific and influential composers of the Renaissance. This …
Date:Early 16th century (c. 1520) Description:“Brounswycke” is a stately instrumental piece found in Renaissance dance and consort music collections. The name likely refers to Brunswick (Braunschweig), a historical German duchy, hinting at its continental influence or origin. It’s commonly performed as a processional or pavane-like piece, with a steady duple …
Date:Early 17th century (c. 1600–1615) Description:“Black Alman” (or “Black Almain”) is a stately instrumental dance in almain (allemande) style, popular in England during the late Renaissance and early Baroque period. Often attributed to composers like Anthony Holborne or Thomas Morley, it was a well-known tune performed at courtly events, masques, …
Date:Late 16th century (published 1589) Description:“Belle qui tiens ma vie” is a charming and elegant French pavane composed by Thoinot Arbeau, featured in his famous dance manual Orchésographie. The piece is both a dance and a love song, expressing devotion to a beloved with courtly grace. Its slow, stately rhythm …
Date:Late 15th century (c. 1476–1500) Description:“Ave Vera Virginitas” is a luminous motet composed by Josquin des Prez, celebrating the Virgin Mary. Its title translates to “Hail, True Virginity”, and the text exalts Mary’s purity and role in the Incarnation. This piece showcases Josquin’s masterful control of vocal texture, imitative counterpoint, …
Date:1609 (published in Deuteromelia) Description:As I me walked is a rustic, humorous English folk song, preserved by Thomas Ravenscroft in his 1609 collection Deuteromelia. It paints a light, cheeky picture of a countryside encounter, in the lively, slightly bawdy tradition of English catches and rounds. Though simple, it captures the …
Date:Late 16th century (published 1594) Description:April is in my Mistress’ Face is a well-known English madrigal by Thomas Morley, set to a short, evocative text comparing the changing emotions of a lady’s face to the seasons. Despite its brevity, the piece beautifully captures both the elegance and emotional nuance of …
Date:13th century (first known reference c. 1300) Description:Angelus ad Virginem is a medieval Latin carol narrating the Annunciation—when the angel Gabriel visits Mary to announce that she will bear the Christ child. Rich in theological imagery and reverent in tone, the carol was widely popular in the Middle Ages and …
Date:Late 15th century (c. 1475–1500) Description:Alas Departynge is Ground of Woo is a poignant English part-song reflecting on sorrow and separation. The text explores the emotional weight of parting, a common theme in late medieval and early Renaissance lyric poetry. The piece embodies the introspective and expressive style of English …
Date:16th century (likely mid-to-late 1500s) Description:And Seest Thou My Cow is a humorous English part-song or catch, noted for its rustic subject matter and playful, slightly bawdy tone. The song pokes fun at rural life, with lyrics centered around the search for a lost cow—possibly a metaphor with cheeky double …