The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #136743   Message #3126596
Posted By: Tootler
01-Apr-11 - 06:56 PM
Thread Name: Tune req: Saltarello - Medieval dance/folk
Subject: RE: Tune req: Saltarello - Medieval dance/folk
Not sure what the exact difference between Ensemble Unicorn and Oni Wyats is

A lot of early music groups have overlapping membership - Like folk music, it it a niche music and there are limited numbers of performers.

A little fast? Dunno. I warn't there at the time.

Of course, it's true that we don't really know exactly how this music was played and never will so all we can do is both be guided by what music scholars have been able to deduce and then use our musical judgment and play what sounds right to us. One thing I am sure of, and that is that modern musicians won't have had a monopoly on playing very fast.

My real point was that, while the musicians on the album were excellent and I enjoyed the music, they did tend to play everything very fast and it becomes wearing on the ears after a time. More variation in tempo would have helped for listening. Of course, if you are playing for dancing then a consistent tempo is required. Even with the best efforts of scholars no one really knows just how fast or slow the dances were. I suspect not as fast as Ensemble Unicorn play these pieces - Nevertheless, a Salterello is thought to have been a lively dance.