Early music singers

Subject: Early music singers
From: JennieG
Date: 24 Apr 15 - 02:28 AM

Just played on radio was a song by John Dowland sung by a counter tenor, as often seems to be the case. I'm sure in Dowland's time counter tenors or sopranos weren't the only people singing his and other contemporary songs, so I can't help wondering why that so often seems to be the norm now? We never seem to hear "Can she excuse my wrongs" - the song in case - sung by a robust baritone, or "Now, oh now, I needs must part" sung by a deeper female voice.

The only exception that comes to mind was Sting's recording of Dowland songs several years ago.

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: Jack Campin
Date: 24 Apr 15 - 04:04 AM

A quick google suggests there are no recordings of Dowland by either Paata Burchuladze or Martti Talvela, which is a pity - I'd like to hear those songs with that sort of sound.

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: JennieG
Date: 24 Apr 15 - 06:40 PM

Perhaps we should start a new music movement, Jack!

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: GUEST,davemc
Date: 24 Apr 15 - 09:09 PM

There are quite a few recordings by (non-counter)tenors, mezzo-sops and the occasional baritone (like Paul Hillier, for example) but sops and counter-tenors do rule that repertoire for the most part.

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: Stanron
Date: 24 Apr 15 - 11:07 PM

I'm not a historian but as I understand it the music of John Dowland and others of his ilk was the music of the privileged upper classes. That's why we have it today, because it was written down and notated or maybe tabbed in the case of lute music, and it was only the privileged who could do that. It wasn't folk music and it hasn't survived through the oral tradition. This is not meant as a criticism. I used to find trained singing awful. It's only recently that I find a voice like a counter tenor not only acceptable but actually amazing. I'm glad this repertoire survived.

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 25 Apr 15 - 01:20 AM

When you say 'Early Music' are you really only considering British early music...?

When I went through a bit of an early music phase 20 odd years ago,
I was mainly listening to European,
which seemed as far as I can remember now
to be more about rhythmic instrumental dance music;
one particular Naxos Spanish CD, emphasising extremely heavy pounding drumming...

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: JennieG
Date: 25 Apr 15 - 02:14 AM

Not necessarily British......madrigal songs in general, but as John Dowland was prolific his music is quite often played on radio here. Estampie tunes are great fun, but they're not songs!

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: GUEST,Grandad 9
Date: 25 Apr 15 - 03:09 AM

Might I recommend two recordings by sting called "Songs from the Labyrinth" and "The Journey & the Labyrinth"

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: Jack Campin
Date: 25 Apr 15 - 03:42 AM

The Hungarian baritone/lutenist Tamas Kiss has recorded a lot of songs from the same period, like a 2-CD set of the songs of Balint Balassa. He's a mesmerizing performer. This is an early recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NXjf9taPX4

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: GUEST,Blandiver (Astray)
Date: 25 Apr 15 - 06:57 AM

Early Music covers everything that requires historic research - medieval, renaissance, baroque, classical are all covered! I doubt the term covers Sting and The Amazing Blondel, though they've obviously been affected by it, as many Pop artists have down the years - Gentle Giant, Gryphon, Third Ear Band, etc. - all gave just stirring medieval tinged pop music, but, although very much a product of its time & ultimately a key to a particular zeitgeist (i.e. the early 1970s) is it not Early Music per se.

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: Jack Campin
Date: 25 Apr 15 - 10:04 AM

Sting covered some Dowland songs. That's early music in anybody's book. He may have been fairly average at it, but opened up a few folks' musical horizons, so good for him.

Mediaeval music wasn't affected by the countertenor fad to the same extent as Renaissance music.

Eberhard Kummer (very late mediaeval)

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 25 Apr 15 - 10:49 AM

La Fontaine - Connie Dover

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 25 Apr 15 - 10:55 AM

The 1970s prog rock 'early music', plus Donovan's 60's trippy dabblings,
and John Renbourn's relatively 'authentic' approach
were a key influence in my teenage musical development...

More recently Europeans youth is enthusiastically flirting with aspects of early music
at the fringes of contemporary heavy metal & 'pagan folk'.

I think it's positive that such a carelessly misbegotten popularist music thrives liberated
outside the institutions of classical music and higher education academies...

Yet is 'real' academic early music capitalising to any extent
in order to reach out and become more approachable and accessible
to such keenly interested youth...???

When I was curious back in the pre internet age,
I had public library and budget price Naxos CDs.

Any current series of 'cross over' CDs for beginners to be recommended...???

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 25 Apr 15 - 11:17 AM

Stella Splendens

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 25 Apr 15 - 11:43 AM

I've just remembered...

"Les Witches" were a group I stumbled across on the internet some 5 years or so ago,
but I've no idea where they fit in or how seriously they are regarded by 'experts'...???

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 25 Apr 15 - 11:53 AM

A counter-tenor voice is obviously an advantage for vocal parts written for that range (in relation to the accompaniment) but with lyrics suggestive of a male narrator. (Besides, there is not much non-"early" repertoire suitable for counter-tenors. Well, the "late" Bee Gees may qualify.)

Female singers make for slightly less "realism" - but then, that music is so highly artificial that it scarcely matters. Male voices singing an octave lower may cause problems, though, since that corrupts the musical architecture of many tunes with elaborate accompaniment.

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: GUEST,blandiver in preston
Date: 25 Apr 15 - 11:54 AM

Once upon a time you had the Mediaeval Modernism of Atrium Musicae, The Clemencic Consort and even Peter Maxwell Davies and the Fires of London. To me these guys were the business. It's soul lives on in the work Jordi Savall & his superb Alia Vox label.

Sting is no more Early Music than some classical guy playing Police songs on his piano is Pop Music.

Some nice stuff on Naxos - Oni Wytars and that scene are doing some serious shit. Belinda Sykes is amazing. Bit slick for my tastes but tasty!

Subject: RE: Early music singers
From: Megan L
Date: 25 Apr 15 - 12:19 PM