nly at the beginning of the 16th century was the family of violin instruments born in Italy. But what a lasting success: in their form and construction, the violin, viola and cello, which are so important in the modern orchestra, still retain similarities to their forebears of the Renaissance.
On their travels to England, Northern Italian and Flemish musicians brought these new instruments to the courts of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. What repertoire did they play and how did the so-called “violin band” develop there? ReRenaissance dedicates an entire concert to the fascinating historical ensemble once known as a “company of violins”.
Free entry; donations at the door
Maya Webne-Behrman – treble violin
Mischa Dobruschkin – alto violin
Marguerite Wassermann – alto violin
Johannes Frisch – tenor violin
Caroline Ritchie – bass violin; direction
Viola (ursprünglich in Deutsch «Tenorgeige») von Andrea Amati, Cremona c1569 © National Music Museum, Vermillion SD, USA
Why I’ll be there
by David Fallows
In general, I reckon I know my way round English consort music of the sixteenth century. But Caroline Ritchie has assembled a programme with lots of pieces I happen not to know and will welcome hearing. The main pieces are in an enormous manuscript I have never had the courage to tackle, British Library Egerton 3665. This was apparently copied by Francis Tregian while he was in the Fleet Prison for recusancy (not attending Church of England services). There are two problems with this. First, he seems to have been in the prison for only three years, between 1614 and when he died in 1617. Second, during that time he is believed to have copied not only Egerton 3665 but also the entire Fitzwilliam virginal book and two further sets of partbooks.
In favour of his having copied all this material is a document stating that while in the Fleet Prison (which was a prison for those who could not afford to pay the fines) he rented a whole suite of rooms there in order to hold his eleven-hundred books, various chests of viols, and many other musical instruments. There is a whole series of improbabilities and contradictions here that I cannot contemplate. And there is predictably an enormous body of scholarly discussion that I do not have the strength to follow. But what is true is that the Fitzwilliam virginal book is entirely of English music whereas Egerton 3665 is a truly marvellous collection of continental music that was known in England. I very much look forward to getting to know some of this music. But the main innovation here is the use of a consort of the violin family rather than viols. That will be exciting to hear.
Barfüsserkirche, Historisches Museum Basel
Papiermühle – St. Alban-Kirche – Gasthof zum Goldenen Stern
Barfüsserkirche
Historisches Museum Basel
Barfüsserkirche,
Historisches Museum Basel
