Programmes

Here is a list of our current programmes, each of which can be flexible in musical content and number of people:

Douce Dame ♥ Sweet Lady
French courtly love songs of the 14th and 15th Centuries. An intimate duo performance - including works by Machaut, Dufay and Binchois - presenting the role of women in Medieval music.

Guillaume de Machaut: the Man and the Legend
Celebrating the life and work of this French composer who was praised by Kings and Princes, revered by poets and musicians.

De toutes flours ♣ Of all the Flowers
A varied bouquet of flowers from the 14th and early 15th centuries, including references to the beloved lady; the promise of a new spring and a new love; the Virgin Mary and the city of Florence with its cathedral dome.

Songs for Beatrice of Aragon
Music of the 15th century from the Mellon Chansonnier  (Yale University Library, MS. 91) by Dufay, Binchois and their contemporaries, dedicated to this formidable lady.

Da Musica ♣ Music about Music and Musicians
How did musicians see themselves and each other and what does Lady Music thinks of all their quibbling? French, German and Italian works from the 13th to the 15th centuries.

Listening to our Past
This lecture recital explores our reasons for incorporating past cultures into our current one, how we do this in a meaningful way, and how the music of the Middle Ages contributes to our understanding of who we are today. It will feature musical and pictorial examples from the 12th to the 15th centuries, including songs originating in prison, the church, burgeoning cities, and the royal courts of Europe.

So ys emprentid ♣ So is imprinted
This programme surveys some of the highpoints of 14th century French and 15th century English courtly music, brought together by the poetic output of Geoffrey Chaucer. The first half brings to the fore Guillaume de Machaut, who shaped more or less single-handedly the prevailing musical and poetical style of his day, influencing those who came after him, including Chaucer. The second half presents works by Walter Frye and his predecessors, who followed Chaucer's use of English as a sophisticated poetic language fit for the highest levels of courtly society by establishing it also as a language fit for musical settings. With the sounds of voice, vielle and harp, the reading of poetry, and some anecdotal explanations, this expressive, natural and compelling programme is both entertaining and informative.