Music From Terpsichore

I like this album a lot. The production is a little light on so there is not a lot of light and shade and it lacks a little depth. But fine performances although the production means its used for background music rather than active listening. Praetorious' music has a popular feel.

As others have pointed out, these are performed by (mainly) a string ensemble with a bagpipe tossed in here and there. The music looses none of its verve in the process; in fact, in some cases there is gain in melodic quality from these arrangements. Composers represented in this 71 minute collection include François Caroubel, Nicolas Vallet, the ever-popular Michael Praetorius (yes, that famous dance is included), a few snips from other known names, and the most famous of all, Anon. I have a number of recordings by the particulars here, The Parley of Instruments directed by Peter Holman, and almost all are of the highest musical quality, whatever the style they are playing."Terpsichore" was published by Praetorius in 1612, and is mainly a collection of what Praetorius described as French dances, though some of the over 300 dances came from other sources as well. It is uncertain to what extent Praetorius was the actual composer of some of those credited to him -- some were just probably his arrangements of popular tunes of his day. Those who enjoy these dances need look further afield into similar collections from Thoinot Arbeau, "Orchésographie" of 1589  Arbeau: Orchesographie , Pierre Attaingnant, and, most certainly, that impressive collection published by John Playford "The English Dancing Master", in multiple editions starting in 1651 (in part to irk the Puritans), such as heard on this jewel  Country Capers: Music from John Playford's The English Dancing Master  , or together with others as on here  Galante Kurzweyl - Dances From Renaissance Baroque & Rococo (Hanssler) .I note to some distress that many of the recordings found on Amazon have been around for quite some time, many dating back to LP days, and that not a few are now hard to find, probably out of print, and with few if any new versions appearing. This is good stuff: Snatch whatever up you can get your hands on while it is still possible.

Praetorius's famous collection of dances entitled 'Terpsichore' (1612) surely needs no introduction - indeed, recordings of it are available in abundance. What undoubtedly sets this one apart from previous interpretations, however, is that it is the first to use predominantly stringed instruments: violin band, violin consort and lutes (only track 23 departs from this norm, where bagpipes and pipe & tabor are added to the violin band to emphasize the rustic element of the title, 'Bransle de villages'). Under Peter Holman's direction, the Parley of Instrument's playing is generally excellent, offering the listener some of the best available performances of some of the better-known dances (e.g. tracks 13 and 31). The lute intabulation arrangements also work well (most obviously in track 32), creating a distinctly French sound-world rarely exploited on previous 'Terpsichore' renditions. Lastly, Praetorius's dances are complemented with some attractive contemporary lute works by Nicolas Vallet and Jean-Baptiste Besard, amongst which listeners will probably recognize the 'Bransles de villages' (track 22) from Respighi's 'Ancient Airs and Dances' suite.However, is it fair to argue (as Holman does, liner notes p.7) that 'the collection was primarily intended for violins'...? Evidence to support this hypothesis comes primarily from Praetorius's preface, which indicates that the dances were composed by French dancers known chiefly as good violinists or lutenists (in particular Pierre Francisque Caroubel, who contributed many of the dances and had recently spent some time at the Wolfenbuttel court, where Terpsichore was published). Yet Praetorius's preface also refers to 'bowed and wind instruments' when describing 'loud and soft' repetitions within a dance, and also explicitly notes the suitability of adapting the dances for domestic ensemble ('...oder fur furstliche Tafeln / oder nur "in convivius" enzig zum Vergnugen...'). Given that Praetorius was in fact German (i.e. not French!) and that Terpsichore was published in Germany rather than for a French market in France, it is impossible to isolate his comments on this topic from similar collections published in Germany. For example, although William Brade's collections of near identical music (Pavans, Galliards, etc., published in Hamburg, 1614 and 1617) indicate that these dances are especially suitable for violins, he also states that they can be 'pleasingly executed on all kinds of instruments' ('Auff allerley musicalischen Instrumenten, Insonderheit auff Fiolen zugebrauchen'), and a similar indication appears in other German sources too (e.g. Erasmus Widmann's 'Gantz Neue Cantzon, Intraden, Balletten und Courranten', Nuremberg, 1618).In addition, it seems dangerous to argue that the 'Passameze pour les cornetz' [CCLXXXVIII a 6, F.C.] - the only dance in Terpsichore with a specified instrumentation - represents the exception rather than the rule, i.e. only one dance out of 312 not intended for violin band/consort. Both contemporary accounts and other French music collections of the period confirm that the repertory of the French violinists was not always as separate as Holman implies (liner notes p.7). The 'Recueil de plusieurs airs par Andre Danican Philidor' [B.N. de France, Res. F. 494] - again of music near identical to Terpsichore in style/form - includes numerous contemporaneous pieces which are given the addendum 'joue par les Grands hautbois' or 'fait pour les Cornetz [1601]' alongside (for example) a suite of music for a 'Concert donne a Louis 13 en 1627 par les vin[g]t quatres viollons et les 12 Grand Hautbois.' Let us not forget that the 'Passameze pour les cornetz' in Terpsichore was in fact written by one of the French violinists (Caroubel)!In short, this CD presents one very plausible way in which these dances from Terpsichore were played, and the performances can definitely be recommended - just so long as the justification behind excluding any other instruments is accepted with a degree of caution!

If you've been put off Praetorius in the past by the liberal use of flatulent period wind instruments and harsh percussion, you might try this fine recording. Strings, bowed and plucked, take the spotlight here and the result is very pleasing. Hyperion can always be relied upon to provide nice sonics and the performers are in excellent form. Some might prefer more demonstrative playing, but the slightly laid-back approach here is highly enjoyable and sounds totally valid.

Absolutely beautiful

Die Orchestrierung ohne den häufig für Renaissancemusik üblichen Schnickschnack. Erstklassige Performance, die die Musik auf ihren ursprünglichen intensiven und emotionalen Klang zurück führt. Auch technisch die Aufnahme sehr gut. Ich konnte nicht mehr aufhören !So etwas ist sehr selten und erlebt man nicht oft - auch wenn man eine ziemlich große Sammlung klassischer und alter Musik hat.