Flanders' Recorder Quartet - Early Italian Recorder Music, English Consort Music (2005)

Over the past three or four decades early music has changed from elitist and hardly known to being widely performed and appreciated. With the growing popularity of early music the recorder has emancipated from that rather ill-reputed “instrument to introduce children to music” to a serious musical instrument in its own right. Several highly successful recorder ensembles and soloists are proof of this change.
One of these ensembles is the Flanders’ Recorder Quartet “Vier op ‘n Rij” (Four in a row). On CD 1 it has recorded some music by well-known Italian Renaissance composers like Giovanni Gabrieli and Frescobaldi. This often has an almost organ-like sound. In several pieces the quartet is joined by a sonorous viola da gamba quartet and a harpsichord.
The English so-called consort music for small instrumental ensemble on CD 2 predates the Italian repertoire. Most of the recorded pieces have their roots in existing melodies and songs. Music by well-known composers such as William Byrd and John Dowland is combined with pieces by amongst others Christopher Tye and John Ward. Recorder player Marion Verbruggen occasionally plays a fifth part.

Track List:

CD 1: Early Italian Recorder Music
01. Giovanni Battista Riccio (d1620) - Sonata a 4
02. Dario Castello (d1629) - Sonata 15
03. Gianbattista Grillo (ca 1622) - Canzona II a 8 (*)
04. Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1613) - Canzon seconda
05. Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643) - Capriccio (di obligo di cantare)
06. Giovanni Picchi (d1625) - Canzon 19 a 8 (*)
07. Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643) - Capriccio (sopra la bassa fiamenga) (**)
08. Costanzo Porta (1528/29-1601) - Girometta a 8 (*)
09. Dario Castello (d1629) - Sonata 16
10. Giovanni Maria Trabaci (ca 1575-1647) - Canzona franzesa settima cromatica
11. Gioseffe Guami (ca 1540-1611) - Canzon 25 a 8 (*)
12. Giovanni Pierluigi Da Palestrina (1525/26-1594) - Ricercar del terzo tuono
13. Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1613) - Canzone II a 8 (*)
14. Tarquinio Merula (1594/95-1665) - Canzona La Merula
15. Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1613) - Canzon prima 'La Spiritata'


CD 2: Browning my dere - English Consort Music
01. William Byrd (1543-1623) - The leaves be greene
02. Christopher Tye (ca 1505-1572) - in Nomine Reporte
03. Christopher Tye (ca 1505-1572) - in Nomine Crye
04. Christopher Tye (ca 1505-1572) - in Nomine Re la re
05. Henry Stonings (16th cent) - Browning my dere
06. William Byrd (1543-1623) - in Nomine I
07. William Byrd (1543-1623) - in Nomine IV
08. Clemet Woodcock (ca 1575) - Browning my dere
09. John Dowland (1563-1626) - Lacrimae Antiquae
10. John Dowland (1563-1626) - Sir Henry Umpton's Funerall
11. John Dowland (1563-1626) - The Earle of Essex Galiard
12. John Dowland (1563-1626) - Semper Dowland semper dolens
13. John Dowland (1563-1626) - The King of Denmark's Galiard
14. John Baldwin (bef 1560-1615) - A Browninge of 3 voc
15. John Baldwin (bef 1560-1615) - Proporcions to the minum
16. John Baldwin (bef 1560-1615) - Coockow as I me walked
17. Christopher Tye (ca 1505-1572) - Sit Fast
18. Elway Bevin (ca 1554-1638) - Browning
19. John Ward (1571-1638) - Fantasia
20. Richard Deering (ca 1580-1630) - Fantasia
21. John Okeover (aft 1590-ca 1663) - Fantasia
22. Thomas Simpson (1582-aft 1630) - Canzon


Performers:
Flanders' Recorder Quartet
(*) with Viol consort and harpsichord
(**) with Guy De Mey (tenor)