Ancient Airs and Dances

O'Dette, Paul (with Rogers Covey-Crump, Tenor) (Hyperion CDA66228)

LH: These are the original lute songs and dances used by Respighi in his orchestral "Suites of Ancient Airs and Dances.” Paul O'Dette is, of course, a wonderful lutenist and, even if you can't dance to some of these, it's wonderful listening. Lovely version of Caroso's "Laura Soave.”

The Art of the Bawdy Song

Baltimore Consort. CD

Dances: Cuckolds all a-row, Argeers, Gathering Peascods, Ladie Lie near me

JT: Not bad at all, considering it's not primarily a dance CD. Aesthetic: *** Usability: **.5

The Art of the Lute in the Middle Ages

L'Ensemble Perceval. (tape) MHS MHC6391, 1982. Various 13th and 14th century "dance" tunes.

Calliope Festival

Calliope. Elektra. Tape: E4 79069. 1984. Includes: various Salterelli; Ferrareze Pavan and Galliard; various other galliards.

The Christmas Revels

Langstaff, John. (tape) CA1078, 1982.

IdH: [Includes] Abbot's Bromley Horn Pipe; Dargason; Sword Dance tunes.

The Compleat Dancing Master

Antilles AN 7003

Includes Sellinger's Round , Nonesuch, Cuckolds All Awry, and others, and amusing readings.

AH: Cuckolds does not have the right number of repeats for dancing.

Dance of the Ages

Ensemble Eduard Melkus - Ulsamer Collegium. Archiv 439 964 2. The recordings were done in the early 70s. [Paraphrasing VS: It is a 4-CD set. The first two CDs are out of period; the third includes Baroque dances we use, though the music is not particularly danceable. CD4 includes Lamento di Tristano, a Trotto, 2 Istampita and Saltarello La Regina, 3 basse danze and an alta danza...general dance stuff from 1500s (no balli!), and an Early Baroque section: Schiarazula and a bit more from Mainerio, Barriera and Celeste Giglio from Caroso (I don't do either dance, but my guess is both are too slow), and ending with 5 pieces by Caroubel.]

VS: The collection is somewhat of a disappointment, if you're hoping for 4 CDs worth of music. It has bits and pieces, but no Arbeau, no early Balli, no Playford I, and 2 questionable late Balli. I got it for $20, and like Waltzs, but I expect most people wouldn't find it useful. I also get the strong impression that it is Dance Music for Listening, not for Dancing, and that the musicians weren't working with dancers or reconstructors. This CD= A:*** U:**

Danserye -1551

Camarata Hungarica. Hungaroton/Qualiton CD: SLPX 12194; cassette MK 12194

LH: The music is absolutely wonderful but we don't do many of these dances in Caid -- really fine instrumentation and vocals (on some of the selections).

Eloge du vin et de la vigne

La Maurache. Arion CD: ARN 68248 [AD]: Mostly songs, but includes la Gelosia, Amoroso, a tourdion, three basse dances (one of which has vocal as well as instrumental accompaniment), a bransle simple (similar accompaniment), and an emminantly danceable and listenable version of Arbeau's courante.

VS: I don't know about the Gelosia and Amoroso ... it's part of a suite, apparently, with Gelosia/Amoroso/Saltarello/Anello, all played in under 3 minutes ... I doubt it's too usable.

England Be Glad!

St. George's Canzona. (tape) MHS 9337X, 1972.

Includes: Greensleeves; various galliards.

The English Lute

Odette, Paul. (tape). Nonesuch N5 1363, 1979.

IdH: Contains: various galliards, Almains; pavans.

English Lute Duets

MHS MHC 312094M (tape) 1987.

IdH: Contains: Greensleeves; pavans; galliards; Sellengers Rounde.

Golden Dance Hits of 1600

Archiv 2533 184

Mainerio: Schiarazula Marazula , others.

Gothic and Renaissance Dances

(tape) MHS MHC2061, n.d.

IdH: Contains: Pavans; Almans; galliards, bransles Bourgogne and Champagne.

Greatest Dance Hits of the 1500's

Quintessence PMC 750495.

See: Dance Music of the Renaissance.

Harp Music of the Italian Renaissance

Laurence-King, Andrew. (CD) MHS 513460Y, 1993. Re-release of 80's recording. IdH: Contains: Various galliards, Negri's "La Barriera": "Brando per Quattro"' "Pastore e Quattro Ninfe"

John Dowland: Fantasies and Dreams

Bacon, Joseph. Tape: MHS MHC6497, 1982.

IdH: Contains: various Almans; galliards; jigs.

The King's Delight: 17 c. ballads for voice and violin

The King's Noyse. Harmonia Mundi, 1994. HMU 907101. CD. Instruments: Viola, violin, bass violin, lute, cittern, and voice. Dance Tunes: All in a Garden Green, Gathering Peascods, Blew-cap, Jog On, Daphne, Grimstock, Childgrove, The Beggar Boy, Mr. Isaac's Maggot.

JT: This is primarily a collection of ballads, which has some tunes which happen to be dances. Thus, they're of limited use.... Aesthetic Appeal: *** Usability: *.5

The King's Noyse

Canzonetta. (CD) Harmonia Mundi. 907127, 1994.

IdH: Contains: various Saltarelli, galliards, various "dances". Nice music--Paul Odette on lute.

Le Moyen Age Catalan

Ars Musice de Barcelone. CD: HMA 190051

MR: Not particularly useful. The only dance is the bassedanse Barcelona (from Brussells ms.)

Les Menestriers, Les Menestriers

(LP) Vanguard SRV 316 SD, 1974

MR: Contains mostly vocal music. In addition to Chanconetta Tedesca, it has the Saltarello, and a good Spagna with a strong beat.

A Little Consort Music

Little Consort Amsterdam. ETCETERA CD: KTC 1005

[AD]: Includes three short 15c bassa danzas.

A Maid in Bedlam

John Renbourn Group. Shanachie 79004

Includes Galliarde: Nacht Tanz/Schaeffertanz . MH: There is a very nice pavan and galliard in this one. Very danceable. Perhaps someone could try some original choreography?

Mary's Music

Scottish Early Music Consort. (CD) Chandos CHAN 0529, 1992.

IdH: Re-release of 80's recording. Contains: "content desir"; basse dance, various pavans and galliards; branles.

The Merry Milkmaid: Early English Country Dances

The City Waits. Soundalive Music Ltd. CD: SAMHC/CD/009

LH: Some vocal music interspersed with the dance music with the same fine instrumentation work you find with the other English early music groups that seem to specialize in the “street” type of music rather than formal, court music.

Music from the Time of Christian IV

(CD) MHS 513127X, 1992. IdH: Re-release of earlier recording. Contains various galliards, pavans; saltarelli; Pasameza; various courantes.

Musicians of Swanne Alley. In the Streets & Theatres of London

(CD) MHS 513557M, 1994. Virgin Classics CD: VC 7 90789. Includes Almans, pavans, ballads, "Passamezzo"; Grimstock; Greensleeves.

LH: The focus on this recording is on music that would be used in theatre pieces so it is a mix of song and dance. The group is headed up by premiere lutenists Lyle Nordstrom and Paul O’Dette (and the other musicians are of equal quality) so you know it’s going to be great listening! Lively versions of “Stingo” and “Grimstock.”

Musique dans le temps de Jacques Cartier

Very recent (1995). Ensemble Claude-Gervaise. ORCD 4103. VS: Has Le Petit Rouen, Filles a marier, La Spagna, Belle Qui, some bransles.

The Parley of Instruments

Christmas Music by Michael Praetorius. (CD) Hyperion A66200, 1986. IdH: Various stuff from Terpsichore, mostly galliards.

Pass Time with Good Company

Kicking Mule Records,

Includes music for Earl of Salisbury Pavan .

Playford Replay'd

Staines Morris, Jack's Health, Hyde Park, Picking Up Sticks, Mad Robin, Mr Isaac's Maggot, St. Martin's, Argeers, Nonesuch, Step Stately, Dargason, Chestnut, Hearts Ease, Rufty Tufty, Upon a Summer's Day, Sellenger's Round, Confesse,Gathering Peasecods, Epping Forest.

DZ: Very danceable. This was a mainstay of our EC dancing for a time.

Praetorius -- Dances from Terpsichore / Misai Sioniae

The Early Music Consort of London. CD: CDM 7 69024 2.

DE: A few useable Praetorius tunes, but not as good as the IMP collection.

Praetorius' Terpsichore

Arabesque CD Z6531

LH: Again, this is for dances "en suite" and we don't do many of these particular court dances in Caid (although I wish we would). This is absolutely wonderful just for listening and many who have been to the RenFaire will recognize some of these.

A Reasonable Facsimile

Anne and Rob Burns. Second from the Bottom Records CD: SBR001/2

LH: For those of you who are saying, the names sound familiar, this couple put out a couple of cassettes entitled About as Close as You Can Get and The Merry Pranks of Robin Goodfellow which featured “street performances” such as you might hear at the Renaissance Faire. This CD includes both of those earlier cassettes. These are multi-talented musicians and singers who each seem to play about a hundred instruments. Some of the selections seem to be the right length for dancing and the tempos for the most part seem to echo those at RenFaire. Altogether good fun (great for getting into the right mindset on the way to an SCA event or RenFaire).

Renaissance Dances from the 14th through 16th Centuries

Odyssey 32 160036

Includes Entampies, La Spagne, Pavan - Galliarde St. Roch, Pavan: La garge, Galliarde: Au joly boys, Branle de Poictou, Branle de Gay, Basse Dance: Mon sedir [?], Galliarde: La rocque, Two branles, Basse Dance: Le cueur, Hornepype

Renaissance Dances

Lionel Rogg, positif organ and The Ancient Instrument Ensemble of Zurich. VS: Has La Fille Guilmin - not sure if works.

Tanze, Lieder und Fantasien der Europaischen Renaissance

Bernhard Bohm & Jurgen Hubscher (?) Christophorus CHR 74596. VS: By the listing of contents, includes Cesarina, Nido d'Amore, Amore felice and Forza d'Amore from Caroso, a galliard, an alman, and 3 Playford, but not 1st ed.

Three, Four and Twenty Lutes

(tape) MHS MHC312204H, 1986.

Contains: saltarelli; Pass'e mezzo milanese; galliards.

A Trip to Kilburn: Playford Tunes and Their Ballads

The Baltimore Consort. (Dorian CD DOR-90238)

LH: A brand new recording (Spring 1996) with mostly dance tunes -- some of the tempos may not be what you’re used to but don’t be afraid to experiment: add a little courtly grace to a country dance and you get a whole new feel!

Watkins Ale: Music of the English Renaissance

The Baltimore Consort. Dorian CD: DOR-90142).

LH: This is not strictly a dance record but it's got some great stuff nonetheless and they’re a great group. Rousing version of "The Buffens" to start you off and the following track, "Nutmigs and Ginger" really calls out for dancing.