I have a little bit but wanting to build a larger collection of renaissance themed music. Any ideas?
How about starting with the basics such as Blackmore's Night and Loreena McKennitt?
I do have Loreena McKenitt, Blackmores Night, Enya and some Nightwish. :)
Wine and Alchemy (and a bit earlier E Muzeki)
Circa Paleo
Tartanic
Rogues
Gypsy Nomads
Enter the Haggis
So many more
Check out the renaissance music podcast on iTunes
Owain Phyfe (http://www.owainphyfe.com/)
New World Renaissance Band (http://www.owainphyfe.com/owain/players/index.htm)
Sarah Mullen Harpist (http://www.sarahmariemullen.com/)
Cantiga (http://www.cantigamusic.com/)
Paracelt (http://www.ceili-album.com/music/paracelt/index.html)
Jim Hancock - The Burley Minstrels (http://www.jimhancock.com/htmfiles/friends-burly.htm)Wyndnwyre (http://www.wyndnwyre.com/)
Wine & Alchemy (http://www.wineandalchemy.com/)
Jesse Linder
Three Pints Gone
Dan the Bard
Rambling Sailors
Bounding Main
Empty Hats
Molly & The Tinker
Water Street Bridge
New Minstrel Revue
Seelie Court - no longer together, but great CDs
Michael O'Quinn
Yep, I have to go with the cds because I am behind the times and dont have an ipod. Ah well. :)
Thanks so much, this gives me a great variety to look for!
Are there any online places people recommend to buy the cds?
The recommendations thus far are excellent as far as "fest music" is concerned.
H/A music is another matter. Not sure which you want, but I can dredge up some H/A music titles and links if that's what you're after.
For fest music, the podcast is excellent, and you can listen from your computer if you don't have an ipod.
I found this band when looking for information on period instruments. They're from Europe, but they are awesome!! Pretty popular too. Their Myspace page also has links to other great bands.
http://www.myspace.com/musicaperegrin (http://www.myspace.com/musicaperegrin)
I've been trying to figure out a way to get ahold of their MP3s or a CD, but I can't find a way to get it from the states. :( :( I really like them.
For the real deal H/A period music, some of my favorites are:
Piffaro
Hesperus
Baltimore Consort
Voice of the Turtle
Istanpitta
Ivory Consort
Yes, I actually like the stuff. Istanpitta does play faires, and in garb.
Prof. John Bull, I am definitely interested in historically accurate music as well as non historic. Any ideas are very welcome! Thank you.:)
My biggest problem now is knowing WHERE to get the music. Where I live is 40 miles away from the nearest big town so I generally order online.(Amazon or ebay usually but not sure if they would have any of this, might have to go to a specialty store?)
Quote from: Mairte on July 12, 2010, 04:20:20 PM
Prof. John Bull, I am definitely interested in historically accurate music as well as non historic. Any ideas are very welcome! Thank you.:)
My biggest problem now is knowing WHERE to get the music. Where I live is 40 miles away from the nearest big town so I generally order online.(Amazon or ebay usually but not sure if they would have any of this, might have to go to a specialty store?)
Many of the artists listed have their CDs for sale on their respective pages. Usually you can find their webpages (and stores) simply by typing in the artists' names.
Try http://www.modernbard.org (http://www.modernbard.org) they list many renaissance artists with links to where you can buy their cds. many are on http://www.cdbaby.com/
You can also listen to the Renaissance Festival Podcast at www.renaissancefestivalmusic.com You don't need an Mp3 player. You can download to your computer. It's a bi weekly podcast that plays various artists. They even post thier show note so you know what on the show you can find notes on the forum Here (http://www.renaissancefestival.com/forums/index.php?board=76.0)
I really appreciate this everyone. I was kind of lost on the issue of actually getting the cds.
Now I am armed with plenty of info. THANK YOU!!!!
There's a web site that has good background but is now out of date regarding performers and recordings:
http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/
For madrigals (secular unaccompanied singing in parts), some MNRF performers' websites include:
http://decantus.com/
http://www.elizabethansyngers.com/home.htm
While both of these groups are amazing there are also some groups of international acclaim out there, like the King's Singers. (http://www.kingssingers.com/p/cds-aand-dvds/all-at-once-well-met:-english-madrigals/cd2.html)
For instrumental music and accompanied singing, look for recordings of John Dowland's works. There are thousands available. I would recommend major recording artists rather than fest performers for such material:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=john+dowland&x=0&y=0
And let's not forget a few secular keyboard works by Prof. John Bull. There are a number of recordings. I don't have this one but it looks good:
http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bulls-Jewel-Keyboard-Music/dp/B000UZ4C5Y/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1279058253&sr=1-4
While bumping around on Amazon I also found this intriguing survey of Renaissance instrumental music:
http://www.amazon.com/Gut-Wind-Wire-Baltimore-Consort/dp/B000WPJ5T0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1279059299&sr=1-4
On the sacred side of things, which we like to ignore at fest but which was historically a huge part of the musical scene, I would start with Spanish organist Antonio de Cabezón (https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Antonio_de_Cabez%C3%B3n), who is the earliest organ composer for whom there is a sizable body of surviving scores. I have a Naxos recording of some of his stuff. To the modern ear it rapidly blurs together and all sounds the same, so one CD is plenty. There are many recordings available.
John Bull also wrote sacred music, which has been recorded by a variety of groups.
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Girolamo_Frescobaldi (http://frescobaldi) is better known and was a little later, in Italy, with a more accessible style.
For sacred vocal music, I like the Tallis Scholars (http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Tallis-Scholars-Gregorio-Allegri/dp/B00009NJ20/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1279058794&sr=1-4) CD.
That should be enough to get you started.
There's a great deal of early music that is performed around the Twin Cities area, usually with free admission. I've been to several excellent performances at St. Olaf College, for example, which usually aren't very well attended.
Thank you for the info! This will be a fun project to work on as I never was completely certain about what was historically accurate and what was not.
Minnesota being the center of the world for vocal music we do get a number of H/A vocal groups.
But, most of the fest music isn't, including the stuff I play, because H/A music lacks crowd appeal. ::sigh:: And, H/A instruments aren't loud enough to work, in practice, at fest. That's why you don't see many lutes or recorders, yet lots of guitars (=not H/A, steel string guitar was a late 19th century invention). Something like a virginal would not only be too soft but not portable enough for the realities of fest. And, anything involving sacred music tends to make fest organizers everywhere all squirmy because they don't want to acknowledge the inherently Christian character of the era. ::sigh:: Then again, the story of ecclesiastic music in Elizabethan England is one that blows hot and cold with many regrettable times we'd sooner forget.
Nonetheless, the polyphony and simplicity of the H/A music do have a beauty of their own, and it's tragic that we don't give that a broader audience.
My favorite band of all time is from years gone by. Their name was Celtic Stone.
Their music is still for sale on CDBaby
http://www.cdbaby.com/Search/Y2VsdGljIHN0b25l/0
There was some talk a few years ago about them reforming, but I don't know whatever became of that.
I usually buy at the fest, being MNRF, or Twig.
I have music from:
Wolgemut
The Dregs
Bramblebush
Caterina
Cromatico
I used to have a My Ladys Cutlass CD, but I lost it!
ALso, a cd of the H/A group of singers, I forgot the name :-[
Blackmores Knight (which, of course, I didn't buy at faire!)
dont think i saw Medieval Baebes listed- a lot of thier stuff is medieval, esp. the older stuff.
Another one that comes to mind is Steeleye Span.
There is also The Whiskey Bards
and Jolly Rogers
Always enjoyed Bells and Motley...
http://bellsandmotley.com/
...and they are very educational and historic...
Since I haven't seen them mentioned:
Serious: Bedlam (group is defunct; CDs still available), Cercamon
Comic/serious: Pyrates Royale, The Lost Boys
Everything by The Pentangle, John Renbourn, Bert Jansch etc
Most of Alan Stivell's catalog
Loreena McKennitt's catalog
Craig of Farrington's recordings
Empty Hats recordings
Owain Phyfe's catalog
Cantiga's catalog
Milladoiro's catalog
Cercamon is a great choice! Athena and I followed them to
most performances at MDRF last year.
Quote from: Lady Nicolette on September 07, 2010, 05:55:00 PM
Most of Alan Stivell's catalog
Loreena McKennitt's catalog
Craig of Farrington's recordings
Empty Hats recordings
Owain Phyfe's catalog
Cantiga's catalog
Cercamon is a great choice! Athena and I followed them to
most performances at MDRF last year.
Almost everything on Nickie's list is on mine as well. Cercamon are phenomenal, I wish I could make the trip out to MDRF to see them again!
My tastes lean more toward the historically inspired rather than the accurate. Here are a few more of my must haves.
Azam Ali
Corvus Corax
Faun
Blackmore's Night
Omnia
Minstrels of Mayhem
E Muzeki
Mediaval Baebes
Steeleye Span
Dead Can Dance
Many of yours are on my complete list, too, Athena...As you probably know. I was trying to stick with more traditional for this list, but certainly there is much wonderful music that takes the original pieces and themes and mixes them up into something delicious to listen to, ofttimes adding electric instrumentation or even primarily so, such as with Fairport Convention and even some on my first list like Alan Stivell and Loreena McKennitt.
I agree, Nickie. That's the best music to listen to on way to faire, IMO. Really enhances the mood!
I also like Qntal, and a new discovery via Facebook, Al Andaluz Project.
Quote from: Athena on September 07, 2010, 06:17:33 PM
Quote from: Lady Nicolette on September 07, 2010, 05:55:00 PM
Cercamon is a great choice! Athena and I followed them to
most performances at MDRF last year.
Almost everything on Nickie's list is on mine as well. Cercamon are phenomenal, I wish I could make the trip out to MDRF to see them again!
Cercamon will not be at MDRF this year. I'm not sure they're playing very many renaissance faires at all any more, as most of them are quite the schlep from Montreal, and they all have weekday jobs they can't afford to be away from.
Quote from: will paisley link=topic=12415.msg272650#msg272650Cercamon will not be at MDRF this year. I'm not sure they're playing very many renaissance faires at all any more, as most of them are quite the schlep from Montreal, and they all have weekday jobs they can't afford to be away from.
That's unfortunate for their fans in the States and makes me really glad I got to see them last year!
My daughter has turned me on to a brand new pirate band called Capt'n. Black's Sea Dogges.
http://www.reverbnation.com/captnblacksseadogs
http://www.seadogsmusic.com
http://www.facebook.com/seadogsmusic
My favorites are Woman Stormed and Wait for me. These guys are talented. I'd like to see them at TRF.
They are presently performing at the St Louis Pirate Festival, for those on this board in that area.
I love folk and world music, but have a particular draw to folk-rock, and have played in a number of local folk-rock bands over the years. I'm not a hard-arse for historic accuracy...I just love good music. Some recommendations of artists that I like:
Steeleye Span
The House Band
Fairport Convention (and solo recordings of Richard Thompson, Sandy Denny, Simon Nicol, ...etc...)
Clannad
Anya (She's part of the family that begat Clannad, and was an early member)
Fotheringay (One album...Sandy Denny's band...one of my faves!)
more traditional:
Chieftans
Tannahill Weavers
Dave Swarbrick & Martin Carthy (alum of Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span respectively)