Now Make We Merthe

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This excellent recording is both fun and informative in its skillfully performed program of more than two dozen songs, carols, and rounds from medieval and Renaissance England. The selections are drawn from three albums recorded during the 1960s for the Argo label. The performances--of both familiar and little-known tunes--are sung and played by some of England's most acclaimed musicians, including tenor Robert Tear, harpist Osian Ellis, the London Brass Ensemble, and period instrumentalist David Munrow. Among the highlights are "Foweles in the frith," a fascinating 13th-century six-part canon; "Nowell: Dieus vous garde," a highly syncopated antiphonal 15th- century choral piece; and the gentle lullaby "Lullay, lullow: I saw a sweete seemly sight," sung by two boy trebles. The albums' original, first- rate liner notes are included. --David Vernier

American Recording Guide
Filled with energy and gusto. Superb.

Now Make We Merthe

Tracks:

Perspice christicola: Summer is icumen in - Grayston Burgess/John Whitworth/Gerald EnglishRobert Tear/John Frost/Owen Grundy/Robin Stenham...
Foweles in the frith - John Whitworth/Gerald English/Osian Ellis
Edi be thu - Gerald Engliah/Desmond Dupre
Sainte Marie Virgine - Osian Ellis
Miri it is - Gerald English/Christopher Wellington
Gabriel from heven-king - Gerald English/Joan Rimmer
Stond wel, moder - Osian Ellis
Nowel, nowel; Owt of your sleep - Gerald English/Robert Tear
Deo gracias Anglia; Owr king went forth - Grayston Burgess/John Whitworth/Robert Tear/ John Frost/Owen Grundy
Pray for us, thou Prince of Pes - John Whitworth/Robert Tear
Go hert, hurt with adversitee - Grayston Burgess/Osian EllisDesmond Dupre
This day day daws - Robert Tear/Owen Grundy
A maske - David Munrow/Bernard Thomas/Michael Oxenham/Don Smithers/John Sothcott/Francis Grubb
Lux hodie: Orientis partibus - Ian Partridge
Resonemus laudibus - Stephen Borton/Paul Copcutt/Simon Preston
Verbum caro: In hoc anni circulo - Don Smithers
Verbum patris hodie - Simon Preston
Lullay, lullow: I saw a sweete - Stephen Borton/Paul Copcutt/Joan Rimmer
Fulget hodie de l'espine - John Buttrey
Nowell: The borys hede - Michael Dobson/Jamas MacGillivray/Osian Ellis
Verbum patris humanatur - Christopher Keyte
Conditor fut le non-pareil - Grayston Burgess
Nowell: Dieus vous garde - Don Smithers
Riu, riu, chiu: El lobo rabioso - Don Smithers
Saltavan Ninfe - Don Smithers
Almande 'Est-ce-Mars' - Don Smithers

Amazon.com

This excellent recording is both fun and informative in its skillfully performed program of more than two dozen songs, carols, and rounds from medieval and Renaissance England. The selections are drawn from three albums recorded during the 1960s for the Argo label. The performances--of both familiar and little-known tunes--are sung and played by some of England's most acclaimed musicians, including tenor Robert Tear, harpist Osian Ellis, the London Brass Ensemble, and period instrumentalist David Munrow. Among the highlights are "Foweles in the frith," a fascinating 13th-century six-part canon; "Nowell: Dieus vous garde," a highly syncopated antiphonal 15th- century choral piece; and the gentle lullaby "Lullay, lullow: I saw a sweete seemly sight," sung by two boy trebles. The albums' original, first- rate liner notes are included. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Quite charming.......2003-06-02

This material ranges from the superlative to the dull. But the vast majority is delightful, winningly sung and played, with the big names of that era featured: Simon Preston, Ian Partridge, Robert Tear, and the incomparable David Munrow.

This CD is the contents of two mid 60s LPs with a few tidbits from another tossed in. Maybe it's just familiarity, but the seelctions I prefer are those from the LP I had. Great to hear again, in a clear, light transfer. The recording is quite good; try Deo gracias Anglia with the headphones...just stellar.

Stuff you won't readily hear elsewhere; performance ideas have changed for this music, mostly downhill, I would argue. This is joyous, jolly, full of verve and merthe.

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