Viol Consort recordings that you can play along to

Elizabethan Conversation have produced a customisable range of CDs on the concept of Music Minus One. Using the speaker switch on your stereo or laptop, you can choose which part of a consort you play. Standard pitches are A=415 and A=440. Standards range from easy to advanced.

These CDs can be customised to your requirements, with slower tempi, your choice of pitch - A415 or A440. Each CD has tuning notes for your use, and the pieces at practice tempi. You can also reasonably priced purchase sheet music (unbound) to play from if you don't already own an edition of the piece.

Saraband Music will order these sets for you to suit your particular requirements. For that reason, minimal stock will be kept. Prices vary depending on the amount of music and customisation required. Saraband will obtain a quote for you prior to ordering. In general, you can expect to pay approx A$45 (A$49.50 inc GST) or thereabouts for standard CDs, and up to A$60 ($66) for customised CDs. Prices can vary at any time.

Standard CDs available: (All ensemble CDs have practice tempi except where specified)

* Assorted slow pieces (easy): Thomas BREWER, Pavin (a4); William BYRD In Nomine (a4, treble 2 has the slow part); BYRD Pavan of 5 (a5); Michael PRAETORIUS Ballet (a5); Thomas TOMKINS Pavan (a4); Thomas WEELKES “O Care Thou Wilt” (a5). Tuning notes, practice tempos, sheet music. For trebles, tenors, or basses.

*Brewer:English consort music.  Quartets Tr Tr Tn Bs
Play Along SET 1 Airs in g minor: Pavin. Fantasias nos. 1 - 3.
Play Along SET 2  Airs in g minor: Almaine & Aire. Fantasias nos. 4 - 6 .

* Byrd: Fantasia in 5 parts, Preludium and Ground, Browning

* Easy dances: Susato, Praetorius and Arbeau. Branles de cevaux, Branle d'Escosse, Branle, Rond Tausend Ducaten, Branle de la Torche, and Ballet CCVXXVIII

* Eight Madrigal Fantasies:
Giovanni COPERARIO (a 5) Fantasia no. 1 "Io son ferito amore"
Domenico da NOLA (a 5) Fantasia "O verde amena aprica"
Domenico FERRABOSCO (a 4) Fantasia "Io mi son giovanett'e"
Thomas LUPO (a 5) Fantasias "Ardo" & "Alte parole"
John WARD (a 5) Fantasia "Leggiarda sei"
Giuseppe ZARLINO (a 5) Fantasias "Ecce tu pulchra es" & "Nigra sum sed formosa"  No practice tempos.  8 fantasias.

* Elizabethan Playalong Favourites: Tomkins Ut re mi, Byrd The Leaves be Green, Ortiz Recercada, Gibbons Fantasia a6 no. 1

* English Consort Music (easy): Brade - Satyr's Dance; Weelkes - Madrigals. 2 bonus pieces included

* English Consort Music (Int.): Set 2. Coperario - Fantasias 3 & 5, a4; Jenkins - Fantasias 5 & 6 & Almaine 1, a4; Lupo - Fantasia 1, a5

* English Consort Music (Int.): Set 2. Gibbons - Fantasias 1 & 2, a4; Tomkins - Pavan 1, and bonus piece. Byrd - Pavan a5

* English Consort Music (Int.): Set 2. Sextets. Ward - Fantasia 1; Gibbons - Fantasias 1-3

* English Consort Music (Int.): Set 2. Sextets. Ward - Fantasia 5; Gibbons - Fantasias 4-6

* English Consort Music (Adv.): Set 3. Lawes - Suite in c minor

* English Consort Music (Adv.): Set 3. Simpson - Bass viol duos, 1 & 2; Hingeston - Suite no. 84

* English Consort Music (Adv.): Set 3. Simpson - Bass viol duo no. 3; Locke - Fantasias 1 & 2, Courante; Tomkins - UtReMi a4

* 15th Cent. Fridolini MS.: Consorts of 3 to 5 parts by Stockem, Henry VIII, Busnois and Josquin

* Tobias Hume: Lyra viol duets for 2 bass viols in staff notation tuned viol-way. Set 1: A maske; A mery conceit; A Spanish humor; An almaine; The Spirit of Gambo. Set 2: Musicke & Mirth, My joys are comming, Duke's Almaine; Earl of Montgomery's delight; King of Denmark's delight. Set 3: Spirit of Gambo, State of Gambo, The Virgins Music, Touch me sweetly

* Italian Canzonas (easy): Set 1: Maschera - 5 canzonas

* Italian Canzonas and Madrigals (easy): Set 2: Verdelot - I vostri acuti dardi; Bonelli - Amore donna ch'io te porto, la Doune Cella, Artemisia

* Ortiz:- Recercadas from Tratado de Glosas for solo bass viol to the lute

* Pierre de la Rue:- Four part selections from Marguerite of Austria's Chanson Album

* Sainte Colombe: Duets for 7 string bass viols: Le Change, Le Mesle (2), Tombeau les Regrets

* Christopher Simpson: The Months, for treble viol and 2 bass viols

*Taundernaken:
SET 1. 5 Tandernaken settings for Low Consort
Alexander AGRICOLA (a 3)  Tandernaken. Pierre ALAMIRE (a 4) Tandernack. Antoine BRUMEL (a 3) Tandernae. Henry VIII (a 3) Henry VIII Taunder naken. Paulus HOFHEIMER (a 4) Tandernack.  With practice tempos..
SET 2. 4 Tandernaken setting for Low Consort.
Eramus LAPICIDA (a 3) Tandernaken . Jacob OBRECHT (a 3) Tander naken. Ludwig SENFL (a 4) Tandernack Quatuor
Ludwig SENFL (a 5) Tandernack Quinque

* John Ward: Play low consorts - trebles in lower range, and use 7 string bass!
WARD Quintets. SET 1.  Fantasias 1-4.  SET 2.  Fantasias 5-7 and In Nomine.
Suitable for two trebles (playing in the low range) OR two tenors (playing in the high range), Tn/Bs, Bs Bs. The lowest part fits on a 7 string bass or 6 string bass (in D) with the bottom string tuned to C. Tenors tuned in A are ideal for the top two voices, but G tenors work as well, requiring playing a high D on the top string. For In Nomine, Tr ; Tr or Tenor in A; Tn; Tn/Bs; Bs.  The sheet music includes score and selected parts, including two versions of the top parts, in treble and in alto clef.

Inexpensive sheet music available from this supplier for all CDs above if you don't have your own copy. Music is supplied as unbound sheets, and ranges from approx. A$8 to $16. A quote will be provided when you order.