Album

The Philadelphia-based early music ensemble Piffaro, which has been around since 1982, has recorded a variety of CDs of Renaissance instrumental music from France, Flanders, Italy, Germany, and Spain, and here turns its attention to English music of the period. The collection includes some instrumental dances and instrumental works by Byrd, John Mundy, Clement Woodcock, and Robert Jones, but consists largely of transcriptions of vocal works, particularly madrigals by Thomas Weelkes and sacred music by Byrd and Tallis. (There are also two vocal pieces, humorous ballads lustily sung by ensemble member Grant Herreid.) Whereas some early music groups take the received notation as a point of departure and improvise on the material, Piffaro is attentive to the conventions of informed period performance practice, but tends to stick closely to the scores. Listeners' responses to this CD are likely to reflect their attitude toward these two approaches. Those who prefer a looser, more improvisational performance style may not find enough daring and individuality in Piffaro's playing, but listeners who believe that faithful adherence to the received source material is the way to go will probably enjoy the CD. The playing itself is lively and spirited. Most of the tracks tend to rely heavily on recorders, shawms, and crumhorns, but strings are generally in short supply, leading to too much uniformity of texture. Those tracks that feature lute and harp provide a pleasing contrast. The sound is generally good, but the tracks using soprano recorder tend to be a little shrill, and may require some volume adjustment.

© Stephen Eddins, All Music Guide

CD 1
Thomas Weelkes Composer Tan ta ra ran tan tant, cryes Mars (a3) Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
1	Tan ta ra ran tan tant, cryes Mars (a3)	1:13			$0.99
Thomas Weelkes Composer Young cupid hath proclaimed (a4) Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
2	Young cupid hath proclaimed (a4)	1:56			$0.99
Thomas Weelkes Composer Cease sorrowes now (a3) Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
3	Cease sorrowes now (a3)	2:40			$0.99
Thomas Weelkes Composer A country paire Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
4	A country paire	2:05			$0.99
Thomas Weelkes Composer 3 times a day (a6) Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
5	3 times a day (a6)	1:47			$0.99
Robert Jones Composer I come, sweet birds, for ensemble Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
6	I come, sweet birds, for ensemble	3:19			$0.99
Anonymous Composer La Rossignol, for 2 lutes Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
7	La Rossignol, for 2 lutes	1:46			$0.99
Thomas Bateson Composer The Nightingale in Silent Night Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
8	The Nightingale in Silent Night	1:48			$0.99
John Mundy Composer In midst of woods,The blackbird, for ensemble Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
9	In midst of woods,The blackbird, for ensemble	3:08			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Goddesses Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
10	Goddesses	2:53			$0.99
Anonymous, Mulliner Book Composer La Bounette; la doune cella Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
11	La Bounette; la doune cella	2:29			$0.99
William Byrd Composer Siderum Rector (a5) Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
12	Siderum Rector (a5)	2:40			$0.99
William Byrd Composer Tribulatio proxima est (a5) Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
13	Tribulatio proxima est (a5)	3:47			$0.99
William Byrd Composer Domine, non sum dignus (a6) Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
14	Domine, non sum dignus (a6)	2:02			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Pavane Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
15	Pavane	2:14			$0.99
Alfonso (ii) Ferrabosco Composer Almandes (2), for band Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
16	Almandes (2), for band	3:03			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Masquing ayre: The nobleman Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
17	Masquing ayre: The nobleman	2:10			$0.99
Anonymous, English Composer The French King's Masque to the Consort of Six Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
18	The French King's Masque to the Consort of Six	1:25			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Antimasque: The second witch's dance Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
19	Antimasque: The second witch's dance	2:14			$0.99
Anonymous Composer The Indian weed is withered quite Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
20	The Indian weed is withered quite	2:03			$0.99
Thomas Weelkes Composer Come sirrah Jack, hoe (a3) Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
21	Come sirrah Jack, hoe (a3)	2:02			$0.99
Clement Woodcock Composer Hackney for recorders Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
22	Hackney for recorders	1:20			$0.99
William Byrd Composer Sermone blando (a3) Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
23	Sermone blando (a3)	4:14			$0.99
William Byrd Composer Fantasia a3 No.1 in C Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
24	Fantasia a3 No.1 in C (arr. recorders)	2:05			$0.99
Thomas Tallis Composer O nata lux de lumine (a5), P.209 Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
25	O nata lux de lumine (a5), P.209	2:31			$0.99
Robert Parsons Composer The song called trumpets a 6 Work Daphna Mor Recorder, Piffaro Early Music Ensemble
26	The song called trumpets a 6	2:15			$0.99