Dante and the Troubadours

Dante und die Troubadours - Dante and the Troubadours
Sequentia - Benjamin Bagby & Barbara Thornton, dirs.
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (BMG) 05472 77227 2 [CD]
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (BMG) "Splendeurs" 82876 60163 2 (box) [CD]

Contents:

  1. Aimeric de Peguilhan (c.1175-1230): En amor trob alques en que'm refraing (voice, harp, fiddles)
  2. Arnaut Daniel (c.1180-1200): Lo ferm voler qu'el cor m'intra (voice)
  3. Bertran de Born (c.1140-1215): Rassa, tan creis e monta e pola (voice, fiddles, symphonia)
  4. Peire d'Alvernhe (c.1150-1215): Dejosta'ls breus jorns e'ls loncs sers (voice)
  5. Guiraut de Bornelh (c.1138-1215): Non posc sofrir c'a la dolor (voice, fiddle)
  6. Arnaut Daniel: Chanson do'ill mot son plan e prim (voice, fiddles, harp)
  7. Folquet de Marseilla (c.1155-1231): Tant m'abellis l'amoros pessamens (voice, harp)
  8. Improvisation on melodies of Folquet de Marseilla (fiddle, harp)

Sources:
[1]-[2], [6]-[7] Milano, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, R 71 sup.
[3], [5] Paris, Bibl. Nat., f. fr. 22543
[4] Paris, Bibl. Nat., f. fr. 20050

Performers:
Sequentia, Ensemble für Musik des Mittelalters
Barbara Thornton (voice), Benjamin Bagby (voice, harp, symphonia), Elizabeth Gaver (fiddle), Elisabetta de Marcovich (fiddle)
Benjamin Bagby & Barbara Thornton, dirs.

Playing time: 77'

Recording site and date:
Abbaye de Frontevraud. France [12/1993];
Rel.: 1995 (77227), 2004 (60163)

Compilation:
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (BMG) 74321 46925 2 [CDx4] La musique dans l'Europe du Moyen-Âge

Excerpts:
[3] RCA "Red Seals" 82876 60986 2 [CDx4] Trésors - Moyen-Âge

This continues to be one of the most widely available and approachable troubadour recordings. The program contains a nice balance between vocal & instrumental work.

Another good troubadour introduction:

Music of the Troubadors
Ensemble Unicorn / Oni Wytars - Michael Posch & Marco Ambrosini
Naxos 8.554257

Other recordings on the Dante theme:

The Dante Troubadours
Martin Best Medieval Ensemble
Nimbus 5002
Dante Alighieri - Lo mio servente core
Ensemble Lucidarium
L'Empreinte digitale ED 13051

Two major, very lightly or unaccompanied troubadour recitals:

Proensa
Paul Hillier, et al.
ECM New Series 1368
Sweet is the song
Music of Troubadors & Trouvères
Catherine Bott
L'Oiseau-Lyre 448 999

Finally, Sequentia's earlier classic Trouvères set:

Trouvères
Courtly Love Songs from Northern France, c.1175-1300
Sequentia
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77155 (2 CDs)

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Todd M. McComb