Philip Thorby director Alison Crum, John Bryan, Roy Marks viols/recorders/crumhorns/shawms/sackbut/harp/organ - Depending on programme chosen they will be joined by Jacob Heringman lute Ian Harrison winds Andrew Kerr viols and one or more guest singers. Those who have performed with the group include Geraldine McGreevy, Jennie Cassidy, Clare Wilkinson, Linda Hirst, Belinda Sykes, John Potter, Paul Agnew, Julian Podger and Harvey Brough

Musica Antiqua of London is one of Britain’s most exciting groups specialising in the performance of Renaissance music, modelled on the court bands of the 16th century, with their blend of virtuosity and versatility. Musica Antiqua is unique in that all its members are experts on a wide variety of renaissance instruments, enabling them to create ‘whole consorts’ (different sizes of the same instruments played together), and ‘broken consorts’ (mixed groupings of instruments). It is the first group in the world to commission and use late 15th century viols and is the only group in Great Britain to play on matched sets of viols, crumhorns and recorders especially commissioned for the group.

Sample Programme:

A Songbook for Isabella: A programme celebrating Isabella d’Este, one of the greatest patrons of music who encouraged both composers and instrument makers. Musica Antiqua of London perform some of this programme on a newly-commissioned set of late 15th century viols - they are the first group to attempt to recreate the viol that Isabella d’Este would have known.

Madame d’Amour: A programme which looks at music at the court of Henry VIII through the eyes of his queens. Some of the pieces refer directly to the leading figures in his court and to the families of the queens themselves, showing how music developed under Henry VIII from the late medieval style to the renaissance.

Education:

Workshops: Players of early instruments and singers study works from the concert programme as well as a large scale piece.
Lectures: Demonstrations of how pieces from the programme develop and relate to one another

Recordings:

WordPlay: Virtuoso instrumental settings of madrigals and chansons (Signum SIGCD031)
A Songbook for Isabella: Music from the circle of Isabella d’Este (Signum SIGCD039)
Fire and Ice: Love songs from 16th century Venice (Signum SIGCD035)
Madame D’Amour - Songs, Dances and Consort Music for the Six Wives of Henry VIII (Signum SIG CD 044)

Performances:

8 Aug 06 Trinity College, Cambridge
26 May 07 Netherurd House, Peebles

Contact:

Alison Crum, 87 Olive Road,
London NW2 6UR

Tel/Fax: 020 8452 3254

Email: alison@alisoncrum.co.uk
Website: www.musica-antiqua.co.uk