Catterall, Roberts & MacKenzie
(2 Voices & Lute/Baroque Guitar)

Deborah Catterall (Mezzo), Gareth Glyn Roberts (Tenor) and Richard MacKenzie (Lute/Baroque Guitar) bring us beautiful lute songs and solos from the Medieval and Renaissance periods.

See their previous concert in October 2024 when they gave us a programme entitled “The Time Traveller’s Pilgrimage” to get an idea of what to expect. This year’s programme is called “Arise My Love” which derives its name from the famous Biblical book known as “The Song of Solomon” or  “The Song of Songs”. It says “Arise my love , my beautiful one and come with me”. At face value, the text is sensual, to say the least, but digging deeper we find that it is probably veiled reference to Jerusalem and how the writers (male and female) feel about the rise and fall of the city.

The songs in our concert are a mixture of lute songs and songs with theorbo of either the actual texts  or texts that mirror the strong sentiment of the Song of Songs. We are performing duets , solos and lute pieces of an era that spans over 350 years. Happy, sad, in love and out of love, all comprise to make our evening vivid, reflective and lively.

Here is a PDF of the Poster for this Concert(click to VIEW or right click to SAVE). Please feel free to print and display the poster to help publicise this concert.

Programme “Arise My Love” (announced 7th October) 
Music, sensuality and spirit from medieval to early baroque, including beautiful pieces based on “The Song of Songs” and “Love through the Ages”.

Machaut (1300-1377): Douce dame
Machaut (1300-1377): Ma fin es ma commencement
Dufay (1397-1474): Flos florum
Anon (c1475-1500): Alas Departynge
Anon (c1475-1500): The High Desire
Tromboncino (1470-1545) arr. Dall’Aquila: Che debo far
Sermisy (c1490-1562) arr. Dall’Aquila: Contre raison
Josquin des Prez (c1450-1521): Mille regretz
Sermisy (c1490-1562): Tant que vivray

I N T E R V A L

Campion (1567-1620): It fell on a Summer’s Day
Dowland (1563-1626): Me, Me and None but Me
Anon (early-17thC): C’est un amant
Sermisy (c1490-1562) arr. Dall’Aquila: Mauldicte soit la moundaine richesse
Sandrin (c1490-1561) arr. Dall’Aquila: Vous usurpes
Lawes (1595-1662): Bid Me But Live
Grandi (c1586-1630): O quam tu pulchra es
Monteverdi (1567-1643): Pulchra es 
Monteverdi (1567-1643): Nigra sum
Monteverdi (1567-1643): Su su su pastorelli

Brief Report “on the night”

A very different concert to our usual ones, being chiefly composed of short vocal pieces with the addition of 4 lute solos. All the pieces had their background explained (as well as a partial translation of the words) beforehand.

The concert opened with a duet accompanied by a “Shruti Box” played by Deborah, as well as by Richard’s lute. Deborah then demonstrated how the Shruti Box worked and explained that it was basically an Indian drone.

Almost all of the other songs were accompanied, mainly by a beautiful lute, although two pieces (“Alas Departynge” and “The High Desire”) were sung unaccompanied. Most were duets, although both singers had occasional solos. Throughout, the artists entertained us with asides and helpful comments as well as singing/playing beautifully.

Deborah	Richard	Gareth

For the final 4 pieces of the programme, Richard first played a “Swedish Theorbo” instead of a lute (for the first 3 pieces), then a Baroque Guitar (which had been made by a member of the audience!) for the final piece.

The concert finished with an encore “Come Again” by Dowland.