The Harp, the Philtre and the Sword

[CallMePaul]

Medieval music from the ensemble Apotropaik at the York Early Music Festival. Presented by Lucie Skeaping.

Absolutely no more information available from the BBC website, but it is great to have some medieval music on air - first programme devoted to it that I can remember for some years! It is getting harder to hear medieval music live in this country now so well done for presenting this!

[AuntDaisy]

They've shifted EMS to 12 o'clock to make way for the Proms!

A bit more information from the NCEM website

APOTROPAIK
York Early Music Festival Event 18

Clémence Niclas voice, recorders
Louise Bouedo-Mallet vielle Marie-Domitille Murez Gothic harp
Clément Stagnol medieval lute

Love and politics jostle for supremacy in beautiful songs taken from a 13th-century retelling of the story of Tristan and Isolde, fatally entwined by the insidious power of a deceptive love potion. Integrated with these medieval gems is more music inspired by this famous tale, ranging from 12th-century troubadour songs to 14th-century ars subtilior and instrumental estampies.

and this PDF has a interesting description.

ApotropaïK
The harp, the philter, and the sword:
Medieval music for Tristan and Yseult

Quan vei la lauseta mover; Bernart de Ventadorn (c. 1130/40-c. 1190/1200)
Chominciamento di gioia [instrumental]
La u jou fui dedens la mer (Lai du Boire Pesant)
D’amours vient mon chant et mon plour
D’amours viennent li dous penser
Palamento [instrumental]
Ja fis canchonnetes et lais (Tristan’s mortal Lai)
Li solaus luist et clers et biaus (Yseult’s mortal Lai)
Di novo è giunto [madrigal]; Jacopo da Bologna (fl. 1340-?1386)
Tant me sui de dire teü (Lai du Voir disant)
La Harpe de mélodie [virelai]; Jaquemin de Senleches (fl. 1382-3)
Honeysuckle Lai
Lamento di Tristano; La rotta
A vous, Tristan, amis verai

The famous myth of Tristan and Yseult was the starting point for the development of our programme. Although the origins of the story take us back to the end of the twelfth century, it was not until the following century, that of the trouvères, that the first musical settings on the theme of the two lovers appeared. Thus, in the so-called Tristan in prose (c. 1240), Lais (or songs) appear, acting as independent commentaries on the narrative, most of which are preserved in a manuscript in the National Library in Vienna. Fascinating in more ways than one, these pieces give a voice to the characters of the legend and are contemporaneous with the creation of the stories. They serve as a ‘trail of breadcrumbs’ in our musical evocation of Tristan and Yseult’s love story.
...

[AuntDaisy]

I really enjoyed that EMS - thanks ApotropaïK & Lucie Skeaping. The NCEM extra notes helped me a lot...

• Quan vei la lauseta mover - A troubadour, disappointed in love for his lady, calls for Tristan, the most famous musician-knight, to help him.
• La u jou fui dedens la mer (Lai du Boire Pesant) - Tristan sings of his feelings after drinking the love philter on the boat bringing Yseult back to Cornwall.
• D’amours vient mon chant et mon plour - Tristan is now enslaved by his love for Yseult.
• D’amours viennent li dous penser - Palamède, another knight, sings of his burning love for Yseult. Tristan hears it and, jealous, challenges him to a duel.
• Ja fis canchonnetes et lais (Tristan’s mortal Lai) - Tristan comes across a misleadingly friendly letter written by Yseult to Kahédin, a knight she wants to get rid of not but too unkindly. Tristan, thinking that his love is lost, has but one last wish: death.
• Li solaus luist et clers et biaus (Yseult’s mortal Lai) - Yseult is in her garden. Mistakenly thinking that Tristan is dead she wants to throw herself on his sword but King Mark stops her at the last minute.
• Tant me sui de dire teü (Lai du Voir disant) - An insulting Lai of Dinadan, addressed to King Mark who, through jealousy, broke the courtly pact of secrecy.
• Honeysuckle Lai - Tristan and Yseult meet secretly in the forest. Tristan sings a Lai about their eternal love and his hope for a speedy reunion. They bind their fate to the tree under which they embrace: a honeysuckle.
• A vous, Tristan, amis verai - A love letter from Yseult to Tristan.

I'd happily replace the EM News part with more music, but at least it was at the end & the Curse & Fast-Forward buttons were to hand.

[oddoneout]

I just sat back and revelled in the sounds, wasn't too fussed over the detail of what it was all about, but thank you AuntD for the above notes, saves me looking for them. I had forgotten that the "news" would likely make an appearance but I'd left the room by the time it came on - would explain what I felt was a rather hurried end to the programme though - have to get in Mr Seow before the next time slot, that's more important than letting the music die away and our minds come gently back to earth...
I do have a couple of CDs of medieval music, it's time to get them out again.