Desprez / Alamire / Skinner / Wilkinson / Heringma Anne Boleyn'S Songbook - Music & Passions Of A CD

Anne Boleyn is without doubt the most famous of Henry VIII's six wives. She was brought up for a time under the guardianship of Margaret of Austria, who was patron to some of the most famous composers in all of Europe, and then in the French court before her return to England in 1522. It was in France where the young Anne developed her keen musical tastes, and when a collection of her favorite works began to be assembled into what is now known as the Anne Boleyn Songbook (Royal College of Music, MS 1070). The book probably remained in her possession until her execution in 1536, when she was accused of adultery with no less than five men including her own brother, George, and luteplayer Mark Smeaton. Here Alamire explores the finest works in the Songbook by the greatest composers of the early 16th century, including Comp?re, Brumel, Mouton, and Josquin. Performances by Alamire are interspersed with French chansons and instrumental items for lute, harp and voice. The program concludes with a most haunting setting of 'O Deathe rock me asleep', not from the Songbook but possibly linked to Anne's fate while awaiting her execution in the Tower of London.

1. Tota Pulchra Es (Jean Mouton) 2. Venes Regrets, Venes Tous (Anonymous) 3. Fer Pietatis Opem Miseris Mater (Anonymous) 4. Stabat Mater Dolorosa (Josquin Desprez) 5. Laudate Dominum Omnes Gentes (Anonymous) 6. Maria Magdalena Et Altera Maria (Anonymous) 7. Forte Si Dulci Stigium Boantem (Anonymous) 8. O Virgo Virginum (Anonymous) 9. Paranymphus Salutat Virginem (Loyset Comp?re, C.1445-1518) 10. Gentilz Galans Compaingnons (Anonymous) 11. Tempus Meum Est Ut Revertar (Antoine de F?vin, C.1470-1511/12) 12. Que Est Ista (Antoine Brumel, C. 1460-1512/13) 13. Liber Generationis (Josquin) 14. Jouyssance Vous Donneray (Claudin de Sermisy) 15. Popule Meus Quid Feci Tibi (Anonymous) 16. In Illo Tempore (Mouton) 17. Sicut Lilium Inter Spinas (Brumel) 18. Praeter Rerum Seriem (Josquin) 19. O Deathe Rock Me Asleep (Attrib. Boleyn)