Quelle est cette odeur agréable
Anon 17th century 
arr Consort 8

The origins of this 17th century French traditional Christmas carol are unknown; the melody appears in John Gay's Beggars Opera of 1778.

1.  Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing,  
     Stealing our senses all away?
     Never the like did come a-blowing,
     Shepherds, from flow'ry fields in May.
     Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing,
     Stealing our senses all away?

2.  What is that light so brilliant breaking
     Here in the night across our eyes?
     Never so bright the day-star waking
     Started to climb the morning skies.
     What is that light so brilliant breaking
     Here in the night across our eyes?

3.  Praise to the Lord of all creation,
     Glory to God the fount of grace;
     May peace abide in ev’ry nation,
     Goodwill in men of ev’ry race.
     Praise to the Lord of all creation,
     Glory to God the fount of grace.


Concert details:
Un Noël Très Français
7 December  2024
Musicians:
Recorders:  
                     Susan Foulcher
                     Jude Huxtable
                     Daniel Murphy
                     Robert Small
Viols:  Susan Christie
            Jane Grimm
            Cathy Upex
            Annabelle McIver
Lute:  Bernie Williams
Countertenor:  Tim Chung

Quelle est cette odeur agréable - Anon 17th century

Sonata en trio No 1
J. B. de Boismortier 1689 - 1755
3rd movement - Lentement 
5th movement - Gayment 

Boismortier was a French baroque composer of instrumental music, cantatas, opéra-ballets and vocal music. He was one of the first composers to have no patrons: having obtained a royal license for engraving music in 1724, he made enormous sums of money by publishing his music for sale to the public. Boismortier’s compositions for voice flutes are creative and graceful. Here are two movements from this sonata.

Concert details:
Un Noël Très Français
7 December 2024

Sonata en trio No 1 -  J. B. de Boismortier (1689 - 1755)

Ut Re Mi Fa Sol La
Alfonso Ferrabosco I (1543 - 1588)

The Italian composer Ferrabosco I lived and worked in England. His instrumental music was extensive - fantasias, pavans, galliards, In Nomines and passamezzos, all written for a variety of instrumental combinations including lutes and viols. This piece is based on the hexachord, the first six tones of the major scale, a common technique for this period.

This performance was part of Consort 8's concert, Voces Angelorum, which was held in the Santa Sabina Chapel Strathfield on Saturday April 12 2025.

Musicians:
Viols:   Sue Christie
             Jane Grimm
             Cathy Upex

Ut Re Mi Fa Sol La

Proporcions To The Minum
John Baldwin (1560 - 1615)

The complex proportions found within this music reflect the fascination with proportion that pervaded Elizabethan intellectual tradition. John Baldwin was fond of puzzles and proportional exercises. His Proporcions To The Minum (1603), is quite challenging for recorder players. The cantus firmus in the bass part is based on five pulses. The upper 3 parts use proportions of 2:3, 4:3, 8:3, and eventually 16:3; only the sustained bass keeps the original pulse. Despite the unsettling nature of the changing proportions, the effect is one of graceful fluidity.

This performance was part of Consort 8's concert, Voces Angelorum, which was held in the Santa Sabina Chapel Strathfield on Saturday April 12 2025.

Musicians:
Recorders:   Sue Christie
                      Susan Foulcher
                      Robert Small
                      Daniel Murphy

Proporcions to the Minum

Consort 8

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