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Track(s) taken from CDS44461/7

Monsieur's Alman III, BK44

composer
FVB (No 63). [Neighbour, ‘Alman C1’ p 167]

Davitt Moroney (harpsichord)
Recording details: February 1997
Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, France
Produced by John Hayward-Warburton
Engineered by Ken Blair
Release date: September 1999
Total duration: 2 minutes 9 seconds

Cover artwork: Phoenix. A glass window specially designed, made and photographed by Malcolm Crowthers.
 

Whereas these included two and three complete statements of the basic material, respectively, this even later C major setting gives the full tune only once (including, of course, the varied repeats to each of the two strains). By transposing the bass up a fourth, as he had done with Dowland’s Lachrymae (BK54), Byrd lifts the melody into a much brighter and more singing part of the instrument, while also allowing for fuller, richer chords underneath. The result is now highly satisfactory: the work is shorter, the musical thinking is more concise, the fingerwork is more technically brilliant, and the harmonies are more varied.

from notes by Davitt Moroney © 1999

Voir la notice pour les deux versions en sol majeur, sans doute antérieures. Celles-ci présentaient deux et trois énoncés complets, respectivement, de la forme de base. Cette troisième version, en ut majeur, n’en présente qu’un seul (avec, bien sûr, les reprises variées à chacune des strophes principales). En transposant la basse une quarte plus haut, comme il l’avait fait pour le Lachrymae de Dowland (BK54), Byrd soulève la mélodie pour la placer dans la partie la plus lumineuse et brillante de l’instrument, tout en se permettant d’y ajouter de plus riches accords en-dessous. Le résultat est maintenant hautement satisfaisant : l’œuvre est plus courte, la pensée musicale plus concise, les traits de virtuosité digitale plus brillants, et les harmonies plus variées.

extrait des notes rédigées par Davitt Moroney © 1999

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