Par NOURSE NANCY. The four preludes included in this collection are each based upon a tune associated with a particular time of the church calendar. The Lenten prelude, Meditation upon 'Forty Days and Forty Nights', likewise employs a theme with interpolations approach. The hymn tune, Heinlein, is most closely associated with the English text, 'Forty days and forty nights, Thou wast fasting in the wild'. However in the midst of this piece occur short musical representations of the three temptations. In the case of the Variations on an Old French Carol, its association is with both Easter in its text of 'Love is Come Again' and in its Christmas text of 'Noel Nouvelet' (or as sung in English, 'Sing We Now of Christmas'). The advent prelude, Meditation upon a Sarum Plainsong, uses the 7th century plainsong chant Conditor Alme Siderum as its basis, with frequent trope-like interpolations occurring between the phrases. Even more simply conceived, the rendering of the Victorian Christmas hymn, Once in Royal David's City. The first verse is played sweetly and simply, while harmonic material is added for verses two and three./ Répertoire / Flûte Traversière

A short piece for small orchestra written in 1989 when the composer heard of Michael Vyner's death. Premiered in October 1989 at Glyndebourne Sussex by the London Sinfonietta and conducted by the composer just six days afterVyman's death.Approximately six minutes in duration it is based on the plainsong ‘Cor meum et caro mea exultaverunt in Deum vivum’ and is scored for two oboes two bassoons two horns two trumpets timpani and strings.

The editors Francis Bullock and Royle Shore created a series of settings of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis utilizing alternating unison Gregorian chant and Choral verse in faux bourdon polyphony. This one is based on one of the services of Orlando Gibbons. There are alternate plainsong verses with Organ accompaniment and notations where the arrangement differs from the original.

Hilary Tann's Embertides is a four-movement suite for Organ based on the roughly equal divisions of the church year - Advent Lent Whitsun and Michaelmas - which in turn hark back to earlier secular traditions.Throughout there are short references and hints to plainsong and other hymns relevant to the seasons. Drawing on a wide range of colours and textures the composer creates an evocative and varied suite of pieces perfectly suited for both recital and church performance; as such the work will be welcomed by a wide range of players.

for string quartet and string orchestra. Par DAVIES PETER MAXWELL. Having previously been granted the diploma of the Bologna Academy in December 2011, Maxwell Davies wrote his Concerto Accademico as both an expression of gratitude to the Regia Academia Filarmonico di Bologna and also in part “a presentation of academic qualification, to justify this singular honour”. The work is scored for string quartet and string orchestra and is based on a plainsong chant, heard at the outset, associated with the Holy Spirit descending upon the disciples at Pentecost, and their subsequent speaking in tongues./ Répertoire / Quatuor à Cordes et Orchestre à Cordes

An Anthology-All eighteen pieces in this collection are reliably dated to the reign of James I and whether by named composers or anonymous ones appear in sources other than the notable Virginal books preserved in the Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge. The contents demonstrate the variety of forms in the Keyboard repertoire of this period from plainsong-based compositions to dances by Orlando Gibbons. The 'Pretty ways for young beginners to look on' possibly by Thomas Tomkins are a fascinating example of music contemporary to the time written with the didactic purpose of instructing musicians in the techniques of counterpoint.