From early in the 17th century until the form engaged the interest of Johann Sebastian Bach various notable German composers - including Rosenmüller Fischer Fasch and Telemann - had contributed to the development of the orchestral suite or 'Ouverture' which name betrays its French theatrical origins. From Bach himself only four such suites have come down to us due to the diligence of C.F.Penzel who was a student at the Thomasschule from 1751 and who made copies of Bach's MSS he found there. Thus neither the dates nor the order of composition of the suites can be established with any certainty. As to the present suite in B minor recent criticism suggests that Bach'sidiomatic flute writing in this popular suite would even in 1737 or later have been considered fashionably up-to-date even in Paris. It has also been suggested that the suite could have been written expressly for Pierre-Gabriel Buffardin principal flautist of the Dresden Court Orchestra.

Corpus Cum Figuris is a uniform composition in three major parts. The first part is a slow marche funébre a kind of prologue with dark and sombre sounds and a massive wall of chords which leads us to the other part of the works where the static and solemn atmosphere is suddenly stopped and replaced by a rhythmic/melodic ritual which accelerates the music. In the third part the block structure is softened gradually different figurations and stylistic elements arise to live their own lives: distant waltzes and pictures from the Middle Ages appear in this gigantic sonorous body. After a wild percussion orgy a short flash-back and a scream from the edge end Corpus cumFiguris. The piece has no literal content at all even though the title leads the thought to Adrian Leverkühn?s Apocalipsis cum Figuris from Thomas Mann?s Doctor Faustus. More likely my piece will arouse associations as with all my music. It has to be heard in it?s own conditions in this case as a big body of music or perhaps as a great screen where the details of course are part of the whole body but at the same time are foreign and odd. It is as if one climbs a mountain and from the top of that mountain discovers a world which is completely different from expected. Corpus cum Figuris for 20 musicians was composed in 1984 commissioned by Ensemble InterContemporain and the Danish Radio. Ensemble InterContemporain world premiered the work in April 1985 conducted by Peter Eötvös. The piece was also played at the ISCM-festival in Amsterdam by Netherland Radio Chamber Orchestra conducted by Ernest Bour.

editor: Bernard Thomas arranger: Bernard Thomas Dance Music Instrumentation: 3-5 recorders (SAT/SATB/SSAT/SAATB/SATTB) Edition: performance score The Schott Recorder Consort Anthology presents a wealth of music from the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries. Although the bulk of the collection is laid out for a variety of four-part ensembles there are also duets and trios, as well as five- and six-part pieces. The repertoire includes both original instrumental works and transcriptions of vocal pieces. There are lively and stately dances, fantasias, and arrangements of expressive madrigals, catchy chansons and more restrained religious pieces; all are chosen for their effective realization by recorder consorts. 136 Renaissance pieces with notes on sources, editorial technique and interpretation. Volume I contains a valuable introduction to the series and to the art of consort playing. 2-6 recorders: Descant, Treble, Tenor, Bass in various combinations. Anonymous: La Danse de Cleves (SAT) Anonymous: Pavana in passo e mezzo (SATB) Anonymous: Saltarello La barca del mio amore (SATB) Anonymous: Pavana La fasane (SATB) T. Susato: Bergerette Dont vient cela (SATB) J. d'Estrées: Basse danse Bernadine (SSAT) E. du Tertre: Pavane & Gaillarde (SAATB) E. du Tertre: Branle de la guerre (SATB) E. du Tertre: Branle (simple) (SATB) E. du Tertre: Branle (simple) (SATB) P. + B. Hessen: Allemande Jamais n'aymeray masson (SATTB) C. Othmayr: Ein beurisch Tanz (SSAT) Anonymous: Polish Dance (ATTB) G. Mainerio: Putta nera ballo furlano (SATB) G. Mainerio: L'arboscello ballo furlano (SATB) Anonymous: Pavan with Divisions (SSATB) A. Holborne: Pavan (SAATB) A. Holborne: (Nowell's) Galliard (SATTB) C. Negri: Barriera (SATB) C. Negri: Bianca fiore (SATB) G. Zanetti: Passo e mezzo (SATB) G. Zanetti: Ballo de colla (SATB) G. Zanetti: Pavaniglia (SATB) G. Zanetti: La bella pedrina (SATB) P.F. Caroubel: Branle gay I (SAATB) P.F. Caroubel: Branle gay II (SAATB) P.F. Caroubel: Branle gay III (SAATB) M. Praetorius: Ballet (SATB) M. Praetorius: Ballet (SATB) M. Praetorius: Ballet des matelotz (SATB) M. Praetorius: Volte (SAATB) W. Brade: Courante (SSATB) after Playford: Grimstock (SATB) after Playford: Goddesses (SATB) after Playford: Heart's Ease (SATB)