The Canterbury Tales
 A pageant in words and music Read by Margaret Howard, Bernard Palmer, David Bellan and Martin Souter
 The characterful and colourful world of Chaucer's pilgrims is captured in extracts from the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, intermingled with atmospheric music of the period: songs, dances and instrumental pieces which match the fascinating musical language of the great master poet.
 1 Music: Summer is icumen in
 2 Prologue
 3 Music: La Manfredina
 4 The Knight
 5 The Squire
 6 The Yeoman
7 Music: Bourgogne Brawle
 8 The Prioress
9 The Friar
10 The Merchant
 11 The Clerk
 12 Music: Sanctus - Henry V
 13 A haberdasher and a carpenter
 14 The Cook
 15 The Sailor
 16 Music: Ductia
 17 The Physician
 18 The Wife of Bath
 19 Music: Saltarello
 20 The Parson
 21 The Plowman
 22 The Miller
 23 Music: Ductia
 24 The Summoner
 25 The Pardoner
 26 Music: Danse royale
 27 Prologue
 Music performed by Magdala (track 12) The Oxford Girls' Choir (track1) Sara Stowe Matthew Spring Sharon Lindo John Banks.
 This programme is an unusual combination of the words of Chaucer with music from his period, including, where possible, music for his specific musical references in the text.
 The music is mainly anonymous. 'Summer is icumen in' is a famous Middle English text, with a very fine medieval tune. The other pieces are dance music from Europe and the British Isles of the period, except for the 'Sanctus', which was composed by the English King Henry V, probably in the early fifteenth century. It comes from the Old Hall manuscript, a large collection of music for choir.
 The manuscript was gathered together in the early years of the fifteenth century for use in the chapel of Henry V's brother, Thomas, Duke of Clarence, who died in 1421. Chaucer's text has been rendered into modern English for this recording. The original was written in a version of 'Middle English', but as far as possible the rhyme schemes of that mellifluous poetry have been retained. We were anxious to match the sonorous atmosphere of the original in our choice of text and in our method of recording. Each character in the tales is brilliantly described in Chaucer's Prologue, from the 'perfect, gentle' knight to the more unusual summoner and pardoner. Many typical occupations - and preoccupations - of Chaucer's period are described, and a whole society of people takes shape in our minds as we listen. Although some of their occupations are not common now, it is still clear that the people of Chaucer's world were not that different in many respects from ourselves, and our lives six centuries later! Chaucer's words bring each character to life, and we hope that you will enjoy hearing about them and that our musical additions will further increase your enjoyment of this magnificent poetry.
 Bernard Palmer, programme devisor Martin Souter, executive producer.

Canterbury Tales: Chaucer's World in Words and Music

Geoffrey, Chaucer

Literature & Fiction

The Gift of Music

Some Corner of a Foreign Field: Poetry and Music of the Great War

History

OWEN

THOMAS

Sassoon

Caanan

Military

A Very Fine Cat

Frédéric Chopin

AARON COPLAND

And Others

Samuel, Johnson

William, Wordsworth

Gioacchino Rossini

Thomas, Hardy

William Cowper

Piotr Illich Tchaikovsky

Nine Lessons and Carols
 A traditional Christmas service, from one of Oxford's finest buildings, the fifteenth century chapel of Magdalen College, Oxford, where there has been a continuous choral tradition since the 1480s. Boys' voices soar in the fine acoustics, in an evocative and moving programme of Christmas music and readings.
 1. Once in royal David's City.
 2. Bidding Prayer, followed by The Lord's Prayer.
 3. The truth sent from above.
 4. 1st Lesson: Genesis 3:8-15
 5. De profundis, Arvo Pärt.
 6. 2nd Lesson: Genesis 22:15-18
 7. O remember Adam's fall, Grayston Ives.
 8. 3rd Lesson: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7.
 9. Riu, riu chiu, Mateo Flecha.
 10. 4th Lesson: Isaiah 11:1-9
 11. How beautiful upon the mountains, John Stainer
 12. 5th Lesson: Luke 1:26-38.
 13. Es ist ein' 'Ros entsprungen, Michael Praetorius.
 14. 6th Lesson: Matthew 1:18-23
 15. Unto us is born a Son.
 16. All sons of Adam.
 17. Sweet was the song, Grayston Ives.
 18. 7th Lesson: Luke 2:8-16.
 19. Rise up, shepherd!
 20. 8th Lesson: Matthew 2:1-11.
 21. There shall a star, Mendelssohn.
 22. 9th Lesson: John 1:1-14.
 23. All this time.
 24. Collect for Christmas Eve.
 25. O come, all ye faithful.
 26. The Blessing. 27.
 Paean, Leighton.

Nine Lessons & Carols

Religion & Spirituality

The Choir of Magdalen College - Oxford

Christian Books & Bibles

Away in a Manger

Margaret Howard

Musical Tales for Children

JEAN DE BRUNHOFF

Kara Wilson

Children's Books

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