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PROGRAMMES
Although The Dufay Collective often tailors individual programmes to reflect the needs of promoters or the specific themes of festivals, here is a selection of programmes currently on offer:
A L'ESTAMPIDA!
Medieval Dance Music
The dance, whether recreational, mystical or ceremonial, was a vital element in medieval life. Its function ranged from simply being part of a social gathering to symbolising the "harmony" of the heavens and the everlasting cycle of life and death.
Estampies, Istanpittas, dance songs and jumping dances demonstrate the vibrancy of dance forms in the middle ages. Performed on voices and instruments ranging from the delicate harp, flute and psaltery, the exuberant vielle and rebec to the flamboyant loud band of shawms, trumpet and percussion, the performers weave an image of variety and spontaneity rarely associated with the music of 700 years ago.
Drawing on unbroken traditions and using improvisations the Dufay Collective recreate the essence of medieval dance music, and the exciting and virtuosic art of the medieval minstrel.
SINGING FOR COURAGE
Music of the Crusades
From the 11th to the 15th centuries, the notion of crusade captured the imagination and stirred the hearts of kings, princes, knights, poets and musicians. This concert features a balanced view of the passions, fantasy and facts of crusades from both sides, crusader and Arab. Focusing on the early crusades to the Holy Land, readings from the often harrowing eye-witness accounts of attacker and defender punctuate a rich sound world reflecting the musical world of the crusader, Saracen and those left at home to await their return.
The music varies considerably – the intimacy of chanterai por mon corage in which the image of the woman hugging her absent lover’s shirt is so poignant is contrasted with the tub-thumping celebration of particular events such as Nomen a Solemnibus. The famous song for Richard 1 ‘Lionheart’ ‘Ja nus hons pris’ reflects on the trials and loneliness of imprisonment. Next to nothing survives of Arab musical records of these times, but the setting of contemporary texts to surviving traditional Arabic and Turkish melodies are included as a reminder that there was more than one point of view in this historically complex period.
The concert includes music from eastern and western traditions: songs of grief and love accompanied by harps, vielles, oud, kanoun, nay and rabab; stirring exhortations to war; fanfares and battle-calls on shawms, trumpets, tabors, cymbals and nakers
ALQUEMY
Cantigas and Nubat from Medieval Spain
Seven hundred years ago, a turbulent, often violent clash of cultures and ideologies between East and West took place, primarily in the Iberian peninsular. Today it is too easy to forget the blossoming of creativity and intellectual enlightenment that this cross-pollination also produced in the arts and science, or to close our eyes to the fruits of a meeting that enriched both cultures with lasting effect.
Exploring the common musical ground to be found in the meeting of the Arab-Andalusian and Christian traditions the UK’s Dufay Collective has joined forces with Spanish based Arab group ‘Alquimia’, to reveal our common medieval heritage.
Using instruments which reflect the unique meeting of eastern and western traditions in Iberia at this time, and solo and a capella songs, The Dufay Collective display the splendidly diverse nature of medieval music.
Music for the programme is a combination of Dance songs from the Occitan tradition of the Troubadours, Cantigas de Santa Maria from the extraordinary court of Alfonso el Sabio in Castile, and music of the Arab Nuba whose roots lie in Andalusia.
LUDUS DANIELIS
The Play of Daniel
This wonderful drama, described as a medieval ‘opera’ was part of the entertainments provided during the Christmas season at the Cathedral of Beauvais in the late 12th century.
The play falls into two parts, relating first the tale of Daniel the Prophet summoned to the court of the Babylonian King Belshazzar. An ominous message appears to Belshazzar, writing with a disembodied hand words on a wall that the king and his wise men do not understand. Daniel is summoned and interprets the message as a warning to the king to cease his prophanity. He is feted and established as the king’s chief sage.
The second part concerns the vanquishing of Belshazzar by the Persian King Darius. He adopts Daniel as his right hand man, much to the chagrin of his chief courtiers and advisors. These have Daniel thrown to the lions, but his devout nature and faith in God save him and instead the evil courtiers are eaten alive by the beasts.
With a chorus and solo singers and a medieval ensemble including harps, psaltery, organ, vielles, simfony and bells this most dramatic and expressive of medieval dramas can be performed in a fully or semi-staged version.
SYNCAPACE
Renaissance Dance Bands
Throughout the Renaissance, music for the dance was an essential part of life in court, town and country. Musicians of all kinds would have been expected to have a large repertoire of dances and instrumental music suitable for any occasion. Improvisation upon standard chord sequences was part of the players’ art, in much the same way as jazz and traditional musicians work today. This concert presents the many dance types, improvisations and elaborate variations on popular song along with witty, romantic and bawdy dance songs.
THE ART OF MINSTRELSY
Music from Medieval Europe
Starting in England and moving south through France to Italy, this concert represents the rich and varied musical life in Europe from the 13th and 14th centuries.
The first half starts in the cold climate of medieval England, with songs such as 'Miri it is while sumer ilast' bemoaning the bad weather and cruel misfortune. 'Sumer is icumen in' the famous round is a celebration of the onset of Spring and new life. French dance songs and 'estampies' are interspersed with devotional lyrics.
In the second half we move towards Italy and the flowering of Italian culture in the 14th century. We perform lively 'istanpittas' and instrumental love songs from the time of Bocaccio.
The Dufay Collective has been acclaimed world-wide for their ensemble whose virtuosity is matched by their versatility. This programme reflects the wide diversity of medieval musical life, from the intimacy of devotional song to the flamboyance of shawms, bagpipes and trumpet.
GODAY SIRE CRISTEMAS
Music for a Medieval Christmas
The time in December which we know as Christmas had for many thousands of years been a sacred time for pagan beliefs in Europe. During the Middle Ages when Christianity spread far and fast, it was perhaps convenient to adopt the periods of pagan celebration and adapt them to Christian events. Yuletide and the Winter Solstice were just such festivals which, whilst still retaining their pagan roots, became inextricably linked to the Christian calendar. Thus the Yule log, wassailing, holly and ivy all became part of the Christmas imagery, despite being from a different tradition.
This concert given by The Dufay Collective demonstrates the kind of music that would have been heard during Christmas festivities in the courts of medieval Europe from the 12th to the 15th centuries. Included are estampies and carols from England and France, lively istanpitta from Italy and familiar Christmas songs which are still sung today. Included amongst all the singing are the instrumental bands of shawms and slide trumpet and the gentler sound of vielle, rebec and harp, recreating the vibrant sound world of medieval minstrelsy.
SILVER SOUNDS AND MOODY FOOD
Music in Shakespeare's London
This programme is a representation of the musical life in London at the beginning of the 17th century. At this time, theatre life was thriving, and Shakespeare's plays were all the rage for a London public eager for many and varied forms of entertainment.
Shakespeare's plays often contained references to popular tunes, or had lyrics for songs which became popular in their own right. The concert includes famous songs such as "It was a lover and his lass" from As You Like It, and the "Willow Song" from Othello.
The music making of rustics and 'rude mechanicals' is featured in music from the street and tavern, with broadside ballads of love and lust, "waits" music on shawms bagpipes and sackbutts, and popular country dances such as Kemp's Jigg and Watkin's Ale played by flutes, fiddles, citterns and rebecs.
SELECTED CONCERT REVIEWS
"Their playing was astonishingly inventive...here was a medieval 'jam' session as brilliantly sophisticated as anything you're likely to hear at Ronnie Scott's."
"We're not going to deny it, we think they're one of the most interesting early music groups around...High energy, and highly enjoyable"
"Their instrumental improvisatory skills have long been recognised, but here I was just as impressed by their vocal input in the refrains to these irresistible songs. This was fresh and invigorating ..."
"Collected, assured and commanding"
"Never before have I seen an audience in Hong Kong respond so enthusiastically... What is more, the audience's enthusiasm is not in any way misplaced; The Dufay Collective were simply outstanding."
