Actor Tracy Ryan reads the first poem from Sir Philip Sidney's sonnet cycle Astrophel and Stella in original pronunciation from the time of Sidney and Shakespeare. Lutenist John Edwards plays The Right Honourable the Lady Rich, her Galliard by John Dowland. Lady Rich is Penelope Devereux, the 'Stella' of Sidney's poems who never requited the love expressed therein. Pronunciation prepared by Hallie Fishel. These podcasts are supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Spem in Alium Fund of the Toronto Foundation.
Professor Deanne Williams talks to John Edwards about Philip, Mary and Robert Sidney and their contribution to literature as inspirers and innovators, practitioners and patrons in the Elizabethan and Jacobean period. This episode is an introduction to a new series of readings, prepared in texts in original pronunciation by Hallie Fishel, read by Tracy Ryan, by and about the Sidneys as well as lute pieces dedicated to them, and programmatic of their lives. These podcasts are supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Spem in Alium Fund of the Toronto Foundation.
Christopher Verrette, violin, plays divisions by Davis Mell on John Come Kiss Me Now and anonymous divisions on Johnny Cock Thy Beaver from Playford's The Division Violin accompanied by The Musicians In Ordinary Renaissance Violin Band: Matt Antal, Brandon Chui, Sheila Smyth, violas, Laura Jones, bass violin and John Edwards, lute.
Deanne Williams and John Edwards discuss John Milton's Comus, The Lady, Alice Egerton, her experience and her exemplars as a performer. The Musicians In Ordinary Renaissance Violin Band (Matt Antal, Brandon Chui & Sheila Smyth, violas, Laura Jones, bass violin, John Edwards, lute, led by Christopher Verrette, violin) plays Davis Mell's divisions on John Come Kiss Me Now and the anonymous Johnny Cock Thy Beaver.
The Musicians In Ordinary Renaissance Violin Band plays Antiq Masque by John Coprario, and the Robert Johnson's First Witches' Dance and Second Witches Dance from The Masque of Queens by Ben Jonson, probably revived in Middleton's The Witch and Shakespeare's Macbeth. The MIO Violin Band is Matt Antal, Brandon Chui, Sheila Smyth, violas, Laura Jones, bass violin, John Edwards, lute, led by Christopher Verrette, violin.
Dr. Natalia Khomenko, Lecturer at York Univ. and VK Preston, Asst. Prof. at Univ. of Toronto’s Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies, talk about depictions of witches in 16th and 17th century England and France. The Musicians In Ordinary Renaissance Violin Band (Matt Antal, Brandon Chui & Sheila Smyth, violas, Laura Jones, bass violin, John Edwards, lute, led by Christopher Verrette, violin) plays John Coprario’s Antiq Masque and Robert Johnson’s First & Second Witches’ Dances.
The Musicians In Ordinary Renaissance Violin Band plays The King of Denmark's Galliard from John Dowland's Lachrimae or Seven Tears, The Fairy Round from Anthony Holborne's Pavans, Galliards etc., Sir Henry Umpton's Funeral (Dowland) and Paradizo, or The Countess of Pembroke's Paradise (Holborne). Special guest Felix Deak, (viola da gamba) plays Deth by Tobias Hume. The MIO Violin Band is Matt Antal, Brandon Chui, Sheila Smyth, violas, Laura Jones, bass violin, John Edwards, lute, led by Christopher Verrette, violin.
Prof. Tom Bishop (Univ. of Auckland) talks about Shakespeare’s Pericles. Prof. Linda Austern (Northwestern U.) talks about music and medicine in the 17th century. Felix Deak plays Deth by Tobias Hume. The Musicians In Ordinary Renaissance Violin Band (Matt Antal, Brandon Chui & Sheila Smyth, violas, Laura Jones, bass violin, John Edwards, lute, led by Christopher Verrette, violin) plays Dowland’s King of Denmarks Galiard & Sir Henry Umptons Funerall and Holborne’s Fairie Round & Paradizo.
The Musicians In Ordinary Renaissance String Band, (Matt Antal, Brandon Chui and Sheila Smyth, violas, Laura Jones, bass violin, John Edwards, lute, led by Christopher Verrette, violin) plays John Coprario's dances from The Lord's Masque in versions published in 1617 by William Brade, The Tempest from Squires’ Masque and The Haymakers' Dance (both anon. with viola parts by Christopher Verrette after Brade), and The Nymphs' Dance from Masque of the Inner Temple and Gray's Inn (Coprario/Brade).
Stephen Orgel, Professor Emeritus at Stanford Univ. talks to John Edwards about the Stuart court masque, its performers, its expressions of power and the meaning of the masque conjured by the triumphant Prospero in The Tempest. The Musicians In Ordinary string band, Matt Antal, Brandon Chui and Sheila Smyth, violas, Laura Jones, bass violin, John Edwards, lute, led by Christopher Verrette, violin, play The First, Second & Third of the Lords, The Tempest, The Haymakers Dance and The Nymphs Dance.
