Music

Presentation of research into three different types of viols, and performances with the Rose Consort of Viols on consorts of each set: viols based on a painting by Lorenzo Costa (1497), viols based on Venetian mid-16th century instruments, and 'Jacobean' style viols.

Music from the partbooks copied by Robert Dow between 1581 and 1566 (Christ Church, Mus. 984-988) performed by the Rose Consort of Viols with the Marian Consort. Featuring instrumental fantasias, In Nomines, solo consort songs and motets, using a unique collection of copies of Tudor instruments strunbg all in gut and played with bows with clip in frogs. Includes several pieces never previously recorded, by Nicholas Strogers, Robert White, Maillard and Philip van Wilder.

Concert given by the Rose Consort of Viols using specially-built replicas of instruments based on a painting in Bologna by Lorenzo Costa (1497), featuring repertory from the North Italian courts of the early 16th century and by similar composers whose music was copied in England, showing their influence on the instrumental music of native composers such as William Cornyshe.

Concert of music largely taken from the set of sixteenth-century partbooks copied by Robert Dow (Oxford, Christ Church Mus. 984-988), including songs from Tudor plays, and music by William Byrd and his contemporaries. Given by the Rose Consort of Viols with Clare wilkinson (mezzo).

Newly researched performances based on new editions, using a solo voice and consort of viols to perform motets and consort songs alongside fantasias and dance music. A collection of Motets, songs and consort music by William Byrd and Peter Philips by award-winning Rose Consort of Viols, featuring mezzo-soprano, Clare Wilkinson

William Byrd lived a double life. The programme juxtaposes the two sides of his musical character: the brilliant gems composed for the courts and chapels of the Protestant monarchs Elizabeth I and James I, contrasted with the Latin motets he published for secret services held by those of the old faith at a time when Catholics endured dire persecution. It is music whose intensity resonates with us still.

CD by the Rose Consort of Viols & Marian Consort of music taken from the manuscript collection of Robert Dow (c. 1585)now in Christchurch College, Oxford. Songs, motets and instrumental music by Tallis, Byrd, Tye, White, Strogers, Van Wilder and others, recorded in All Souls' College, Oxford, where Dow was a Fellow.

Performance by the Rose Consort of Viols, with Mark Chambers (countertenor) of motets by Gesualdo and instrumental fantasias by Raval, using quarter-comma meantone tuning and experimenting with the use of viols in music originally conceived for voices, organ or unspecified instruments.