Friday, 24 October 2025

Wilbye: Madrigals from first set

Day 297

Wilbye: Madrigals from first set of Madrigals

Consort of Musicke

Anthony Rooley

Today was a busy day so only time for a few madrigals from John Wilbye’s first set.  After the extremes of Gesualdo yesterday it was a pleasure to move to the much calmer world of the English madrigal. I do remember enjoying doing a little madrigal singing at school and at university and these brought back some pleasant memories - I think that we did sing Adieu sweet Amarylis at school. This is very much music to perform rather than listen to passively but I certainly did enjoy the chance to hear this selection. The style is generally fairly straightforward but there is some entertaining rhythmic invention and the occasional moment of harmonic tension. Wilbye certainly knew how to shape a melodic phrase but also was able to bring some real intensity to these miniatures.

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