Author archives: Robert Vanderzweerde

Project: Theatrum Musicum

I am currently working on two projects.  This one I call the “Theatrum Musicum” project.

Peeter van der Phaliesen, Latinised as Petrus Phalesius, French versions of name Pierre Phalèse and Pierre de Phaleys (ca 1510 – 1575) was a Flemish bookseller, printer and publisher. Aside from a number of literary and scientific works, his printing press is mainly known for its publications of music.

My project is to arrange pieces from two publications by Petrus Phalesius, namely Theatrum Musicum in 1563 and Luculentum Theatrum Musicum in 1568 (both referred to as Theatrum Musicum in the arrangements). They are intabulations of the guitar, lute and vihuela music of Renaissance composers, however, Petrus Phalesius only identified some composers when naming the pieces.  Fortunately, many have been identified or attributed subsequently.

Most of the pieces are for the advanced performer, with some intermediate level music.  They include fantasias, danses, chansons, moteta and duets.

I posted a sample on Facebook and YouTube. It’s a Fantasia by Guillaume Morlaye (ca 1510 – 1558).  Enjoy!

Project: Classical/Romantic Era

I am currently working on two projects.  This one I call the “Classical/Romantic Era” project.

As a classical guitar student, I worked my way through many method books and anthologies including those by Aaron Shearer, Anzaghi, Julio Sagreras, Mauro Guiliani, Matteo Carcassi and the Royal Conservatory of Music. Included in those publications were pieces written by composers which I consider to be in the first golden age of the guitar (about 1790 to 1860) before it was overtaken by the rise of the popularity of the piano forte.

I played many pieces by Ferdinando Carulli (1779-1841), Fernando Sor (1778-1839), Matteo Guiliani (1781-1829), Dionisio Aguado (1784-1849), Matteo Carcassi (1792-1853) and others, and still play them today.  So, I searched my music books and recordings to identify the best pieces used for teaching, yet are still enjoyable as miniatures on their own.  Of course, most technical studies were eliminated but there were many pieces to include and I am searching out the original folios and then arranging them for ukulele.

The selected pieces are all beginner to intermediate level (roughly RCM grades 1 to 3).  There are plenty of more advanced pieces by these composers but I experimented playing them on ukulele and they sounded “thin” as there are fewer strings on the ukulele, so I did not consider these for inclusion.

I posted a sample on Facebook and on YouTube.  It’s the Country Dance by Ferdinando Carulli.  After technical exercises, it was the second piece I ever played as a student.  Enjoy!

An anomoly in the folio of the music by Dalza

I am currently working on the music by Joan Ambrosio Dalza (flourished 1508), who was a Milanese lutenist and composer. His surviving works comprise the fourth volume of Ottaviano Petrucci’s influential series of lute music publications, Intabolatura de lauto libro quarto (Venice, 1508).

The lute folio is fairly standard for that time period, but I came across an anomoly that I cannot explain.  It’s in the Saltarello movements of all the pieces named Pavana alla Ferrarese.  Can you see it?

The peice is marked C3, which means three beats to the bar.  But the tabulature is written out as two beats to a bar.

I analyzed the music and it really is in three.  For a single phrase, the original folio shows 12 bars of 2 beats each, but it’s really a phrase of 8 bars of 3 beats each (both 24 beats in total).

Why??  I don’t know.  This notation is easier to read than what would have been used (i.e. quarter and eighth notes rather than a series of triplets), but it’s difficult for the performer to see the phrasing as the bass note beats are not always at the start of the bar and an ascending or descending note passage is often split over two half bars.

SO, I arranged the music back into the correct phrasing.  Look at this snippet of the arrangement I created of the folio snippet that I showed above and see if you can align the phrasing.

It’s a lot more work to do this but, in the end, it should be easier for the performer to play.

Working on the Capirola Lutebook

I decided to start on the Capirola Lutebook (1517). It’s beautifully illustrated … deliberately added to ensure that the book would be preserved (sample page shown below). The music was actually written down by Vincenzo’s pupil Vitale. The lutebook has a substantial text on lute playing technique, ornaments and notation—one of the most important sources on performance practice of the time (which I have not translated, nor have I found a translation yet).

This photo shows my progress so far … yellow highlighted pieces are done but awaiting proofreading, green is in progress and blue has not been started yet. It may take a while …

CORRECTION: The original post had the composer’s name incorrect as Capriola.  It’s Capirola.

What to arrange next?

So what do I arrange next?  I have a large backlog of music from which to choose:

  • Estevan Daza (El Parnasso, 1576)
  • Enríquez de Valderrábano (Silva de sirenas, 1547)
  • Francesco Spinacino (Intabulatura de lauto, 1507, Libro 1 & 2)
  • Joan Ambrosio Dalza (Intabulatura de lauto, 1508, Libro 4)
  • Vincenzo Capirola (Lutebook, 1517)
  • and much more!

Also, I’m thinking of arranging some Dutch folk songs but only those that were and are still sung during family get togethers (remember, although I’m Canadian, my family emigrated from Amsterdam in the Netherlands). 

Any suggestions?

Accomplished to date

As we come out of the summer season, I’m looking at what has been accomplished so far in the ongoing project to arrange Medieval, Renaissance and early Baroque music for ukulele. Here’s a picture of the complete library of 68 books with almost 1000 arrangements. Search for “Ancient Music for Ukulele”, visit any book store online, or contact me for details.

Nederlandsch Volksliederenboek

During a family gathering in late 2022, my cousin brought books of old family photos. My aunt, aged 81, and I had fun going through them trying to identify everyone and everyplace. My mother would have known more but she passed away 4 years ago at age 89. Nevertheless, we were quite successful except for the very early 1900’s. It was lots of fun with great memories and family history.

In the stack of photo albums, was a dark brown, hard cover book of music, called “Nederlandsch Volksliederenboek” (i.e. a book of Dutch folk songs) from 1916. It has writing in it on various songs. I picked a child’s song at random, Sint Nicolaas (Saint Nicholas; pronounce the “aa” as “ah” in Englsih) and showed it to my aunt. She read the words and then immediately sang it. Wow!
My aunt grew up in the Netherlands and emigrated to Canada when she was 18. My parents emigrated to Canada 2 years earlier when they were about 29 but I was only 3. I know a few Dutch folk songs but not too many (this one sounded vaguely familiar).
Here’s the suspected history of the book. It was in my uncle’s possession but it is much older than he is. It may have been my grandfather’s who was 10 years old when this book was published. Most likely, it was my great-grandfather’s book and, since he was a professional singer (operatic bass), he likely used this book to teach his students or it was a gift. The handwriting in it is likely his.
I looked online for this book and discovered that it was in continuous print from 1896 to at least 1925 (there is one version dated 1940). You can still buy second-hand copies of it at a reasonable cost.
So I decided to try to arrange a few of them and, of course, I’m starting with this one. By the way, Saint Nicholas day in the Netherlands is December 6. I do recall putting out my wooden shoe (yes, I had a pair) and getting an orange and chocolate from Saint Nicholas. If you were bad, Black Peter, his assistant, would leave you a lump of coal instead. I guess getting the belt was a much older corporal punishment that is now outdated.
I’ve provided a rough English translation. Some phrases just don’t translate well. If anyone has better wording, I’d be grateful. I’m also putting together a Dutch pronunciation guide for English speakers, first created by my mother (e.g. koek, or cake, is pronounced as kuk). I speak Dutch with an English accent so I need this too.
To download, save each image individually (the images are full sized pages). If this fails, please contact me and I will send you the PDF file.

Motete

I am just completing a set of three volumes of motetes (motets) and, to share my anticipation, I’m published this one motete as a free sample.

A motete or motet is mainly a vocal musical composition in several parts with words. Motets were mostly sacred madrigals.  Secular motets, known as “ceremonial motets”, were typically to praise a monarch, music or commemorate a triumph.

To download, save each image individually (the images are full sized pages). If this fails, please contact me and I will send you the PDF file.

Fabordon

I came across this piece while I was arranging a series of 16th century motetes in Orphenica Lyra by Miguel de Fuenllana. It is descirbed as “… en fabordon conpuestos” or using compound fabordon.

Fabordon (also fauxbourdon, fauxbordon, and falso bordone) – false drone – is a technique of musical harmonisation used in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. The homophony and mostly parallel harmony allow the text of the mostly liturgical lyrics to be understood clearly. In its simplest form, it consists of the cantus firmus (drone) and two other parts a sixth and a perfect fourth below. To prevent monotony, or create a cadence, the lowest voice sometimes jumps down to the octave, and any of the accompanying voices may have minor embellishments.

Think of it as a series of chord progressions with some passing notes.

This piece is written in “ochotonos” or eight different tones.

The text in latin “Donee ponam inimicos tuos …” means “Give me your enemies … and I will lay them at your feet” (i.e. slay them).

To download, save each image individually (the images are full sized pages). If this fails, please contact me and I will send you the PDF file.