Anne Boleyn's Songbook: Music & Passions of a Tudor Queen Clare Wilkinson

• 1 Tota pulchra es 01:42
• 2 Venes regrets, venes tous [Anne Boleyn Songbook: Royal College of Music, MS 1070] 01:54
• 3 Fer pietatis opem miseris mater [Anne Boleyn Songbook: Royal College of Music, MS 1070] 02:23
• 4 Stabat mater 08:01
• 5 Laudate Dominum omnes gentes [Anne Boleyn Songbook: Royal College of Music, MS 1070] (arr. D. Skinner for choir) 03:10
• 6 Maria Magdalena et altera Maria [Anne Boleyn Songbook: Royal College of Music, MS 1070] 03:30
• 7 Forte si dulci Stigium boantem [Anne Boleyn Songbook: Royal College of Music, MS 1070] 08:07
• 8 O virgo virginum [Anne Boleyn Songbook: Royal College of Music, MS 1070] 03:48
• 9 Paranimphus salutat virginem (arr. D. Skinner for choir) 03:08
• 10 Gentilz galans compaingnons [Anne Boleyn Songbook: Royal College of Music, MS 1070] (arr. D. Skinner for choir) 01:43
• 11 Tempus meum est (arr. D. Skinner for choir) 05:16
• 12 Quae est ista (arr. D. Skinner for choir) 05:15
• 13 Liber generationis Jesu Christi (arr. D. Skinner for choir) 14:17
• 14 Jouyssance vous donneray 03:39
• 15 Improperia, Popule meus, quid feci tibi? [Anne Boleyn Songbook: Royal College of Music, MS 1070] 08:02
• 16 In illo tempore: Accesserunt ad Jesum (arr. D. Skinner for choir) 05:42
• 17 Sicut lilium inter spinas (arr. D. Skinner for choir) 01:55
• 18 Praeter rerum seriem 06:39
• 19 O Deathe, Rock Me A-Sleepe [Anne Boleyn Songbook: Royal College of Music, MS 1070] 06:18
• Total Runtime 01:34:29

Info for Anne Boleyn's Songbook: Music & Passions of a Tudor Queen

Anne Boleyn is without doubt the most famous of Henry VIII’s six wives. She was brought up for a time under the guardianship of Margaret of Austria, who was patron to some of the most famous composers in all of Europe, and then in the French court before her return to England in 1522.

It was in France where the young Anne developed her keen musical tastes, and when a collection of her favourite works began to be assembled into what is now known as the Anne Boleyn Songbook (Royal College of Music, MS 1070). The book probably remained in her possession until her execution in 1536, when she was accused of adultery with no less than five men including her own brother, George, and lutenist Mark Smeaton.

Here Alamire explores the finest works in the Songbook by the greatest composers of the early 16th century, including Compère, Brumel, Mouton and Josquin. Performances by Alamire are interspersed with French chansons and instrumental items for lute, harp and voice.

The programme concludes with a most haunting setting of ‘O Deathe rock me asleep’, not from the Songbook but possibly linked to Anne’s fate while awaiting her execution in the Tower of London.

Clare Wilkinson, voice
Jacob Heringman, lute
Kirsty Whatley, harp
Alamire
David Skinner, conductor

Clare Wilkinson
described as ‘flawless… heartfelt… heavenly’ (Early Music America), ‘heart-stopping’ (Guardian), ‘one of the best young singers in the Renaissance game’ (Independent), makes music with groups of different shapes and sizes – baroque orchestra, consort of viols, vocal consort – and loves them all.

Particularly sought after for her interpretations of Bach, Clare has been alto soloist in all his major works with Sir John Eliot Gardiner, highlights being Cantata 170, Vergnügte Ruh, at the Spiegelsaal Köthen and the Matthew Passion at the Thomaskirche Leipzig. Bach recordings include Welt, Gute Nacht (Gardiner), the St John & St Matthew Passions (Butt), the St Mark Passion (Willens) and Trauer-Music (Parrott – Gramophone Critics’ Choice).

Other recent collaborations have been with Jos van Veldhoven (NBS), Adàm Fischer (SCO), Bart Van Reyn (Le Concert d’Anvers), Gijs Leenaers (Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra), Mats Bertilsson (Drottningholm Baroque) and Philip Pickett (Odense Symphony Orchestra).

Clare also enjoys stage work: for example Chabrier’s L’Etoile (Opéra Comique, Paris), Venere in Monteverdi’s Ballo dell’Ingrate (BBC Proms), Galatea (London Handel Festival), mezzo/percussion in David Lang’s Little Match Girl Passion (Cryptic Theatre) and I Fagiolini’s ‘secret theatre’ project The Full Monteverdi. She staged Bach motets as part of GOTCompany’s critically acclaimed show ‘Death Actually’ at the 2014 Spitalfields Festival. Amore in Gluck’s Orfeo (Ministry of Operatic Affairs) is to follow in 2014.

Equally at home with viols, Clare is a regular guest of The Rose Consort of Viols and Fretwork, enjoying a comprehensive survey of the repertoire, from William Byrd to Tan Dun.

Numerous composers have written for Clare. She premièred works written for her by John Joubert, Duncan Druce and Stephen Wilkinson at the Wigmore Hall.

Booklet for Anne Boleyn's Songbook: Music & Passions of a Tudor Queen