A Yuletide Tale

A seasonal tale told by The Musicke Companye: witty stories of Court affairs, exquisite poetry and prose combined with ravishingly lovely music and imagery. Choreograped, the age-old story of Christmas is interwoven with contemporary accounts of feasting, frosts and sumptuous balls in a beguiling evening of drama and revelry.

Enchanting music by Monteverdi, Grandi, Scarlatti, Purcell and Mozart alongside traditional carols.

Christmas with the Pepys, 1662

 

Henry Lawes

Song 'Tis Christmas now'

Anon

Carol 'The Boar's Head'

 

Wassailing!

 

Anon

Song 'Drive the cold winter away'

Carol 'Wassail, wassail all over the town'

 

I sing of a Maiden

 

Anon

Carol 'I sing of a maiden'

Claudio Monteverdi

Song 'Exulta Fillia Sion'

 

'but a poor Sermon'

 

Giovanni Bononcini

Cello sonata in A minor

 

The 'Popish' service

 

Domenico Scarlatti

Duet 'Salve Regina'

 

The arrival of the Pifferai

 

Biago Marini

Song 'Con le stelle'

Marco da Gagliano

Song 'Pastor levate sù'

Duet 'O meraviglie belle'

 

Roman Ceremonyes

 

Alessandro Grandi

Duet 'Hodie nobis de caelo'

 

INTERVAL

  The new-born Babe

 

Anon

Carol 'In dulci jubilo'

 

'Sweet Baby sleep!'  

Martin Peerson

Ayre 'Upon my lap'

Anon

Song 'Sweet was the song the Virgin sang'

Anon

Duet 'Joseph lieber, Joseph mein'

Anon

The Coventry Carol

 

The Star

 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Variations on 'Ah, vous dirai-je mamon?'

 

Great Britain's Wonder

 

Henry Purcell

Song 'Stripp'd of their green'

 

The New Year's Ball, 1662

 

Anon

Auld Lang Syne

Thomas Playford

Dance 'Cuckolds all in a row'

Henry Purcell

Song 'Let us Dance'

J.S. Bach

Duet 'Wir eilen mit schwachen'