The lute, derived from the Arabic 'al'ud', came to Europe during the Middle Ages under Arabic-Islamic cultural influence and had a social role comparable to the piano in later centuries.
Composition History
The collection Pie Cantiones, published in 1582 by Finnish student Theodoricus Petri, was one of the earliest printed school song-books, intended for young Finnish and Swedish students.
Historical Context
The Cancionero de Upsala, a collection of Spanish court songs from the 15th and 16th centuries, is one of the few such collections known to have been printed.
Compositional Technique
The Italian trecento music form 'caccia' (hunt) features a two-part vocal canon over a third instrumental voice, with texts often allegorically relating to hunting or the 'love hunt'.
Cultural Impact
The tune for the spring song "Tempus adest floridum" is best known in England as a Christmas carol.
Performer Biography
Joculatores Upsalienses, the performing group, started as a spare-time venture in 1965 and includes members with diverse professions such as music teachers, an astronomer, a librarian, and a chemist.
Instruments
The hurdy-gurdy, a medieval instrument with a rosined wooden wheel to set strings in motion, arrived in Europe around the 12th century, possibly via Moorish Spain, but later lost its social prestige and became associated with beggars.
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