The album title, "The Galant David Rizzio," refers to David Rizzio, secretary and consort to Mary, Queen of Scots, and the mystery surrounding music falsely attributed to him.
Historical Context
David Rizzio, a musician and private secretary to Mary, Queen of Scots, was murdered in 1566 by courtiers who stabbed him fifty-seven times.
Composition History
William Thomson's 1726 publication, "Orpheus Caledonius," was the first printed collection of traditional Scottish song arrangements, but his attributions of seven melodies to David Rizzio have no known source.
Recording & Production
This album is the first attempt to assemble all two-dozen melodies that various extant sources assigned to David Rizzio.
Performer Biography
MAKARIS, the ensemble performing on this album, formed in 2018 and released its critically acclaimed first disc, "Wisps in the Dell," in 2019.
Cultural Impact
A "makar" is a royal court troubadour of medieval Scotland, a term later resurrected to describe a Scottish bard or poet.
Cultural Impact
The legend of David Rizzio as a composer, though later debunked, inspired many composers to arrange traditional Scottish songs, contributing to a classical-era craze for Celtic music.
