Thierry Bertrand:  cornamuse, violin
Bruno Caillat: percussion
Anne Dumont: bagpipe
Robin Joly: oboe, bassoon, recorders

Programme:
Danseries anonyme de 15e siècle
Bassa dansa / Propiñán de mélyor (ES)

L’Alta au temps du règne des Valois indirecte, branche d’Angoulême:
François 1er (1515 à 1547), Henri 2 (1547 à 1559), François 2 (1559 à 1561), Charles 9 (1561 à 1574), Henri 3 (1574 à 1589):

Anonymus (1500+): Gallicum sine nomine (FR)

Anonymus (1500+): Spagnoletta (IT)

Anonymus (1500+): Gaillarde La Traditora (IT)

Pierre Attaingnant: Quart livre de danceries (1550): Pavane & Gaillarde Vous qui voulez

Pavane (improvisation)

Pierre Attaingnant: Quart livre de danceries (1550): Pavane & Gaillarde Qui souhaitez

Pierre Attaingnant: Septième livre de danceries (1557): Suite de 4 branles d’Escosse

Nicolas du Chemin: Second livre de danseries (1559): Le Petit Velou

Nicolas du Chemin: Second livre de danseries (1559): Gaillarde Canat

Nicolas du Chemin: Second livre de danseries (1559): Premier Ballet du Canat

Nicolas du Chemin: Second livre de danseries (1559): Suite des neuf branles de la guerre

Pierre Phalèse: Chorearum molliorum collectanea (1583):
Introduction / Allemande Bassabaca / Allemande Poussinghe

L’Alta au temps du règne des premiers Bourbons
Henri 4 (1589 - 1610), Louis 13 (1610 - 1643), Louis 14 (1643 - 1715)

Suite de danses, Michaël Praetorius & Pierre Francisque Carroubel:
Terpsichore (1612)
Ballet du Roy / Branle de Poitou Bassabaca / Suite de 3 branles doubles / Ballet des Anglois

Robin Joly & Sylvain Fabre (fl. 2002):
Danse d’Athanor

Raoul-Auger Feuillet:
Recueil de Contredanses (1706):
Contredanse La matelotte

Traditional: Hornepipe

Recueil de Plusieurs vieux Airs faits aux Sacres, Couronnements, Mariages et autres Solennitez. Recueillis par Philidor l’Aisné (1690):
Bourrée d’Avignon
 

About the Programme:
Although the melodies of “traditional music” originate from common places, the suggested arrangements that apply to the scores of today as well as to those of the Renaissance, are of themselves wholly erudite. This chronological, musical voyage through Europe of the 15th to the 18th centuries will therefore transport you towards an unknown repertoire which will however seem very close…
“Alta”, a Latin word, can be translated in two ways: first, as “high”, the meaning which has remained in modern Italian, and second, as “something elevated”.
Musicians of the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance liked to classify instruments into two families: the highs and the lows. The first were meant to be played outdoors, as they are loud. The others, with softer sounds, are rather more suited for indoors.
In the same period, a multitude of documents (paintings, engravings, scores, etc.) bear witness to this instrumental tradition. In general, there is an association of three high instruments from the reed family (bagpipes, oboes, or bassoons) and/or wind instruments (horns, sacqueboutes (Sakbuts), or trumpets).
Throughout the course of the 16th and 17th centuries, bands of oboes multiplied and enjoyed real success with our kings; in their estimation, as well as producing a solemn sound, they symbolized power and nobility. Created by François I, la Grande Ecurie du Roi would reach its height under the reign of Louis XIV.Through its “Alta” concert, the “Outre Mesure” (Beyond Measure) company offers a rediscovery of this instrumental formation with bagpipes, Taille oboe or lower bassoon, and tenor Sakbut. Moreover, we have partnered with several percussion instruments, which were not necessarily present in Europe in this period, for their richness and complementarity of surprising timbres. This mixture of genres sets apart our approach within the landscape of ancient music.
Finally, we have chosen to honor this instrumental tradition by “sounding” several dances, primarily from the Renaissance; a preferred repertoire of the “Outre Mesure” Company, giving free rein to the diminutions and improvisations of the fiddlers.

Robin Joly
 

Bio:
Since its creation in 1999, the Compagnie Outre Mesure has brought together professional artists under the musical and choreographic direction of Robin Joly in order to promote the art of Renaissance ménétrier. From the Latin ministerium (service), the art of ménétrier is, for us today, the art of playing music to accompany dance, or rather, playing music that complements the dance ; more generally, it is the art of creating music that has a direct relation to the movement found in other arts (e.g., fencing, theater…).
The Compagnie Outre Mesure combines instrumentalists, vocalists, dancers, actors, researchers, lutenists and other professionals, all of different backgrounds and with different goals. Its large group of musicians allows for a great variety of instrumental and vocal ensembles, from the full ensemble to solo artists, from the large "Bande de Hauts Bois" to small groups of varied instruments ("concerts brisés").
Having organized and performed more than one hundred Renaissance Balls in Europe, called Dansez Renaissance…, the Compagnie Outre Mesure is considered today as one of the most innovative and appreciated groups in this specialty. It is characterized by its thorough study of the rapport between music and choreography. This specialized study of tempos, dynamics, phrasing and articulation allows the group to take the stage at concerts, balls and other performances with vivacity and originality that speaks to modern audiences.
Far from purely wanting to reconstruct a repertory of Renaissance music, the Compagnie Outre Mesure prefers in its performances to allow for its own intuition as it confronts various repertories (be they traditional, Baroque, contemporary or other) through the artists’ respective specialties, which singles out the group’s approach from the various other performers of Early music.