Anonymous

Sound Clips
Album Summary
Notes & Reviews
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	Dudul - Dudul
	Codex Faenza: Untitled - Codex Faenza: Untitled
	Jalla man (Traditional Andalusian School) - Jalla man (Traditional Andalusian School)
	Bache, bene venies - Bache, bene venies
	Alma Redemptoris Mater - Alma redemptoris mater
	Alma chorus - O du arme Judas - Alma chorus - O du arme Judas
	Den hoboecken dans - Den hoboecken dans
	Nevestinko oro - Nevestinko oro
	In Nomine - In Nomine
	Gregorian Chant for the Dead - Gregorian Chant for the Dead: Requiem aeternam (Introitus) - Kyrie
	Kyrie eleison (Christian-Arabic Tradition, Lebanon) - Kyrie eleison (Christian-Arabic Tradition, Lebanon)
	Pilgrim Songs from the Monastery of Montserrat [1400-1420] - Pilgrim Songs from the Monastery of Montserrat (1400-1420): Quant voi la flor novele
	Keh Moshe [Traditional Jewish, 12th century] - Keh Moshe (Traditional Jewish, 12th century)
	Aurora lucis (hymnus) - Aurora lucis (hymnus)
	Domna, pos vos ay chausida - Domna, pos vos ay chausida (Instrumental)
	Ronde IV - I - VI - Ronde IV - I - VI
	Codex Faenza: Jay grant espoir (arr. Ensemble Unicorn) - Codex Faenza: Jay grant espoir (arr. Ensemble Unicorn)
	Greensleeves - Greensleeves
	Basse Danse, "La Magdalena" - Basse Danse, "La Magdalena"
	O Death Rock Me Asleep - O Death, rock me asleep
	Partos trocados (Babes Exchanged) - Partos trocados (Babes Exchanged)
	Gaillarde I - II - III - Gaillarde I - II - III
	Si quis sermonem [8.553502] - Si quis sermonem
	Gregorian Chant for the Dead - Gregorian Chant for the Dead: Apud Dominum (Antiphona) - Psalmus 129
	Bujo - Bujo (Instrumental)
	Robin Hood and Maid Marian - Robin Hood and Maid Marian
	Tourdion - Tourdion

Album Summary

Traditional, Sephardic : Avrix mi galanica (Let Me In, My Love)

Anonymous, German : Ich tät mir auserwählen (I chose for myself)

Anonymous, French : Se grasse / Cum venerint / Ite missa est, motet

Desprez, Josquin : Cueurs desolez, song for 5 parts

Traditional, Croatian : Bog se rodi va Betleme

Anonymous, Italian : Biance flour

Gombert, Nicolas : Plus oultre, for 2 lutes

Sabio, Alfonso el : Work(s)

Anonymous, Dutch : Den III. ende - VI. Ronde - Quatre Branles, for ensemble ("Inden Cromhorn")

Anonymous, English Polyphony : Eya martir Stephane, carol for 2 voices

Anonymous, German : Sancta Maria wohn uns bei, hymn

Chant, Gregorian : Pascha Nostrum, alleluia in mode 7 (Mass for Easter Sunday) (GR 197)

Anonymous, German : Der Gestreifft Danntz - der Gassenhauer darauff, for lute

Anonymous, German : Untitled work, for ensemble (from D-Mbs Mus. Ms. 3154)

Anonymous, Carmina Burana : Clauso chronos, CB 73

Traditional, Sephardic : Esta montaña d'enfrente (This Mountain in Front)

Traditional, English : Greensleeves, folk song

Anonymous : Agnus Dei

Chant, Ambrosian : Venite, benedicti patris mei, introit

Traditional, Sephardic : Sa'dâwî

Anonymous, German : Mein Herz in hohen Freuden ist, hymn

Anonymous, Dutch : Den I, II. ende - III. Gaillarde, for ensemble ("Inden Cromhorn")

Chant, Ambrosian : Si quis sermonem, psallenda

Anonymous : Apud Dominum (antiphona) - Psalmus 129

Cardenal, Peire : Bujo (instrumental)

Traditional, English : Robin Hood & Maid Marian

Anonymous, French : Tourdion

Traditional, Turkish : Düdül

Anonymous, Codex Faenza : Untitled (Codex Faenza)

Arabic-Andalu, Traditional : Jalla man, hymn

Anonymous, Carmina Burana : Bacche, bene venies, CB 200

Chant, Gregorian : Alma redemptoris mater, antiphon

Anonymous, German : Alma chorus / O du arme Judas, motet

Anonymous : Den hoboecken dans

Traditional, Macedonian : Nevestinko oro

Anonymous : In nomine

Anonymous : Requiem aeternam (introitus) - Kyrie

Anonymous : Kyrie Eleison

Anonymous : Quant voi la florette, Motet

Traditional, Jewish : Keh Moshe, chant

Chant, Gregorian : Aurora lucis, hymn (for Easter)

Anonymous, Troubadour : Domna, pos vos ay chausida

Anonymous, Dutch : Den III., I. ende - VI. Ronde, for ensemble ("Inden Cromhorn")

Anonymous : Jay grant espoir

Anonymous : Greensleeves (Balcarres Lute Book)

Attaingnant, Pierre : Basse Danse "La Magdalena"

Anonymous : O Deathe, Rock Me A-Sleepe

Traditional, Sephardic : Partos trocados (Babes Exchanged)

Performers

Bernhard B�hm (Recorder)
Manuela Schenale (Voice)

Conductors

Ensembles

Composers

Reviews

Anonymous 2-CD album set

This is a 2-CD set of works composed by "Anonymous." The Naxos sleeve-notes humorously tell us that Anonymous was "The ultimate no-name composer [who] was, ironically, the most prolific, versatile, and long-lived [that] the world has ever not known." Sadly, this raises a key point about this CD set: Naxos’s notes, usually excellent, leave listeners in the dark about what instruments are used for performances. In unusual CDs like these, surely all but the most casual of listeners will want to know the names of the instruments, which sound highly unusual. Vice their customary booklet, Naxos includes only a folded sheet of paper, of which half expounds, at great length, on the contributions over the centuries of many composers, both male and female, whose names remained undocumented. Of the remaining space, 1/4 is taken up with a blurry photograph of an unidentified building and Anonymous (the name of the CD set), while 3/4 is taken up with photos of previously issued Naxos CDs. I therefore chose to do some research on a few of the more unusual songs. "Düdül" (CD 2, track 1), a traditional Turkish melody, was previously issued on 8.554064. "Jálla man" (CD 2, track 3) and "Keh Moshe" (CD 2, track 13) were previously issued on 8.557637. Several tracks were previously issued on 8.553617 ("Sephardic Romances"). Some of the Flemish dances were previously issued on 8.554425 ("At the Sign of the Crumhorn"). All of these CDs have helpful program notes about the music and the period instruments. I feel strongly that Naxos should have made an effort to include more information with this 2-CD set. One title is given incorrectly as "Den, hoboecken dans"; it is written correctly as "Den hoboecken dans" on CD 8.554425. I did not track down the other songs on this 2-CD set, but it would not surprise me to find that all of them were taken from previously issued Naxos CDs. The CDs contain a remarkably wide range of songs, composed over a wide time-span, that have obviously been gathered from many different countries. I could say something about every track, but then this critique would be 6 pages long. To my ear, the performances and recorded sound are both excellent. Summary: an enjoyable 2-CD set marred only by lack of informative program notes.
Submitted on 08/28/09 by Ted Wilks

Who was that composer?

Consider the case of Anonymous, one of the most prolific of all creative artists. A poet, playwright, painter and composer, Anonymous has been published in dozens of volumes, Anonymous� art has been displayed in museums (and on cave walls and the sides of subway trains) across the world. Anonymous is buried in cemeteries everywhere. The Anonymous this recording celebrates is the musical Anonymous, a composer who flourished in the Middle Ages and early Renaissance and who composed in many genres. Obviously we are not speaking of one composer but one of many who wrote some highly engaging music. If you put the witty conceit aside and take the recording at face value, what we have is a very well chosen compilation of early music drawn from over a dozen Naxos recordings. What makes this work is the sheer variety of musical styles. There�s lots of chant from the East and West, troubadour songs, selections from the Medieval Carmina Burana, English songs and consort music and� You name it and it is here. This kind of compilation might be too disjointed for early music purists who want to hear all of their Carmina Burana in one sequence; all of their consort music is one set, etc. No matter, it�s an interesting mix of repertoire and certainly works as a solid introduction to early music. One small cavil � it would have been a bit more user-friendly if there was something that identified the original album from which each selection was drawn but there is only so much space in liner notes. Perhaps the somewhat cute at all costs liner notes could have been trimmed some? Rest assured though, musically this is a top-notch package. The performances are all outstanding and there is plenty of music on the two discs. Perhaps not the set for a detailed exploration of a particular genre, but it is ideal if you want to enjoy Medieval Times in your living room. Wait a minute; there were no CDs in Medieval Times�Get this one anyway!
Submitted on 08/31/09 by Craig Zeichner

We Are Gathered for Anonymous Reasons

For listeners fascinated with early music, Naxos� new 2-CD compilation album of music by Anonymous, the most prolific composer in music history, might offer great value. For listeners with broader tastes in classical music, it�s a slightly excessive compilation featuring a broad spectrum of vocal and instrumental works from the 15th-17th centuries. The collection might have been more effective if edited down to a single disc with more historical notes about the music and its effect on music history. For example, one version of Greensleeves, perhaps one of the most famous Anonymous tunes, seemed adequate. The second version included on disc 2 wasn�t so distinctively unique to warrant a second track. Throughout the series, one can enjoy fascinating glimpses of almost all the seeds of Western music history: examples of sacred and secular choral forms, the evolution of polyphony, dances and chamber music, the progression of art song, and even use of dissonance and atonality. All very interesting, however in smaller doses. The brief essay included in the attractive packaging seems written to simply arouse curiosity about the elusive and mysterious Anonymous as an important figure in Western music history. The package lacks any further musical explanation about each piece. But with 48 tracks, it would have been more costly to produce a more substantial booklet of information. Perhaps the collection�s most disappointing flaw is a lack of translations of the vocal texts. The performances themselves do seem well chosen from some of the world�s finest early music artistes and ensembles; but listening to this voluminous collection is much like taking a cursory stroll through a rather packed museum without learning a whole lot about the art inside. If you are producing an interesting play, scoring an artistic film, teaching a music history course, or simply curious about early Anonymous music, you might find this set useful.
Submitted on 09/19/09 by LStreby

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