RipMeister Music Publications

Five newly-composed settings of early melodies, each with its original source:  
18th-century Welsh lullaby Suo Gân; Questa dolce sirena, by Giovanni Gastoldi (c.1554 - 1609); O Darkest Woe, 17th-century German tenebrae hymn; The Third Tune for Archbishop Parker's Psalter, Thomas Tallis (c.1505 - 1585), entirely plucked & strummed; and Farewell dear love, Robert Jones (fl.1597 - 1615), plucked & bowed.  

The haunting canonic melody is played by the viol and echoed by the keyboard over a descending "ground" bassline.  From Purcell's tragicomic semi-opera The Prophetess, or The History of Dilclesian (London, 1690). 

Originally composed for guitar, this lively 6/8-time Spanish piece was inspired by indigenous dance of the Canary Islands.  Gaspar Sanz (c.1640-1710) was a guitarist, composer, and priest who first published this in Instruccion de Musica (Livre 1), 1674.

Here, Bach hands us a lesson in Baroque ornamentation by embellishing his own melody (the well-known "Arioso" from BWV 156).  In his later work, BWV 1056, Bach created a highly decorated version of the same melody.  This arrangement for advanced bass viol (viola da gamba) combines the original and ornamented melodies accompanied by keyboard (organ, harpsichord, or possibly lute). 

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