ANONYMOUS

$12.99 (COMPACT DISC)

Link to this COMPACT DISC

Avrix mi galanica (Let Me in, My Love) (more info)
Composed by: na Not Applicable
Conducted by: Thomas Wimmer


1. Avrix mi galanica (Let Me in, My Love) - 03:21


Ich tat mir auserwahlen (I chose for myself) (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Bernhard Bohm


2. Ich tat mir auserwahlen (I chose for myself) - 02:11


Mass of Tournai: Se grasse - Cum venerint - Ite missa est (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Antony Pitts


3. Mass of Tournai: Se grasse - Cum venerint - Ite missa est - 01:32


Cueurs desolez (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


4. Cueurs desolez - 03:44


Bog se rodi va Betleme (more info)
Composed by: Traditional


5. Bog se rodi va Betleme - 03:56


Codex Faenza: Biance flour (arr. Ensemble Unicorn) (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Michael Posch


6. Codex Faenza: Biance flour (arr. Ensemble Unicorn) - 03:30


Plus oultre (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Patrick Denecker


7. Plus oultre - 02:40


Pilgrim Songs from the Monastery of Montserrat (1400-1420): Cantiga de Santa Maria No. 77-119 (more info)
Composed by: na Not Applicable
Conducted by: Michael Posch
Belinda Sykes, contralto


8. Pilgrim Songs from the Monastery of Montserrat (1400-1420): Cantiga de Santa Maria No. 77-119 - 02:22


Den III Ronde - Den VI Ronde - Les quatre Branles (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


9. Den III Ronde Den VI Ronde - Les quatre Branles - 02:54


Eya mater Stephane (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Jeremy Summerly


10. Eya mater Stephane - 00:02:38


Sancta Maria wohn uns bei (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


11. Sancta Maria wohn uns bei - 02:36


Alleluia. Pascha nostrum (more info)
Composed by: na Not Applicable
Conducted by: Alessio Randon


12. Alleluia. Pascha nostrum - 02:33


Der gestreifft Dantz - Gassenhauer (The strummed dance - Popular melody) (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Bernhard Bohm


13. Der gestreifft Dantz - Gassenhauer (The strummed dance - Popular melody) - 02:04


Instrumental piece from D-Mbs Mus. Ms. 3154 (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


14. Instrumental piece from D-Mbs Mus. Ms. 3154 - 01:42


Carmina Burana: Clauso Cronos (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


15. Carmina Burana: Clauso Cronos - 03:07


Esta montana d'enfrente (This Mountain in Front) (more info)
Composed by: na Not Applicable
Conducted by: Thomas Wimmer


16. Esta montana d'enfrente - 03:33


Greensleeves (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Graham Derrick


17. Greensleeves - 01:13


Mass of Tournai: Agnus Dei (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


18. Mass of Tournai: Agnus Dei - 01:41


Venite, benedicti (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Alberto Turco
Manuela Schenale, soprano


19. Venite, benedicti - 01:46


Sa'dawi (more info)
Composed by: na Not Applicable
Conducted by: Thomas Wimmer


20. Sa'dawi - 02:08


Mein Herz in hohen Freuden ist (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


21. Mein Herz in hohen Freuden ist - 02:36


Gaillarde I - II - III (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


22. Gaillarde I - II - III - 02:02


Si quis sermonem (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Alberto Turco
Manuela Schenale, soprano


23. Si quis sermonem - 01:25


Gregorian Chant for the Dead: Apud Dominum (Antiphona) - Psalmus 129 (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Alessio Randon


24. Gregorian Chant for the Dead: Apud Dominum (Antiphona) - Psalmus 129 - 04:21


Bujo (Instrumental) (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Michael Posch
Peter Rabanser, bagpipe


25. Bujo (Instrumental) - 02:44


Robin Hood and Maid Marian (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Graham Derrick


26. Robin Hood and Maid Marian - 04:29


Tourdion (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Bernhard Bohm


27. Tourdion - 01:23

Dudul (more info)
Composed by: Traditional


1. Dudul - 02:38


Codex Faenza: Untitled (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Michael Posch


2. Codex Faenza: Untitled - 02:20


Jalla man (Traditional Andalusian School) (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


3. Jalla man (Traditional Andalusian School) - 04:07


Bache, bene venies (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


4. Bache, bene venies - 05:55


Alma redemptoris mater (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Jeremy Summerly


5. Alma redemptoris mater - 00:06:26


Alma chorus - O du arme Judas (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


6. Alma chorus - O du arme Judas - 02:18


Den hoboecken dans (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


7. Den hoboecken dans - 01:47


Nevestinko oro (more info)
Composed by: Traditional


8. Nevestinko oro - 03:17


In Nomine (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


9. In Nomine - 03:50


Gregorian Chant for the Dead: Requiem aeternam (Introitus) - Kyrie (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Alessio Randon


10. Gregorian Chant for the Dead: Requiem aeternam (Introitus) - Kyrie - 03:53


Kyrie eleison (Christian-Arabic Tradition, Lebanon) (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


11. Kyrie eleison (Christian-Arabic Tradition, Lebanon) - 03:17


Pilgrim Songs from the Monastery of Montserrat (1400-1420): Quant voi la flor novele (more info)
Composed by: na Not Applicable
Conducted by: Michael Posch
Belinda Sykes, contralto


12. Pilgrim Songs from the Monastery of Montserrat (1400-1420): Quant voi la flor novele - 04:01


Keh Moshe (Traditional Jewish, 12th century) (more info)
Composed by: Traditional


13. Keh Moshe (Traditional Jewish, 12th century) - 01:46


Aurora lucis (hymnus) (more info)
Composed by: na Not Applicable
Conducted by: Alessio Randon


14. Aurora lucis (hymnus) - 02:28


Domna, pos vos ay chausida (Instrumental) (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Michael Posch


15. Domna, pos vos ay chausida (Instrumental) - 02:25


Ronde IV - I - VI (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous


16. Ronde IV - I - VI - 02:28


Codex Faenza: Jay grant espoir (arr. Ensemble Unicorn) (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Michael Posch


17. Codex Faenza: Jay grant espoir (arr. Ensemble Unicorn) - 02:48


Greensleeves (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Graham Derrick


18. Greensleeves - 02:25


Basse Danse, "La Magdalena" (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Conducted by: Bernhard Bohm


19. Basse Danse, "La Magdalena" - 02:51


O Death, rock me asleep (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous
Catherine King, mezzo-soprano


20. O Death, rock me asleep - 04:24


Partos trocados (Babes Exchanged) (more info)
Composed by: na Not Applicable
Conducted by: Thomas Wimmer


21. Partos trocados (Babes Exchanged) - 05:54

Reviews

We Are Gathered for Anonymous Reasons (Sep 19, 2009)
Reviewer:Lee Streby
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... 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.
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Who was that composer? (Aug 31, 2009)
Reviewer:Craig Zeichner
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... 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!
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(Aug 10, 2009)
Reviewer:Ted Wilks
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... 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.
Naxos db 8.578044-45 (read more)


What a novel idea! (Jul 30, 2009)
Reviewer:Uncle Dave Lewis/ allmusic.com
Under the aegis of Naxos producer Colin J. Rae and annotator Dean Brierly, here is a two-disc compilation dedicated to the works of the most prolific composer of all time: Anonymous. There are lots of reasons why musical works come down through history without attribution; in the earliest days of notation, sacred compositions themselves were viewed as being the result of a collective for a... Under the aegis of Naxos producer Colin J. Rae and annotator Dean Brierly, here is a two-disc compilation dedicated to the works of the most prolific composer of all time: Anonymous. There are lots of reasons why musical works come down through history without attribution; in the earliest days of notation, sacred compositions themselves were viewed as being the result of a collective for a collective purpose, and it was rare for a composer — or even a scribe — to affix his or her name to such a production. As musical works became associated more definitively with the hands that crafted them, the names gradually began to appear, though it was a long process and Anonymous works are still relatively common into the seventeenth century; it took a long time for the cult of the composer in Western music to become truly established. Music publishing had an important effect on this development because it was discovered that a work attached to a composer's name — particularly that of a successful composer — was more commercial than one that didn't have a composer at all. This led to a cottage industry of Anonymous music attributed to big name composers — Franz Joseph Haydn was a frequent victim of the practice — who had never seen the scores appearing under their names.

But in this release, Naxos doesn't take the story quite so far; electing to end its survey of Anonymous at about 1700, and indeed, by this time the named composer was pretty much the rule of law; in manuscript copies a name was supplied to works — often wrongly — even if there was no name known. By virtue of restricting to such compass — mainly the Medieval and Renaissance eras — Naxos is able to showcase its wide variety of outstanding offerings in regard to music of these periods. The sequencing of the 48 Anonymous works presented is pleasant and easy to follow, and the performers represented are for the most part truly great ones — Tonus Peregrinus, Ensemble Unicorn, Oni Wytars Ensemble, Rose Consort of Viols, and so forth. The only real shortcomings of the modest package — which fetches a price point of two for the cost of a disc and a half — is that we are not informed which albums the tracks are taken from, and the detailed tracklisting on the back of the jewel case is printed in a very small typeface that's hard to read. The titles and timings listing on the back of the outer slipcase is a little easier to read, but that of course doesn't tell us who is performing what; nevertheless, this time it didn't have to be cluttered up with a lot of composer names! An amusing liner note, provided by Brierly, posits a "biography" for Anonymous in a slightly tongue-in-cheek manner that is delightful and amusing. While we may never know who wrote the music on Naxos' Anonymous, it serves its purpose well as a quirky yet comprehensive collection of Naxos' early music recordings and is a bounty of music to boot.
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