Playlists
Welcome to the Continuo Connect playlist selection, where curated collections of Early Music invite you to explore the depth and diversity of the genre. Whether you are deepening your appreciation or discovering new repertoire, these selections provide an engaging gateway into historical performance.
Explore the full offering of playlists and recordings on Continuo Connect.
Journey through the Night
This playlist takes you on a journey through the night. Featuring music from the Renaissance to the Classical period, it traces the passing of time though the dark hours and explores different aspects of night portrayed in music. It touches upon music for compline - for the ending of the day - by English tudor composers and visits France with music by Lully from his opera Atys, featuring a character Sommeil, the god of sleep. Mozart's wind serenades offer music for celebration after dark and Haydn's programmatic Symphony No.8 'Le Soir' is also included. Finally, songs by English composers such as Purcell and Dowland are interspersed throughout.
Listen to Journey through the Night playlist.
Heritage and Identity
This playlist surveys the relationship between folk music and early music through arrangements and the sharing of sound-worlds. It features folk tunes adopted by classical composers such as Byrd, Taverner and Josquin, and arrangements of English, Scottish and Welsh folk songs by Haydn and Beethoven. We visit Ireland through Irlandiani's two albums exploring the musical climate of Dublin in the 18th century, the Italian-Irish musical connections there at the time, and the compelling sound-worlds that can be accessed through the combination of period and folk instruments and instrumentalists. Finally, the playlist takes us to Andalusia to trace the origins of the Flamenco tradition, with tracks from Lux Musicae London's forthcoming album Secrets of Andalusia, supported by a grant from Continuo Foundation.
Listen to Heritage and Identity playlist.
The Art of Variation
This playlist traces the development of variation form, from its origins in the 16th century to the height of the Baroque. The earliest published example of music in a variation form comes from Spain: Luis Narváez's wrote his Diferencias for vihuela in 1538. Next on the list, we explore the division - a form of variation common in Renaissance viol music, in which the rhythmic beat is successively divided into smaller and smaller values. We then visit William Byrd and his variations for keyboard and John Dowland's stunning Lachrymae Pavans. Two masterpieces of the chaconne form by Monteverdi and Purcell feature next before finally arriving at J.S Bach's compositional masterpiece - and arguably one of the best variation sets ever written - his Goldberg Variations, published in 1741.
Listen to The Art of Variation playlist.
Jewels of the French Baroque
This playlist explores the jewels of French Baroque music, from well-known names such as Rameau and Lully, to rarely-heard gems by lesser known composers. It provides glimpses into the elegant and graceful world of 17th Century Paris.
The selection of tracks delves into the sound worlds of unusual instruments which were popular in France at the time. Hear the enchanting sound of the Pardessus de Viol - the Woman's violin and the highest member of the viol family in music by Jean Barrière, Louis de Caix d'Hervelois and others. Explore the charming sound of the musette - raised to 'high art' status by King Louis XIV - in a recording by Baroque in the North of music by Hotteterre and Chédeville.
Listen to Jewels of the French Baroque playlist.
Explore more on Continuo Connect.