Think Henry VIII and the music he would have heard – and probably played himself. On Saturday 14th March at 7.30pm, visitors to Ordsall Parish Hall will have the opportunity to hear this music brought to life. De Mowbray’s Musicke will be performing on up to 17 different medieval instruments, all of which are illustrated in the side columns of the Luttrell Psalter.
The Psalter is an illuminated manuscript commissioned by Sir Geoffrey Luttrell, Lord of the Manor of Irnham in Lincolnshire, between 1325 and 1335. A copy of the Psalter will be on display so that many of the instruments played by the group can be seen in the original illustrations. At one of their Live & Local performances – the organisation that supports shows in Ordsall and elsewhere – a comment from the audience summed it up perfectly: ‘So many fabulous instruments – what a treat.’
Some of the instruments were mentioned in last month’s article. To add to that list are the curtal, rauschpfeife, citole and gittern, to name but a few. The group perform in a wide variety of settings, from streets and woodland to dances in the Yorkshire Dales. Ordsall is privileged to host De Mowbray’s Musicke for this special evening. Alongside their music, they weave in stories and song, creating an engaging and atmospheric performance.
Tickets are £16.00 for adults and £7.00 for under-17s, which includes interval food. They are available from Peter on 07951 253343 or 01777 706433, by email at thomas_peterf@hotmail.com, or from Alison on 01777 700220. The Parish Hall is accessible and has a small car park.
Looking ahead, on Saturday 25th April the Hall will host a concert featuring local musicians, singers and dramatists, who will perform pieces from their repertoires to create an entertaining and varied programme. More details will appear in the April issue. Tickets will again be available from the numbers above.