1 1. John Barleycorn Anonymous

2. In a Garden so Green Anonymous

3. Mr. Dowland’s Midnight John Dowland (1563-1626)

4. Fortune my Foe John Dowland

5. My Lady Hunsdon’s Puffe John Dowland

6. Come Again John Dowland

7. Henry Martyn Anonymous

8. Lully lulle Anonymous

9. Solus cum Sola John Dowland

10. M. George Whitehead, His Almand John Dowland

11. Twa Corbies Anonymous

12. Woods so Wild William Byrd (1543-1623)

13. Ddoi di dai Anonymous Tracks 2, 7, 8, 11, 13 & 14 arranged by Brian Kay Tracks 3, 4, 5, 9 & 10 arranged by Ray Nurse and Ronn McFarlane 14. Nottamun Town Anonymous Track 6 arranged by Brian Kay, Ronn McFarlane and Ray Nurse Tracks 1 & 12 arranged by Ronn McFarlane.

2 What is folk music, what is art (with the happy and fervent partic- have come back to the comfort music; is there some difference? ipation by the “art” composers, level of the late Renaissance. This is an idea that has been like Sibelius). Where would our There may have been some debated (fruitlessly, it could be own American musical life be distinction, but there was no argued) over the centuries. had not Charles Seeger taken his discomfort in arranging a popular wife and his baby Pete (and that ditty of the day in any way that Some see the so-called rise of car and proto-trailer hitch) on struck a composers’ fancy. interest in folk music to be a a journey to the Southlands to We could ask, to what extent product of the nationalism of the “bring music to the people?” As Romantic era. In this narrative, did the brooding and brilliant is so often the case, and as Pete John Dowland absorb popular as European nation-building himself often said, he learned Brian Kay evolved in the age of revolu- dances and old songs and simply vocals, lute & komuz more than he taught. tions, organized collecting of oral rearrange them? We could see traditions becomes another way It is interesting to know that the these forms as a platform on Ronn McFarlane best-selling music book of the which he built wonders. We lute of forging a national identity. In a vast arc that includes Robert 1700s was Corelli’s Opus 5 Trio could also see him as an inventor, Willard Morris Burns and his hugely popular Sonatas. The beloved Italian was breaking out of the structures of colascione celebration of Scottish song, a legitimate “art” composer. It is the past. The greatest geniuses in through Zoltán Kodály 120 years also very pungent to think that art happily embody all sources, all Mattias Rucht the best-selling music book of contradictions. percussion later taking a cylinder phonograph to rural villages, “songs of the entire 1800s was Thomas William Byrd was one of those, the people” became somehow Moore’s Irish Melodies; he was and thinking about how T.S. separated from music composed partly inspired by ”art” composers Eliot separated genius by those by people who were (to put it who had set folk songs before who concentrated on one thing crassly) paid for their efforts. him, Haydn and Beethoven most (Wagner, say, or for us, Dowland) famously. The collectors of the Finnish versus the universalists who Kalevala knew this was the core And now, in our time: what is mastered many things, Byrd was not only of a national identity but folk, what is art? In the case of surely in the latter camp. The also of a free and distinct country the recording before you, we may Catholic recusant who inherited

3 the exclusive music publishing when Butterworth was killed in One Morning (DSL-92111). These much speculation as to the exact rights in Queen Elizabeth’s action at the Somme, Cecil Sharp are the ideal example of how a meaning of the odd and obscure England after the death of his was recording songs of our own so-called old instrument (some story; there is a lot of this mystery master Thomas Tallis could mountain people. have even said obsolete, and at in the folk tradition, and there is literally compose in any form; that The early music movement gave one time abandoned) can take on a a lot of this in poetry itself. When among many folk songs, he chose a great boost to the relevance living and vital relevance. the song was new and fresh, a favorite of Henry VIII (and a and quality of the folk song, and The ensemble blends the “art” and these images surely had profound song quoted by Dowland in “Can Alfred Deller and his Consort “folk” traditions so organically, impact, and those first singers She Excuse My Wrongs”, setting often performed the Vaughan we are reminded how artificial knew it and would sing it with Robert Devereux’s plea for favor Williams settings in their concerts. such a separation actually is. that passion that only knowers from Elizabeth when he had fallen “John Barleycorn,” the witty view can know. It may be that passion, from grace) is telling on many In the late ‘60s, many things if not the unknown and secret were born. The British Folk Rock of brewing as an act of torture and levels. He set fourteen variations abuse, is so perfect that Vaughan meaning, that has kept the song in his keyboard version, and knew movement, as it was called, was alive so long. one. Trying to decide “how it Williams himself wondered if well the first chapter of Matthew: it may have been created by “Twa Corbies,” the Scottish “So all the generations from started” is actually a little silly; victory has a thousand fathers, “an antiquarian revivalist,” who version of “The Three Ravens,” Abraham to David are fourteen then saw it pass “into popular was a Steeleye Span specialty generations…” after all. But there is no doubt that Fairport Convention, Steeleye currency and become ‘folklo- (as well as being an Alfred We may be more familiar with Span, Pentangle, the Incredible rised’.” Many in the folk-rock Deller favorite). Death was more the re-popularization of so-called String Band, and their many movement recorded the song, immediate and more present to folk music in our own country. fellows introduced generations to most prominently the group the singers of traditional song; In pre-World War I England, we music of the tradition. And, they Traffic in their album named for it still may be so. In any event, have the incomparable work of did it well. Not incidentally, they the song itself. mementi mori, reminders of our Francis James Child and his 305 and their individual members “Nottamun Town” was recorded eventual end, are everywhere in ballads of blood and woe, tragedy often performed and recorded by Fairport, and even more the tradition. and loss, haunting and (in every “early music” as well. famously with new lyrics in Bob The dying knight in the Corpus once a while) happy endings. The Dylan’s “Masters of War”— Christi Carol (“Lully lulle, the great Cecil Sharp brought back It was a happy unity of many things. Ayreheart inherits that following in the ancient broadside falcon”) tended by the maid knew Morris Dancing and put the young tradition of adding new lyrics to well of these songs. Is it simply George Butterworth and Ralph tradition wonderfully. Ronn McFarlane has given us two discs an old tune. Is it really medieval? a medieval allegory for the death Vaughan Williams to work in the We can’t even pin down a tune of Christ? Is the falcon attached Fen Country gathering songs. on Sono Luminus of his own original work on lute, Indigo Road like “Greensleeves,” so we may to Catherine of Aragon during her During the war, Sharp came never really know. There is exile, or later to Anne Boleyn, over to the Appalachians, and (DSL-90701), and with Ayreheart

4 whose emblem was that bird? Was Portuguese ships for James it really “first found by an appren- IV. His ship was captured, and tice grocer named Richard Hill he was killed in 1511 by the in a manuscript written around Howard brothers (Sir Edward and 1504”? The version Vaughan Thomas), acting on behalf of the Williams collected featured young Henry VIII. the Virgin Mary sitting by the “In a Garden So Green” may bedside; Peter Warlock set it as date back to 1682 in a Scottish a memorial to those who died in collection of Songs & Fancies, World War I. Jeff Buckley gave it but it also takes us back 25 years meaning and relevance to a new to the early days of the wonderful generation. Maybe rather than Baltimore Consort, and one of thinking we can “know” about this their popular Scottish projects mysterious and wonderful work, (also on Dorian) On the Banks of let’s just rejoice that it exists. Brian Kay recorded with record labels Avie Helicon (DOR-90139). vocals, lute, komuz and Sono Luminus, topped the The New World Renaissance Billboard charts twice this year, Ronn McFarlane was true to Brian Kay is a modern-day Band used to perform “Ddoi di and has recorded two acoustic his ancestry then, and has kept troubadour. A critically acclaimed Dai,” and to them it was “a lament solo albums; Ocean (2013) that flame alive in creative and singer and instrumentalist, Brian for David (Daffydd ap Gruffydd), and Three Ravens (2015). He newly-evolving ways with performs throughout the US, the last independent Prince of performs with Apollo’s Fire, Ayreheart. Is it art music? Is it both as a solo artist, and with a Wales who was executed by Ayreheart, Hesperus, Twa folk? Could it possibly matter number of esteemed ensembles. Edward “Longshanks” in 1283.” Corbies, and is a founding less? His concerts have been hailed as For our version, special thanks member of the early music Barley Moon is music that is born “Far-ranging”, “Brilliant”, and is owed to Diane Owen of the improvisation group Divisio. St. David Society for this superb of what has come, but leads us “Exciting” (Cleveland.com). Mr. Kay has lectured at Yale translation. into where we can go: old forms He has been featured at distin- University, The Peabody Conser- born anew, and ever fresh. guished venues such as Carnegie “Henry Martyn” puts us on solid vatory, Johns Hopkins Univer- — Robert Aubry Davis Hall, The Kennedy Center, ground (if out to sea, as it were): sity, The Maltz Center, and Shriver Hall, and The Boston this happens to be Child Ballad Baldwin-Wallace College to name Early Music Festival. His live 167, recorded by everyone from a few. He was Artist in Residence radio appearances include NPR, Burl Ives to Donovan, and tells at the Cushman School in Miami Baltimore’s WYPR, Baltimore’s the story of the Scottish privateer in 2012 and has done outreach 98ROCK, Boston’s WGBH, Sir Andrew Barton who raided for elementary schools, middle and Cleveland’s WCLV. He has

5 schools, and high schools across complete lute music of Vivaldi, pocket change as a pit orchestra at the age of twelve and began the country. In May 2013, Brian and a collection of Elizabethan musician for operas and musicals. playing in southern rock bands brought music to Plymouth Prison lute music and poetry, with Having become enamored with at the age of fifteen. By college, in Massachusetts. spoken word by Robert Aubry jazz as a teenager, he founded a he had advanced to jazz fusion. Davis. In recent years, Ronn has jazz fusion group. After a decade Mattias has been involved in been engaged in composing new of hard bass playing Willard gave multimedia development for many Ronn McFarlane music for the lute, building on the the bass a rest to relieve stresses years. He has composed music for lute tradition of the lutenist/composers on the hands and focus solely animation, games, film & video GRAMMY®-nominated lutenist of past centuries. His original on the violin and string quartet and has had a computer based and composer, Ronn McFarlane compositions are the focus of composition. During this time he studio since 1984. At one point, strives to bring the lute - the his solo CD, Indigo Road, which put his electric violin to work in a all the instruments that he used most popular instrument of received a GRAMMY® Award variety of live performing bands were MIDI and electronic. Around the Renaissance - into today’s Nomination for Best Classical and studio recordings. In 2009 2002, Mattias started listening musical mainstream and make it Crossover Album. Willard took up the bass again to some of the masters of world accessible to a wider audience. At to develop original music with percussion and what they were thirteen, upon hearing “Wipeout” Ronn McFarlane which combined doing with acoustic instruments. by the Surfaris, he fell wildly Willard Morris the ancient lute with the modern A simple tambourine or djembe in love with music and taught colascione electric bass, percussion and could be more expressive than himself to play on a “cranky When bitten by the classical vocalist which became the group a rack of electronic instruments. sixteen-dollar steel-string guitar.” music bug at 10 years of age, Ayreheart. Recently he has taken This sparked his interest in world Ronn kept at it, playing blues the violin became the first in a on yet another instrument - the percussion and getting back to and rock music on the electric long line of instruments taken colascione, a bass cousin of the basics. Since then, he has discov- guitar while studying classical up by Willard and still remains lute. ered the joy of ethnic percussion guitar. He graduated with honors ever close to his heart. It was and world music, bringing a wide from Shenandoah Conservatory through the violin that he studied range of influences to his playing and continued guitar studies at classical music. As a teenager he Mattias Rucht style. Mattias Rucht has been Peabody Conservatory before took up piano, flute, saxophone, percussion active in the Washington DC turning his full attention and mandolin, guitar and learned Mattias Rucht has been immersed music scene for over 25 years as energy to the lute in 1978. He has how to play bass so that he could in music his entire life. His father a drummer/percussionist, playing over 35 recordings on the Dorian/ join the high school jazz band was a symphony conductor and in various rock, jazz, folk and Sono Luminus label, including in which great strides of music his mother was a pianist. His first world ensembles. He has also solo albums, lute duets, flute & study and composition developed, playground was in the midst of performed in theatrical produc- lute duets, lute songs, recordings all the while keeping active as the orchestra and behind the stage. tions and accompanied dancers with the Baltimore Consort, the a classical violinist and earning He started playing the drum-set and storytellers.

6 SONG TEXTS And the tinker he can’t mend kettles nor pots without a And only serve the sorrows due to me: little barleycorn. Sorrow, hereafter, thou shalt my Mistress be. John Barleycorn There were three men came out of the west, their fortunes In A Garden So Green Come Again for to try, In a garden so green, in a May morening Come again: sweet love doth now invite And these three men made a solemn vow; heard I my lady pleen of paramours. Thy graces that refrain John Barleycorn must die. Said she, my love so sweet, come you not yet nor yet? To do me due delight, They plowed, they sowed, they harrowed him in, Heght you not me to meet amongst the flowrs? To see, to hear, to touch, to kiss, to die, Threw clods upon his head, Elore, Elore, I love my lusty love, Elore lo. With thee again in sweetest sympathy. And these three men made a solemn vow; John Barleycorn was dead. The skies upspringis, the dew down dingis, Come again that I may cease to mourn the sweet larks singis their hours of prime. Through thy unkind disdain, They let him lie for a very long time, ‘til the rains from Phoebus upsprentius, joy to rest wentis For now left and forlorn: heaven did fall, lost mine intent is and gone’s the time, I sit, I sigh, I weep, I faint, I die And little Sir John sprung up his head and so amazed Elore, Elore, I love my lusty love, Elore lo. In deadly pain and endless misery. them all, They let him stand ‘til the Midsummer’s Day, ‘til he Danger my dead is, false fortune my feid is, All the day the sun that lends me shine looked both pale and wan, langour my leed is, and hope I despair. By frowns do cause me pine And little Sir John he grew a long long beard and so Disdaine my desyris, so strangeness my feir is, And feeds me with delay: become a man. deceit out of weir is, adew I fare. Her smiles, my springs that makes my joys to grow, Elore, Elore, I love my lusty love, Elore lo. Her frowns the winters of my woe. They hired men with the scythes so sharp to cut him off at the knee, Then to my lady swyth did I my presence kyth. All the night my sleeps are full of dreams, They rolled him and tied him by the waist, serving him Saying, My bird be blyth, am I not yours? My eyes are full of streams, most barbarously, So in my arms two did I my lusty jo My heart takes no delight: They hired men with the sharp pitchforks who pricked And kiss her tymis mo then night hes hours, To see the fruits and joys that some do find him to the heart, Elore, Elore, I love my lusty love, Elore lo. And mark the storms are me assign’d. And the loader he served him worse than that, for he bound him to the cart. Fortune Out alas, thy faith is ever true, Fortune, my foe, why dost thou frown on me? Yet will she never rue They hired men with the crabtree sticks to cut him skin And will thy favors never brighter be? Nor yield me any grace; from bone, Wilt thou, I say, forever breed my pain? Her eyes of fire, her heart of flint is made, And the miller he served him worse than that, for he And wilt thou not restore my joys again? Whom tears nor truth may once invade. ground him between two stones. In vain I sigh, in vain I wail and weep, Gentle Love, draw forth thy wounding dart, And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl and whisky in In vain my eyes refrain from quiet sleep; Thou canst not pierce her heart; the glass, In vain I shed my tears both night and day; For I, that do approve And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl proved the In vain my love my sorrows do bewray. By sighs and tears more hot than are thy shafts strongest man at last, Did tempt while she for triumph laughs. And the huntsman he can’t hunt the fox nor so loudly to Then will I leave my love in Fortune’s hands, blow his horn, My dearest love, in most unconstant bands,

7 Henry Martyn Sad news to old England came, There were three brothers in merry Scotland. Sad news to fair London Town, In merry Scotland there were three, There’s been a rich vessel and she’s cast away, And they did cast lots which of them should go, And all of the merry men drown’d in the sea. and turn to pirate all on the salt sea. Lully Lulle The lot it fell first to Henry Martyn, Lully lulle, the falcon hath born my mak away The youngest of all the three, He bare him off, he bare him down For to turn robber all on the salt sea, He bare him into an orchard brown For to maintain his two brothers and he. Lully lulle, the falcon hath born my mak away

He had not been sailing but a long winter’s night, In that orchard there was an hall And part of a short winter’s day, That was hanged with purple and pall When he espied a slow lofty ship, In that hall there was a bed Come a’bibbin down on him straight way. That was hanged with gold so red Lully lulle, the falcon hath born my mak away “Hello, Hello!” cried Henry Martyn, “What makes you sail so nigh?” In that bed there lyeth a knight “I’m a rich merchant ship bound for fair London Town, His wound is bleeding day and night Will you not please for to let me pass by?” By his bedside kneeleth a maid She weepeth both night and day “Oh nay, Oh nay” cried Henry Martyn, Lully lulle, the falcon hath born my mak away “This thing it never can be, For I am to pirate along the salt sea, By his bedside standeth the stone For to maintain my two brothers and me.” Corpus Christi written thereon Lully lulle, the falcon hath born my mak away “So come lower your topsail and slacken your mezz’n, And bring your ship under our lead, Twa Corbies Or we will give to you a full cannon ball, As I was walking all alane, And all of your merry men drown’d in the sea.” I spied twa corbies makin a mane; The tane unto the ither did say-o, “We won’t lower our topsail nor slacken our mezz’n, “Whar sall we gang and dine the-day-o?” Nor bring our ship under your lead, “Doun by yon auld fail dyke, And you won’t give to us your full cannonball, There lies a new slain knight; Nor all of our merry men drown’d in the sea.” And nane do ken that he lies there-o, But his hound, his hawk an his lady fair-o.” So up him and at him he went, “His hound is tae the huntin gane, For fully two hours or three, His hawk tae fetch the wild-fowl hame, Till Henry Martyn gave to them the death shot, His lady’s tain anither mate, And all of the merry men drown’d in the sea. So we may mak oor dinner swate.” “Ye’ll sit on his white hause-bane,

8 And I’ll pike oot his bonny blue een; (translation) I climbed back again, Wi ae lock o his yellow hair-o Will you come (home), David, among the flowers? Will And on my ten toes I rode over the bend. We’ll theek oor nest whan it grows bare-o.” you come David? “Mony a one for him makes mane, Will you come (home), David, among the flowers? Will In Nottamun Town, But nane sall ken whar he is gane; you come David? Not a soul to be seen, Oer his white banes, whan they are bare-o, Here is a little flower, crying Not a soul would look up, The wind sall blaw for evermair.” the color of one that lately abided Not a soul would look down, Golden tears are on its cheek. Do you see, David? To show me the way to fair Nottamun Town. (translation) As I was walking all alone, Who will plant the wild flowers? Do you know, David? I saw three crows (or ravens) making a moan; Who will plant the wild flowers? Do you know, David? One said to the other, My father owns the Rose and Tansy Thanks “Where shall we go and dine today?” He and I planted them. Special thanks to Ray Nurse for permission to “In behind that old turf wall, But, the meadow flowers, who will plant those? Do you use and rework his lute trio arrangements of There lies a newly slain knight; know, David? And no one knows that he lies there, the John Dowland pieces on this album. But his hawk, his hound and his lady fair.” Nottamun Town “His hound is to the hunting gone, In Nottamun Town, His hawk to fetch the wild-fowl home, Not a soul to be seen, Get more information about Ayreheart at His lady has taken another mate, Not a soul would look up, ayreheart.com. So we may make our dinner sweet.” Not a soul would look down, “You will sit on his white neck-bone, To show me the way to fair Nottamun Town. And I’ll peck out his pretty blue eyes; With one lock of his yellow hair The King and the Queen, We’ll thatch our nest when it grows bare.” And the company more, “Many a one for him is moaning, They came from behind, But no one will know where he is gone; And marching before, Over his white bones, when they are bare, A stark naked drummer, The wind will blow for evermore.” Come beating his drum, His hands in his pockets came marching along. Ddoi Di Dai Ddoi di Dai i blith dy flodau? Ddoi di Dai? I had an old horse, Ddoi di Dai i blith dy flodau? Ddoi di Dai? She was called the grey mare, Dyma flodyn bach yn wylo Grey mane and grey tail, Lliw un hwyrach wedi ei ddrigo Green stripe down her back, Dagrau aur sydd ar ei rudd o. Weld di Dai? There was no hair on her but what was coal black.

Pwy fy’r plannu’r blodau gwylltion? Wy’st di Dai? She stood stark still, Pwy fy’r plannu’r blodau gwylltion? Wy’st di Dai? Threw me to the dirt, Nhad sy’bua’r Rhos a’r Tansi She tore at my hyde, Fo a fi fy’yn eu plannu and bruis’d my shirt, Bodau’r ddol, pwy blannodd rheini? Wy’st di Dai? From saddle to stirrup,

9 Ayreheart Barley Moon DSL-92203

Producer: Dan Merceruio Recording, Mixing & Mastering Engineer: Daniel Shores Recording Technician: David Angell Editing Engineers: Dan Merceruio, Daniel Shores Photography: James F. Carr (front cover, pp. 2 & 5), Strider Jordan (pp. 3, 8 & 9) Graphic Design: Caleb Nei Executive Producer: Collin J. Rae

Recorded at Sono Luminus Studios, Boyce, Virginia — May 26-29, 2015. sonoluminusstudios.com Recorded with Merging Technologies Horus. Mastered with Merging Technologies Hapi. Recorded in DXD at 24 bit, 352.8kHz in Auro 9.1 Immersive Audio. Mixed and mastered on Legacy Audio speakers. legacyaudio.com

p & m 2016 Sono Luminus, LLC. All Rights Reserved. PO Box 227, Boyce, VA 22620, USA sonoluminus.com • [email protected] WARNING: Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited by law and will result in criminal prosecution.

10