Martha's Dragon  /  Cantiga

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Cantiga
2004

[48:09]










1. Cantiga 108   [5:05]   CSM  108

2. Martha's Dragon   [5:09]   Bob Bielefeld

3. Andaluz   [5:45]   Medieval Andalusian melody

4. Skillywidden   [5:39]   Malcolm Smith

5. Valle de lo Alto   [3:47]   Conrado García

6. White Petticoat a la Turk   [3:10]   Traditional

7. Bourees   [3:09]   Michael Praetorius

8. Spagnoletta   [3:39]   Michael Praetorius

9. Branle de Bourgogne   [2:16]

10. Eres Águeda gloriosa   [3:27]

11. Fischiettando   [3:10]   Traditional

12. Argeers   [3:53]   Traditional





Recorded and mastered in Houston, Texas
Produced by Max Dyer and Cantiga

© 2004 Cantiga

Notes for the tunes on "Martha's Dragon":

1. CANTIGA 108
This cantiga, a 13th century song from Alfonso X's 'Cantigas de Santa Maria' tells a bizarre story involving Merlin the Magician, a Jewish wise man and Santa Maria.

2. MARTHA'S DRAGON
St. Martha is known for taming, not for slaying her dragon. This tune was written by Bob Bielefeld in the early 1990's.

3. ANDALUZ
A medieval Andalusian melody brought to light by Julián Ribera y Tarragó (1858-1934).

4. SKILLYWIDDEN
Part of our legacy from Cantiga fiddler Malcolm Smith (1951-1996), this tune began life as a playful response to too many choruses of 'It's a Long, Long Way from Clare to Here', and morphed into our favorite jam tune.

5. VALLE DE LO ALTO
We first heard this melody performed by the Andean band Pachacamac and were delighted to discover that it was written by Conrado "Charry" Garcia, our newest member. Charry wrote this tune in Chile in the 1980's. Valle de lo Alto means 'High Valley'.

6. WHITE PETTICOAT A LA TURK
Mark became fixated on odd time signatures after borrowing Bob's book of Bulgarian tunes, and an innocent Irish jig in 6/8 slipped into 7!

7. BOUREES
These two bourées were published by German composer Michael Praetorius in his collection of French court and country dance music 'Terpsichore' (1612).

8. SPAGNOLETTA
A well-known ancient air also published in 'Terpsichore'. We dedicate this dance to the Court Dancers of Scarborough Faire.

9. BRANLE DE BOURGOGNE
This 16th century French dance tune by Adrian Le Roy alternates four and six-measure phrases. Mark discovered it on a recording of Early Music from the '70s.

10. ERES ÁGUEDA GLORIOSA
We learned this Spanish Renaissance melody for Jeff Baldwin of the Texas Renaissance Festival, who chose it for his production 'Masque of the Conquistadors'. This song is a serenade of love to the beautiful Agueda, who appears to her suitor as radiant as an angel in the midst of her nine sisters.

11. FISCHIETTANDO
A tarantella, popular with whistling Sicilianos. The fischietto is the Italian version of the penny-whistle. Fischiettando means 'whistling'.

12. ARGEERS
This perky little tune is from John Playford's 'The English Dancing Master' , in print from 1651 to 1728.

...............

The Members of Cantiga are:

Martha Gay — Harp
Mark Caudill — Violin
Bob Bielefeld — Wood Flute, Fife
Conrado García — Charango, Percussion (Birimbao, Caxixi, Semilla, Triangle), Toyos (bass pan-pipes)
Max Dyer — Cello

Also featured on this album,
special guest artist Jamal Mohamed,
Percussion: Doumbeks (Middle Eastern Goblet drums), Djembe (West African Goblet drum) Riq (Egyptian tambourine), Mazhar (Egyptian Frame drum).


Original Cover painting for Martha's Dragon by illustrator Richard Hull.

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