Something for #BritishPieWeek
#GreenSleeves and Pudding-Pies,
#Playford's #DancingMaster, 1686.
Pudding #pies were popular street food and they are often mentioned in #ballads and street cries.
Woodcut from a set of #CriesofLondon in the Pepys Library.
#earlymusic #earlymodern #pieweek
06.03.2026 13:18
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My friend
the climatologist
tells me
what worries him
is the climate.
My friend
the epidemiologist
tells me
what worries them
are infections.
My friend
the historian
tells me
what worries her
are the people
who arenβt worried.
06.03.2026 00:03
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A man working a plow in a field - carried by a small elephant. This detail is from Sebastian MΓΌnster's Cosmographiae uniuersalis, vol. 6, 1550.
In 1550, one Elephant Power (EP) was the equivalent of 10 Horse Power (HP).
05.03.2026 07:10
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Maltese Bransle
YouTube video by Passamezzo
Maltese Bransle: A #sixteenthcentury #dance from Arbeau's #Orchesography, 1589
Image: Turkish men and women in Codice de Trajes, c1547
National Library of Spain
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpKY...
#earlymusic #earlymodern #earlydance #renaissance #16thCentury #16thC #earlymusicensemble #earlymodernsky
04.03.2026 10:27
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Yesterday's office
02.03.2026 15:24
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I think about this Tony Benn speech much more than I used to
28.02.2026 16:09
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Really looking forward to giving the EDC Annual Lecture tomorrow.
I'll be talking about the #greensleevesproject
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-greens...
#earlymodern #earlymodernsky #earlymusic #historicaldance #materialculture #tudor #tudors #textiles
27.02.2026 16:08
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A putto is sitting on an early modern type case, a box made for the different types during the hand-press era. One needed to pick up each type for a letter or symbol etc. and compose each word, text, and page. The putto blows also soap bubbles: in each bubble is a letter, and the word formed is VANITAS, meaning "vanity". This detail was published in a German speaking newspaper, "Monatliche Nachrichten einicher MerkwΓΌrdigkeiten" in 1751. VD18 90722892.
A putto blowing soap bubbles, sitting on a type case full of type, and the letters in the bubbles read as: VANITAS (vanity).
A beautiful reflection of human writing and publishing, #skystorians
1/2
27.02.2026 09:05
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medieval monkey playing pipe and tabor
Medieval manuscript with fox playing pipe and tabor
Today's #marginalmusicians (a #monkey and a #fox) are playing #pipeandtabor.
From Pierre Michault, Doctrinal du temps prΓ©sent et Danse aux aveugles, 1475-80
BNF FranΓ§ais 1654
#marginaliamonday #manuscriptmonday #earlymusic #illuminatedmanuscript #iconography #musicalanimals
23.02.2026 13:12
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Magnolia blossom in London
It's magnolia time of year again :)
22.02.2026 13:56
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#throwbackthursday
Playing #17thcentury music at the #nationalgallery for a #valentinesday late event a few years ago
#earlymusic
19.02.2026 13:27
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Psalm 127 For Shrove-Tuesday or a Wedding
YouTube video by Passamezzo
A song for #shrovetuesday
A #17thCentury setting of #Psalm 127, described as being suitable for Shrove-Tuesday or a wedding.
From La scala santa, 1670.
Emily Atkinson: #soprano
Robin Jeffrey: #lute
Alison Kinder: bass #viol
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OJ3...
#earlymusic #otd #onthisday
17.02.2026 08:31
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Yes!
16.02.2026 21:45
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Today's marginal #musician is a #skeleton playing the #lute.
From Pierre Michault, Doctrinal du temps prΓ©sent et Danse aux aveugles, 1475-80.
BNF FranΓ§ais 1654
#marginaliamonday #manuscriptmonday #earlymusic
16.02.2026 14:22
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Something for today:
A #17thcentury #carol for #valentinesday.
From A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, 1688
#earlymodern #onthisday #otd
14.02.2026 17:17
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#ThrowbackThursday
#GeorgePeele's Arraygnment of Paris
In the #PaintedHall at the #OldRoyalNavalCollege, Greenwich in 2003
With #theLionspart & Renaissance Footnotes
#earlymusic #earlymodern #musicianlife #tudor #tudors #elizabethandrama #earlymusicensemble #troy #classicalmythology
12.02.2026 11:57
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Today's #marginalmusicians are #muses, playing music in honour of Albrecht V of Bavaria.
Detail from #CiprianodelRore's motet Mirabar solito in an #illuminated #choirbook, c1559
Munich, BSB Mus. Ms. B I
#earlymusic #earlymodern #16thCentury #renaissance #manuscriptmonday #marginaliamonday #lute
09.02.2026 10:21
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Grid of 9 early modern owls from the Newberry asking "Which SuperbOwl are you today?
Which Superb Owl Are You Today?
Every #SuperbOwl is from @newberrylibrary.bsky.social!
08.02.2026 14:48
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Good Morrow Valentine.
Three #SeventeenthCentury #Songs and a #Dance for #ValentinesDay.
#earlymusic #sheetmusic #ballads #17thCentury #earlymodern #Valentine #broadsideballads
www.rondopublishing.co.uk/product/good...
06.02.2026 11:56
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#ThrowbackThursday:
Playing for #Tudor dancing at the #BritishMuseum about 15 years ago
#earlymusic #musicianlife #musicianslife #tudors #historicalinterpretation #heritage #heritageinterpretation #historicaldance #earlydance
05.02.2026 13:17
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Passamezzo - The King's Delight
Music, words and song from Restoration Britain.
Looking forward to playing for Colchester #EarlyMusic on 1 March.
The King's Delight: #Music, words & #song from #Restoration Britain.
Do join us!
#earlymodern #charlesii #17thCentury #plague #greatfireoflondon #earlymusicensemble
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/passamezzo...
03.02.2026 10:45
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Thomas Farmer: A Carol for Candlemas Day
YouTube video by Passamezzo
2 February is #Candlemas, and the traditional end of #Christmas, so here is a song for today: our recording of a #17thCentury #ballad #carol for Candlemas-Day.
From A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, 1688
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGNY...
#earlymusic #earlymodern #seasonal #earlymodernsky
02.02.2026 11:04
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It's #Candlemas today, so the #marginalmusician is a detail from a page showing the Presentation at the Temple in a #15thCentury #bookofhours. A creature (half man, half something else?) playing the #trumpet.
BNF NAL 3110
#earlymusic #MarginaliaMonday #ManuscriptMonday
02.02.2026 09:28
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Dances of the French Courts: 16th century Dance, Music and Songs from France, by The Historical Dance Society
31 track album
Recorded for The Historical Dance Society for their CD 'Dances of the French Courts: 16th century Dance, Music and Songs from France'
thehistoricaldancesociety1.bandcamp.com/album/dances...
30.01.2026 09:40
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Diego Ortiz: Recercada Ottava/Adrian Le Roy: mes pas semez/Arbeau: galliard
YouTube video by Passamezzo
We've combined 3 settings of a popular #16thCentury melody in this recording
Alison Kinder: bass #viol
Richard de Winter: #tenor
Robin Jeffrey: #lute
Lynda Sayce: lute
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xW7...
#earlymusic #earlymodern #earlymusicensemble #galliard #lagamba #divisions #trattadodeglosas
30.01.2026 09:38
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#throwbackthursday
Playing at Kirby Hall in 2005
#earlymusic #musicianlife #earlymusicensemble #musicianslife
29.01.2026 09:55
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A little stop motion video I made of an almanac in the University of Rochester collection to try and give viewers an idea of how it functions π
(Video of RCL cod. a.1, a late 14th century folding almanac from England, likely Oxford)
27.01.2026 18:04
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Today's #marginalmusician is a monstrous creature playing the #lute.
From La #DanseMacabre, c1500-1510
BNF FranΓ§ais 995
#earlymusic #manuscriptmonday #marginaliamonday #earlymodern #illuminatedmanuscript #lutenist #sixteenthcentury
26.01.2026 10:03
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