5013 – Fantasia 8

‘Amavi’

Michael East (1580-1648)

Arranged by Roger Harvey

Difficulty: Medium

Price: £22.50

Programme notes:

Michael East was born in Mildenhall, East Anglia and is known to have worked as an organist at Ely, Lincoln and Lichfield Cathedrals. Unusually, virtually all known work was published during his lifetime in six books. Beyond these facts little is known of his life.

Though they contain, for the most part, music which is not of the highest standard, the published collections are useful as a guide to the changing musical tastes of early 17th England: the styles range form Italianate madrigals, in vogue in the early years of the century, through more serious sacred music to intrumental consort pieces.

Perhaps his best pieces are contained in an unusual cycle of 8 fantasies which trace the progress of a sinner from ignorance to eternal bliss. Each has a latin title:

1. Desperavi (I despaired)
2. Peccavi (I sinned)
3. Vidi (I saw)
4. Penitet (I repented)
5. Credidi (I believed)
6. Vixi (I lived)
7. Triumphavi I triumphed)
8. Amavi (I loved)

Performance notes:

Take a fairly brisk tempo to convey some sense of joy but beware of going too quickly at the outset, as there is quicker-moving music to come.

Keep the articulation bright for the most part. As usual in contrapuntal music, make the point when it occurs and then keep the counterpoint out of the way while other instruments make their points in turn.

The rhythmic meter at bar 44-47 is editorial.