​ENSEMBLE
MUSIC
FOR
SOLO GUITAR

Holborne was a composer of music for lute, cittern and instrumental consort during the reign of Elizabeth I. The four pieces here are taken from his collection entitled Pavans, Galliards, Almains and other short Aeirs, both grave and light, in five parts, for Viols, Violins, or other Musicall Winde Instruments first published in 1599. The first, The Fairie Round, is a galliard notable for its inclusion on the Voyager Golden Record *, copies of which were sent into space aboard the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 space probes launched in 1977. The record represents a selection of human cultural achievements and was sent with the hope of its discovery by an alien civilisation capable of interpreting and understanding it. The version of The Fairie Round presented here is transcribed for guitars from a five part recorder score with the descant recorder part doubled an octave higher on guitar. The second piece is The Image of Melancholly, a pavan in five parts arranged for guitars by Bradford Werner. The third is The Night Watch, an almain, also in five parts. The final piece is The Honie-suckle, another almain, which in this treatment has the first, second and fifth guitar parts augmented by electronically generated tenor sackbut, treble viol and viola da gamba respectively.