Music

Passamezzo is dedicated to the performance of Early Music in an accessible, educational and historically informed context. Our name 'Passamezzo' comes from the sixteenth century ground (a series of chords) of this name. A passamezzo might take the form of a simple song or dance - Greensleeves is the most well known example of this form - but could also become a courtly dance or an exhibition piece, with virtuosic and showy divisions played upon it.

We give frequent public music performances and have played in museums, barns, palaces, concert halls, theatres, gardens, stately homes and ruins throughout the country.

We can provide music for television, radio, theatre and film, and are willing to research, compose or arrange original material.

Our first cd Gallimaufry was recorded at the archeological site of the Rose Theatre in February 2005 – the first recording ever to take place in that venue. Our Christmas cd, Christmas Music in Shakespeare's England was recorded in 2006 and An Excellent Medley in 2009. In Summer 2010 we collaborated with REEP to create a programme of 16th and 17th Century music, words and song for Summer and the Harvest In Peascod Time which is now available in our shop.

In Peascod Time is the first in a series of three seasonal concert programmes. We toured the second, To Shorten Winter's Sadness (music, words and song for Christmas and Winter) in December 2010 and will record it later this year. The third, "This Merry Pleasant Spring", is in preparation.

In Summer 2011, we recorded From Shore to Shore a cd of 17th Century English and Moroccan music with Sufi Musicians Ensemble Mogador Soufie as part of the Entertaining Morocco Project

Many of our concerts are performed by candlelight and are sponsored by Prices' Candles.