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About this Piece

The first piece in this group was written by a friend of mine a few years ago; it sounds like a medieval chant and it happens to be in the Aeolian mode (one of the Greek modes on which the classical European scales are based). The "Lamento di Tristan" comes from an anonymous 14th-century Italian collection of single line melodies consisting of songs and instrumental dances. I have added harmony to this beautiful tune only where it seems implied. Other instruments would certainly have joined in, especially for dance pieces like the Saltarellos, which are from the same collection. The "Ductia" however, is from an early English collection.

Notes by John Williams