SOUNDS OF MEDIEVAL ENGLAND – LISTEN TO AN EXTRACT FROM THE ROBERTSBRIDGE CODEX: “ESTAMPIE,” THE OLDEST KNOWN MUSIC FOR THE KEYBOARD (SURVIVING):

The Robertsbridge Codex

Listen below to an exciting performance of the ‘estampie’ (named after a dance made popular in the middle ages) from the 1360 manuscript entitled “Robertsbridge Codex.”

The 14th century manuscript is the earliest known surviving piece of music composed specifically for the keyboard. It is comprised of six pieces of anonymously authored musical sections: three in the ‘estampie’ form (made up of a series of repeating melodies known as punctua), one in the Italian “Trecento” dance form, in addition to three arrangements of motets (two of which are from the satirical “French allegorical verse romance” known as the “Roman de Fauvel”).

The Robertsbridge Codex (named after the village of the same name in East Sussex, England in which the manuscript originated) can be found in the British Library (additional manuscript 28550).



Sicilian pianist Alberto Chines performs:


-Rose.

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