Henry VIII and his six Wives

Music arranged, composed and directed by David Munrow (1942-1976)

00:00 Basse danse “Jouyssance vous donneray” (melody from Thoinot Arbeau, 1520-1595: Orchésographie 1588; arr. David Munrow) full wind band and tabor
03:22 Pavane “Le bon vouloir” (Claude Gervaise, 1525-1583: Quart livre de danceries 1550; arr. David Munrow) treble and bass viols, Renaissance flute, rackett, lute
05:34 Galliard “Traditore” (Pierre Phalése, c.1510-c.1573: Premier livre de danceries 1571; arr. David Munrow) four recorders and harp
07:44 Fireworks music (cornetts, sackbuts, Renaissance timpani)
09:40 The King’s ballad: “Pastime with good company” (Henry VIII, 1491-1547; B.M. R.App. 58; arr. David Munrow) counter tenor, shawm, lute, viol, tabor
11:13 Lute solo: “Le petit gentilhomme” (Anon. 16th cent. Ms.; arr. Robert Spencer)
played by Robert Spencer
12:28 The ballad of Robin and Marion (tenor and lute)
14:45 Street music (chalumeau, tromba marina, tabor)
17:07 Henry’s loneliness I (psaltery, harp, crwth)
18:05 The joust at Westminster (tromba marina, viol, harpsichord, Chinese mouth organ, percussion)
19:11 Henry’s loneliness II (psaltery, harp, crwth)
19:53 The King’s hunt (cornetts, trumpets, sackbuts, harpsichord, crwth, psaltery, percussion)
22:28 Fanfare “La mourisque” (Tielman Susato, c.1510-c.1570: Danserye 1551; arr. David Munrow)
full wind band and tabor
23:35 Galliard (Gervaise: Quart livre de danceries 1550; arr. David Munrow)
two recorders, treble and bass viols, harpsichord, lute
25:03 La pastorella (Regensburg MS. 16th century; arr. David Munrow) shawm, three sackbuts, tabor
26:34 Galliard (Gervaise: Quart livre de danceries 1550; arr. David Munrow)
recorder, treble and bass viols, great bass rackett, harpsichord, lute, tabor
28:05 Regal solos: King Harry VIII Pavan - Galliard (British Museum: R. App. 58; arr. Christopher Hogwood)
30:27 Wedding music for Anne of Cleves (popular 16th century tune: the Irish Jigg; arr. David Munrow) recorder and tabor
32:33 Harpsichord solos: The short mesure off My Lady Wynkfyld’s Rownde - My Lady Carey’s Dompe (British Museum: R. App. 58; arr. David Munrow / Christopher Hogwood)
35:51 Ethiop masque (recorder, cittern, sackbut, drone, nakers) *
38:36 О Death rock me asleep (B.M. Add. MS 15 117) counter tenor, harpsichord
41:08 Catherine Howard's interrogation (cello, cittern, lute, viol, bell, percussion)
42:41 Lute duet
44:47 Closing music (cornetts, sackbuts, recorders, viols, harpsichord, regal, percussion)


The Early Music Consort of London, directed by David Munrow
Singers: James Bowman (counter tenor), Martyn Hill (tenor)
Cornetts and trumpets: Michael Laird, Iaan Wilson
Sackbuts: Roger Brenner, Roger Groves, Colin Sheen, Trevor Herbert, Martin Nicholls, Alan Lumsden*
Recorders: David Munrow, John Turner, David Pugsley, Oliver Brookes, James Tyler
Shawm, chalumeau, rackett: David Munrow
Flute, Chinese mouth organ: John Turner
Viols: Dennis Nesbitt, Oliver Brookes, Desmond Dupré, Elizabeth Page, Jane Ryan
Lutes: Robert Spencer, Desmond Dupré, James Tyler
Cittern: James Tyler
Crwth, tromba marina, cello: Oliver Brookes
Harpsichord, harp, regal: Christopher Hogwood
Psaltery and bells: Gillian Reid
Renaissance timpani and percussion: David Corkhill, David Johnson, Barry Quinn*


¨Henry VIII and his six Wives" is the first historical film in which the music has been scored entirely for historical instruments. This is not to say that the music itself belongs exclusively to the years of Henry’s life — 1491-1547. The prime necessity in providing incidental music for any kind of drama is, and always has been, suiting the sound to the action. I doubt if such a thing as a totally “authentic” historical film is possible as far as the music is concerned. As a medium, the modern cinema demands a flexibility from music which the early sixteenth century cannot be expected to provide.

The style of the music in this film is mainly Tudor but it also looks both backwards to the Middle Ages (in the Ethiop Masque, for instance, based on the idea of the 14th century ¨istampitta¨) and forwards to the present to include mildly aleatoric effects (the joust scene).

Although the music from the film would have easily filled two sides of an L.P., some of the cues were too short and piecemeal to be put on record. A few appropriate items have therefore been specially recorded for this disc, notably Henry VIII’s ballad ‘Pastime with good company’ and Anne Boleyn’s lament ‘O death rock me asleep’.

Where original pieces of Tudor music have been used, the earliest source is given in brackets.

DAVID MUNROW