The November Foothills Music Club (FMC) meeting was held on Nov. 8 at the Red Fox home of member Jeanette Comer.

After FMC president Jeanette Shackelford adjourned the business section of the meeting, hostess and program chairperson Jeanette Comer introduced her “Programme,” Instruments and Songs of Elizabethan England.

It proved to be a fascinating afternoon, one full of different musical instruments, facts and talents of FMC members.
Some members who played or sang that afternoon had never touched a recorder, a rebec, a clavichord or sung madrigals. Others had never worn ruffs provided by the hostess. One just needed to close one’s eyes to feel Elizabethan England.

King Henry VIII (1491-1547), an accomplished musician himself who owned 76 recorders, composed the first number, “Pastime With Good Company.” This was performed by recorder players Jeanette Comer on soprano, Elaine Jenkins on alto, Meryt Wilson on tenor and Karen Molnar on bass.

This talented quartet then played dance music Pavan and Galliarde (anon. 16^th century). A short demonstration was given of the piccolo and sopranino recorders; also of the krummhorn, an instrument all were told was difficult to play due to its covered reed and one with an elementary sound.

Violinist, Kathleen Erwin, entertained with “Welch Daunce,” composed by organ builder John Bull (1563-1628). Erwin cleverly played this on the rebec, a three-stringed instrument.

Comer and Jenkins, on the lute and alto recorder respectively, played “Callino Custurame” from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, CLVIII. It was learned that the lute was a highly respected instrument, not only of all plucked instruments, but of all instruments in that era.

Amy Brucksch and Comer, on classical guitar, performed with admirable dexterity and sound the lovely “The Queen’s Almain” by Thomas Campion (1567-1620) and “Toye for Two Lutes” by John Dowland (1563-1626).