El Grillo

These recordings were made by Lady Alison Winter. See Alison's notes about her recordings for more information.

Concerning the timing she used for these recordings, Alison adds: I set the metronome at 92 beats per minute, which I used as the half note. I ignored the hold in measure 10 ("-so") all times through, as this square note is already held for four half notes. At the holds in measures 21 ("-tore") and 28 ("-co" or "-do"), I think I added 2 extra beats. In measure 21 I believe I did so, as that rounds out the measure to a full 4 beats like the one in measure 10. Measure 28 looks like it would need 3 extra beats to round it out in the same way, but I believe the feeling leading up to it led me to disregard bar lines and prejudices about numbers of bars in a phrase and beats in a bar, and make poco and saldo rhythmically the same as tore in measure 21, though poco and saldo appear differently placed relative to bar lines.

MP3 files

1. All lines played together on plucked string instruments.
2. All lines played together on bowed string instruments.
3. Soprano line bowed, other lines quietly plucked.
4. Alto line bowed, other lines quietly plucked. Alison notes: This version has a slight rhythmic error or two in the final da capo. I gave up trying for perfection, and hope listeners will realize that the correct version is as played all the other times through the opening section. Also in the final da capo, I brushed an adjacent string with the bow, but hopefully not so strongly as to confuse anyone about the correct pitch.
5. Tenor line bowed, other lines quietly plucked. Alison notes: In this version, I made an odd rhythmic error: the first time through measure 21, I gave an extra twitch of the bow where there should be nothing shorter than half notes.
6. Bass line bowed, other lines quietly plucked.
7. Soprano line bowed, other lines plucked, and soprano words spoken in rhythm.
8. Alto line bowed, other lines plucked, and alto words spoken in rhythm.
9. Tenor line bowed, other lines plucked, and tenor words spoken in rhythm.
10. Bass line bowed, other lines plucked, and bass words spoken in rhythm.

Last modified by Eowyn, 26 March, AS XXXXVI (2012 C.E.).