You might remember that at about this time last year I went to a Vauxhall Band concert at St Mary Lovat’s in the City of London – but it was not just a concert. Accompanying the musicians were the totally delightful Mary Collins and Steven Player dancing their way around the floor in various minuets, and gavottes and in this delightful confrontation as Harlequin and Columbine. At the end of the concert we, the audience, ended up following Mary and Steven all round the church in a conga while ‘lustily rendering’ a roundelay. (To read my full report, see this post.)
Well, now you can learn how to do it yourself. On March 2nd, as part of the Classical Vauxhall Festival, Mary will be leading two Historic Dance Workshops with music from the Vauxhall Band.
‘Led by world-renowned historic dance expert Mary Collins, accompanied by The Vauxhall Band performing on period instruments, participants will learn about and experience the history of dance as a cultural form of expression, enjoyment, communication, social interaction and wellbeing.
Suitable for everyone aged 11+. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult (18+) with whom they will dance. Adults may come with their chosen dance partner or alone; we will find suitable dance partners for those who need one on arrival. Participants are encouraged to wear historic costume, but this is not obligatory!’
And all this for the ridiculously reasonable price of £6.13 per ticket – which you can book here.
Supping with John Dowland
I thought that those of you who are joining us on Sunday night for Emma Kirkby and Jakob Lindberg’s John Dowland concert might be interested to know a little about the kind of food that you might have eaten had you actually been sitting down to sup with John Dowland. I do hope this is not too frustrating for those of you who tried to book but were too late….
Btw, we have had a few returns for Sunday night so if you are quick you might still be able to lay hands on them – check here.
Although day to day fare would have been relatively simple – the remains of a joint, a fletch of bacon, a pie, a pottage or soupy stew with barley or beans and bread and cheeses – an event such as a musical gathering would have called for more elaborate fare. And that would have been predominantly meat – or, if it were a fish day (Fridays and innumerable other saints and holy days throughout the liturgical year) – then fish.
The Good Huswifes Jewell published by Thomas Dawson in 1596 ‘wherein is to be found most excellent and rare conceits in Cookery’ gives the following suggestions for First and Second Courses – both for meat days.
First Course
Potage or stewed broth, Boiled meat or Stewed meat, Chickens and Bacon, Powdered Beef, Pies, Goose, Pig, Roasted Beef, Roasted Veal, Custard.
Second Course
Roast Lamb, Roast Capons, Roast Conies (rabbits), Chickens, PeaHens, Baked venison, Tart.
As you can see, vegetables, seen as everyday foods, are conspicuous by their absence. However, spooling forward to Thomas Dawson’s actual recipes, although the majority are for various ways of cooking and preserving meat and meat products, you can also find ‘To make Fritters of Spinnedge’ (a sort of massive spinach omelette bulked out with ‘grated bred’), ‘To Make fine Cakes and cracknels’, ‘To make a Tart of Prunes/Ryce/Wardens/Strawberries’, ‘To make Fine Bred’, ‘To make a Sallet of all kinde of herbs’, ‘To make a dish of Artichokes’, ‘To make a broth for one that is weak’ and ‘To make a tarte that is courage to a man or woman’. This last included quinces, burdock roots, a potato, wine, dates, egg yolks and the brains of three or four cock sparrows with cinnamon, ginger, cloves and mace and would, I suspect, have put hairs on anyone’s chest.
For Sunday’s supper I am homing in on a selection of birds, that ‘dish of artichokes’, ‘a sallet’, rather than a fritter, of spinach and herbs and – by popular request now on offer at every buffet supper – Mrs Marshall’s Cabbage and caper salad – and lots of bread and cheese.
And just a quick note on bread. Even the best 16th century bread would have been what we would think of whole wheat. Until the roller mill was invented in the 19th century, it was impossible to crush the wheat germ to release its white starchy content and get truly white bread. At grander tables, dinner would have been eaten off pewter or even silver platters. For those who did not run to a metal dish a thick slice of bread, known as a trencher, was used as a platter. This had the advantage of absorbing juices from the meat or any sauces – and could be eaten at the end of the meal if you were still hungry!
And don’t forget…
If you want to make Sunday a really musical day, the Lior Solomons Wise trio – Lior (piano), Edouard (double bass) and Jonah (drums) – will be playing at the Highgate Society, 10 South Grove at 12 noon – £15 to include the Bucks Fizz!
Book here or pay on the door.
And then……. Friday 8th March
Madeleine Mitchell and the London Chamber Ensemble – the programme to include Charles Wood’s Quartet in D Major and Debussy’s wonderful String Quartet in G minor.
A blog post to come very soon but you can now find more details and book here.
