The Westminster Singers
Eileen and Jelkovitch (Violin)
Maud Dixon and Carl Weber (Duets for Two Pianofortes)

One of the most popular of all madrigals is Festa's Down in a Flow'ry Vale. It is also one of the oldest that most people are likely, nowadays, to hear. Its composer belonged to the Papal Choir, and was one of the leading men who gave the start to the great unaccompanied choral music of the sixteenth century.

A youth, taking his way through bushes and briars, 'all for to hear the small birds sing,' hears his true love singing of her uneasiness because her lad does not come. She wonders if she shall tell him her mind; but she fears that if she does so he will rebuff her, and if she is bold he may cease to love her.

The first piece, a typical example of the glee (an English invention) is by William Horsley, one of the founders of our Philharmonic Society, and a friend of Mendelssohn. He gained much benefit from his association with the noted glee writer Dr. Callcott. Most of his life was spent as a church musician and teacher.