GEES Project Podcast

Over the same weekend in the spring of 2025 Alison Findlay, Professor at Lancaster University and Ruby Bones both directed separate productions of Lady Rachel Fane's May Masque of 1627. Professor Deanne Williams of York University and author of Shakespeare and the Performance of Girlhood and Girl Culture brought Alison and Ruby together to discuss their productions and the remarkable young author and playwright, Lady Rachel Fane.  This podcast was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and York University. 

'Parthenia or the Maydenhead of the first musicke that ever was printed for the Virginalls (in England at least), composed by three famous masters: William Byrd, Dr. John Bull and Orlando Gibbons' was probably printed in 1613 probably as part of the celebrations for a royal wedding. MIO's Artistic Director John Edwards talks to keyboardist Louise Hung about pitch and temperament - how early keyboards were not tuned the same way a modern piano is. We then hear Louise Hung perform Gibbons' Fantazia in Foure Parts. This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

'Parthenia or the Maydenhead of the first musicke that ever was printed for the Virginalls (in England at least), composed by three famous masters: William Byrd, Dr. John Bull and Orlando Gibbons' was probably printed in 1613 probably as part of the celebrations for a royal wedding. MIO's Artistic Director John Edwards talks to Prof. Deanne Williams about the plays by Shakespeare, Beaumont and Fletcher and others, and masque performances during the run up to the marriage of Frederick, Count Palatine and Elizabeth Stuart. We then hear Louise Hung perform music by Bull and Gibbons from the book.  This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

'Parthenia or the Maydenhead of the first musicke that ever was printed for the Virginalls (in England at least), composed by three famous masters: William Byrd, Dr. John Bull and Orlando Gibbons' was probably printed in 1613. As the chief counsellor in the last years of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign and the first years of James I’s, Robert Cecil, the Earl of Salisbury was at the centre of a web of political patronage, artistic patronage, and a web of spies that seems to have included musicians. John Edwards and Louise Hung talk about Salisbury’s patronage of the arts, especially the art of music, his musical instrument collection and his collection of musicians. At the end of the chat you’ll hear Louise play William Byrd’s Pavana Earl of Salisbury and Galiardo secundo from Parthenia. Further reading: Patronage, Culture and Power: The Early Cecils ed. Pauline Croft and John Dowland by Diana Poulton. This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

'Parthenia or the Maydenhead of the first musicke that ever was printed for the Virginalls (in England at least), composed by three famous masters: William Byrd, Dr. John Bull and Orlando Gibbons' was probably printed in 1613. MIO's Artistic Director John Edwards talks to harpsichordist Louise Hung about the terminology of plucked string keyboard instruments in the Elizabethan and Jacobean period, how they make their sound, the association of the virginals with young women in our period and the techniques and fingering which they used and which Louise deploys to get the characteristic sprightly articulation in Mary Brownlow’s Galliard and the spectacular passage work in the prelude by Byrd, both of which you’ll hear at the end of our chat. This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

Profs. Matt Kavaler and Deanne Williams talk with John Edwards about the paintings of the Master of the Female Half-lengths and their shared context with Anne Boleyn's songbook. We hear the Basse Danse La Magdalena by Pierre Blondeau played by John Edwards. This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

The Rev. Dr Lisa Wang speaks to John Edwards about the adoration of the Virgin Mary and the Song of Solomon in the context of the Anne Boleyn Songbook. We hear Sicut Lilium by Antoine Brumel sung by The Musicians In Ordinary, Julia Morson, Whitney O'Hearn and Katherine Anderson, led by Hallie Fishel with John Edwards on lute. This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

John Edwards talks to Prof. Deanne Williams about performance practice questions thrown up by the Anne Boleyn Songbook. We hear Alma Redemptoris Mater composed by Jacob Obrecht performed by Julia Morson, sop. Whitney O'Hearn, mezzo, Katherine Anderson alto, Eleanor Verrette, vielle, John Edwards, lute all led by Hallie Fishel, singing alto.  This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

Prof. Deanne Williams talks to John Edwards about Anne Boleyn's Songbook. We hear the anonymous Gabrielem Archangelum sung by Julia Morson, Whitney O'Hearn and Hallie Fishel. This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

Director Heather Davies and theorbo player and music director John Edwards chat about the music in John Milton's masque Comus and especially about the dance music of masques in general, and the dances of William Lawes which we used in our production. Visit https://musiciansinordinary.ca/episodes to click through the series and download mp3s to add to your music playlist. This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

Director Heather Davies and theorbo player and music director John Edwards chat about the music in John Milton's masque Comus and especially about the original songs by Henry Lawes. Visit https://musiciansinordinary.ca/episodes to click through the series and download mp3s to add to your music playlist. This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

Director Heather Davies discusses the special challenges of the masque form, Milton’s verse and the rehearsal process in the time of covid with John Edwards. Visit https://musiciansinordinary.ca/episodes to click through the series and download mp3s to add to your music playlist. Heather Davies was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and grew up in Toronto, Ontario. She’s trained as a dancer, singer, actor and musician and has worked professionally since her teens. Heather moved to the UK to continue her actor training; she lived and worked in theatre there for 18 years. In 2001 she began focusing on directing full-time when she joined the Royal Shakespeare Company as a resident director, working there for nearly three years. She returned to Canada in 2007 to attend the MFA- Theatre program at York University, graduating in April 2009. From September 2009 to February 2011 she was the Artistic Associate at The Grand Theatre in London Ontario. She continues to enjoy directing, writing, teaching and adapting in the UK and across Canada. In 2017 Heather became the first Artistic Director of The Ryga Festival, (inspired by renowned Canadian writer, George Ryga) in Summerland, BC and directing Colours in the Storm at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario. In 2018, as well as returning to Summerland, Heather’s stage adaptation, Judith: memories of a Lady Pig Farmer, (based on the original novel, Judith, by Alberta writer Ardith Van Herk), will premiere at the Blyth Festival. Other projects in development include Silverfish (an original play about economic migration) and the stage adaptation of Night Desk, (novel by George Ryga). This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

Deanne Williams is professor in English at York University, a Fellow of the Centre for Renaissance and Reformation Studies and a member of the College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada. She was dramaturge for our production of Comus, has written extensively on girl performers in the Early Modern Period and dedicates a chapter to Milton’s character of The Lady in her book Shakespeare and the Performance of Girlhood published by Palgrave. In this episode she discusses what she learned about Milton, Comus, The Lady and the Brothers in preparing our performance. Visit https://musiciansinordinary.ca/episodes to click through the series and download mp3s to add to your music playlist.  This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

John Milton's Comus (Bridgewater manuscript version), with the original songs set by Henry Lawes and dance music by William Lawes, directed by Heather Davies, performed by Roger Honeywell - Attendant Spirit, Paul Hopkins - Comus, Bethany Jillard - The Lady, Tracy Ryan - Elder Brother, Beryl Bain - Second Brother, and Tahirih Vejdani - Sabrina, with The Musicians In Ordinary string band led by Christopher Verrette, 1st vln. with Patricia Ahern, 2nd vln. Felix Deak and Laura Jones, violas da gamba and John Edwards, theorbo. (Sc. 1) The scene changes to a stately palace set out with all manner of deliciousness, soft music, tables spread with all dainties. Comus appears with his rabble, and the Lady set in an enchanted chair, to whom he offers his glass; which she puts by, and goes about to rise. (Sc.2) The scene changes, then is presented Ludlow town and the President's castle, then come in country dances, and the like etc. Towards the end of these sports the Dæmon with the 2 brothers and the Lady come in. This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

John Milton's Comus (Bridgewater manuscript version), with the original songs set by Henry Lawes and dance music by William Lawes, directed by Heather Davies, performed by Roger Honeywell - Attendant Spirit, Paul Hopkins - Comus, Bethany Jillard - The Lady, Tracy Ryan - Elder Brother, Beryl Bain - Second Brother and Tahirih Vejdani - Sabrina, with The Musicians In Ordinary string band led by Christopher Verrette, 1st vln. with Patricia Ahern, 2nd vln. Felix Deak and Laura Jones, violas da gamba and John Edwards, theorbo. The first scene discovers a wild wood. Then a guardian spirit or Dæmon descends or enters.  This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

George Torres, Prof. in Music at Lafayette College, Deanne Williams, Prof. in English at York University, and John Edwards discuss correspondences between lute instruction manuals and manuals on civility from 16th and 17th century in France & England, how lute lessons were also decorum lessons, & the lute lesson in Taming of the Shrew. We hear Delyght Pavan & Gallyard (Johnson) & I Cannot keepe my wyfe at howme (anon.) from Margaret Board’s lutebook. This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

Prof. Deanne Williams, author of Shakespeare and the Performance of Girlhood, discusses the Stuart masque, its meaning and its participants. From Margaret Board's Lutebook we hear lute arrangements of The Antiq Masque, The Witches Daunce, The Lady Phyllyes Masque, The Lady Elyza, her Masque, The Prince his Almayne and The Prince his Corrento played by John Edwards. This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

Prof. Tom Bishop (Univ. of Auckland) talks to John Edwards about plays, theatres, playgoers and pieces in Margaret Board's Lutebook she’d need to know to get all the references in the plays of Jacobean London. From Margaret’s book we hear Lachrymae, by John Dowland, referenced in Knight of the Burning Pestle, anonymous settings of ballads Poore Tome (King Lear) and Bony Sweete Robyn (Hamlet), and Richard Allison's setting of Goe from my Wyndowe (also Knight of the Burning Pestle). This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

Margaret Board was born in 1600, the daughter of a rich merchant, and had Europe's leading lutenist, John Dowland, as a teacher. Her book of lute pieces, notated in tablature in her hand and that of her teacher, is a collaboration between what her lute master thinks she needs to know and her taste as a young woman in Jacobean London. This episode was originally released on the Musicians In Ordinary's podcast feed. 

This is the first of two episodes about the GEES Project's film of The Concealed Fancies (which you can find on YouTube or by clicking a link at geesproject.com), a play written by Jane Cavendish and Elizabeth Brackley, née Cavendish, during the English Civil Wars with an induction by Paul Hopkins to move the action from the Cavendish sisters’ house arrest during wartime to the confinement we experienced with the Covid pandemic. The Cavendish sister’s play has about 20 songs and additional opportunities for music between the acts. Music director talked to Prof. Deanne Williams about how he adapted songs by composers contemporary with the sisters, William and Henry Lawes, John Wilson and others, and why he chose the unusual combination of ukulele and viola to accompany the songs.  Our film and this chat were supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Killam Trust, York University’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and many individual donors who you can read about in the credits of our film. 

This is the first of two episodes about the GEES Project's film of The Concealed Fancies (which you can find on YouTube or by clicking a link at geesproject.com), a play written by Jane Cavendish and Elizabeth Brackley, née Cavendish, during the English Civil Wars with an induction by Paul Hopkins to move the action from the Cavendish sisters’ house arrest during wartime to the confinement we experienced with the Covid pandemic. Paul Hopkins, producer Prof. Deanne Williams and music director John Edwards sat down to discuss the genesis and execution of our film and what they learned about the Cavendish sisters and their play. Our film and this chat were supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Killam Trust, York University’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and many individual donors who you can read about in the credits of our film. 

An oral history of the extraordinary life of Prof. Stephen Orgel, in a series of conversations with Prof. Deanne Williams. Prof. Orgel is best known for his work on the Stuart Court Masque but these conversations also touch on his contribution to and gender studies, his work as an editor, and his lifelong passion for book collecting. In our last conversation we discuss his passion for book collecting, his work as a book historian, his lifelong relationship with the culture of Italy, and tie up a few loose ends.

An oral history of the extraordinary life of Prof. Stephen Orgel, in a series of conversations with Prof. Deanne Williams. Prof. Orgel is best known for his work on the Stuart Court Masque but these conversations also touch on his contribution to and gender studies, his work as an editor, and his lifelong passion for book collecting. Here we discuss his book, Impersonations, dedicated to friends lost to AIDS, and have a conversation about friendship, scholarly community and collegiality.

An oral history of the extraordinary life of Prof. Stephen Orgel, in a series of conversations with Prof. Deanne Williams. Prof. Orgel is best known for his work on the Stuart Court Masque but these conversations also touch on his contribution to and gender studies, his work as an editor, and his lifelong passion for book collecting. In our second conversation, we discuss his research at the Warburg Institute in swinging London of the 60s and the beginnings of his long career as an editor.

An oral history of the extraordinary life of Prof. Stephen Orgel, in a series of conversations with Prof. Deanne Williams. Prof. Orgel is best known for his work on the Stuart Court Masque but these conversations also touch on his contribution to and gender studies, his work as an editor, and his lifelong passion for book collecting. In this first conversation we discuss his childhood and schooling and his experiences as a young professor.