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Zephyrus ... music

In June 2007, Zephyrus released two CDs of their music, Halfe Hannikin and English Suite. With the music for both composed by Jon Swayne, the recordings celebrate the band's highly original performance pieces.


Halfe Hannikin

Halfe Hannikin CD

The tune Halfe Hannikin was included in John Playford's collection of dance music called The Compleat English Dancing Master, published in 1651. It is just one of a host of strong melodies which make up the English traditional music canon. In the suite, it is the inspiration for a set of more or less free variations, themselves founded on song or dance forms.

The pieces from the Halfe Hannikin variations (and the tracks on the CD) comprise:-

  1. Prelude - Theme
  2. Slowish Waltz
  3. Polka
  4. Slow Five
  5. Bourrée
  6. Dark Seven
  7. Wodgy
  8. Finale

English Suite

On the CD, Jon's introduction to the English Suite states: "In writing new music for traditional instruments, it seems natural to start from the dance and song forms of where you live, hence the title English Suite - but there is no need to be limited by them, and I hope this music goes beyond them in various exciting and creative ways."

English Suite CD
The pieces in the English Suite comprise:-

  1. Jig
  2. Ballad
  3. Rant
  4. Dirge
  5. Song
  6. Hornpipe

How to get your copy

Both CDs, Halfe Hannikin and English Suite, are available from Jon Swayne for £11.00 (inc. P&P) each or £19.00 (inc. P&P) for both - UK orders only - from 1 Gilberts Corner, Baltonsborough, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8RB; cheques payable to Jon Swayne.

For US orders, the CD is available from bagpipediscs.com.


Maintained by Chris Walshaw ()