For me, music is not the warm blanket, the quiet cows in the meadow. Nor is it some arcane sophistry, braying from the ivory tower. It is the mythic sword of flames. It is the mournful tolling bell, the impenetrable pitch of the black, blasted abyss. It is the soaring cold peaks and the mystical elven vale. It is lightning and sulphur, elation and sorrow, dark emerald and dungeon stone.
Writing medieval and fantasy-inspired music has been my passion for over 25 years. On this page, you’ll find examples of my works, and many free downloads. Sheet music and recording links for my original compositions, my Renaissance Dance arrangements and my transcriptions all are below. If you’re interested to discuss performance of these works, you can contact me.
Lay Le Frain
Compositions
Album – New Carols and Songs for Chaucer’s Pilgrims (Ordering available on this site – head to the online store)
Using authentic medieval English lyrics and all new music which I have written, this critically-acclaimed album contains thirteen of my most well-known and widely-performed compositions.
Around 600 medieval carol texts have survived, but only about 120 with their music. My compositions use some of the texts which survived from the time without their music, breathing new life into these beautiful, forgotten lyrics of the past. The music reflects the spirit of the medieval time in which the texts were written.
In the Middle Ages, carols covered broader territory than they do today and in this collection there are pieces covering many sides of medieval life, from love, death, politics and ale to the major religious festivals of Christmas and Easter. Works have been performed by choirs in the United
States, United Kingdom and Australia, and have been broadcast by the BBC in the UK and by the ABC in Australia.
Media about New Carols and Songs for Chaucer’s Pilgrims
The Weekend Australian – 4.5 starsABC 7.30 Report
The Canberra Times
Melomano Digital (in Spanish – English translation here)
Free downloads of sheet music – in medieval and modern English
All the sheet music from New Carols and Songs for Chaucer’s Pilgrims is available below for download, in medieval and modern English (translations by Peter Wilkin). Performers should freely arrange as they see fit, introducing instrumental and percussion parts, adding dynamic markings, transposing to suit available voices and utilising solo and chorus variations. I am very happy to discuss the performance of these pieces if you would like to contact me.
| Sheet music (PDFs) | Recording links | |
| Virgo, Rosa Virginum
(Christmas Carol) (Soprano I, Soprano II, Alto) |
Medieval English Version in modern translation |
Store iTunes |
| Letabundus Exultet
(Christmas Carol) (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) |
Medieval English Version in modern translation |
Store iTunes |
| Alleluia, Deo Patris Sit Gloria
(Christmas Carol) (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) |
Medieval English Version in modern translation |
Store iTunes |
| Blyssid Be That Lady Bryght
(Christmas Carol) (Soprano, Alto, Alto II/Tenor) |
Medieval English Version in modern translation |
Store iTunes |
| Man Be Glad In Halle And Bour
(Christmas Carol) (Soprano, Alto, Alto II/Tenor) |
Medieval English Version in modern translation |
Store iTunes |
| Bryng Us Home Good Ale, Ser
(Carol of Ale) (Tenor, Baritone, Bass) |
Medieval English Version in modern translation |
Store iTunes |
| Nou Sprinkes The Sprai
(Carol of Spring) (Soprano, Alto I, Alto II) |
Medieval English Version in modern translation |
Store iTunes |
| Willikin’s Return
(Carol of Victory) (Alto, Tenor, Bass) |
Medieval English Version in modern translation |
Store iTunes |
| Wep No More For Me, Swet Hart
(Carol of Lost Love) (Alto, Tenor, Bass) |
Medieval English Version in modern translation |
Store iTunes |
| Lullay, Lullay Litel Child
(Lullaby Carol) (Soprano, Alto, Tenor) |
Medieval English Version in modern translation |
Store iTunes |
| I Pra You Sers, Al In Fere
(Carol of St Thomas a Becket) (Alto, Tenor, Bass) |
Medieval English Version in modern translation |
Store iTunes |
| Nowel, El, El, El, El
(Carol of Easter) (Alto, Tenor, Bass) |
Medieval English Version in modern translation |
Store iTunes |
| A Domusday We Schull Ysee
(Carol of Doomsday) (Soprano I, II, Alto, Tenor I,II, Bass) |
Medieval English Version in modern translation |
Store iTunes |
Other original compositions for choirs and soloists
I have published a number of other secular and sacred works, in medieval English, modern English and Latin, including a prize-winning setting of Psalm 33 from the Middle English Wyclif Bible, professionally published by Wirripang. Sheet music for a selection of my works is available below for download, and some live performances are available on my youtube channel and below.
Performers should freely arrange as they see fit, introducing instrumental and percussion parts, adding dynamic markings, transposing to suit available voices and utilising solo and chorus variations. Many of the works are suited to female or male-voice ensembles. I am happy to discuss the performance of these pieces if you would like to contact me.
A second album of my compositions is currently under development, intended for release at the end of 2020 – with a working title of The Lost Bards’ Codex.
| Secular works | Sheet Music pdf/Midi files/Recordings |
| The World an Illusion (Medieval English poem (excerpt)) (Soprano, Alto, Baritone, Drum, optional Recorders) |
Sheet music Listen: Midi file |
| A carol of St George (Medieval English Carol, anon 15th C) (Tenor, Baritone, Bass, optional Recorders) |
Sheet music Sheet music: Modern English translation Listen: Midi file |
| Twilight on the Snow (Words by Clark Ashton Smith (1893-1961)) (Soprano I, II, Alto) |
Sheet music Listen: Midi file |
| Sacred works | Sheet Music pdf/Midi files/Recordings |
| Sancte Martyr Domini Olave (From the Office of St Olaf, c. 1200, Latin Icelandic text) (Alto, Tenor, Bass) |
Sheet music Listen: Midi file Recording (Live): Southwark Cathedral Choir |
| Ye Just Men Have Fulli Joye in the Lord (Medieval English Wycliffe Bible (c.1450), Psalm 33) (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) |
Sheet music Listen: Midi file Recording (live): Luminescence Chamber Singers |
| Wyclif Magnificat (Medieval English Wycliffe Bible (c.1450)) (Soprano, Alto, Tenor) |
Sheet music Listen: Midi file Recording: St James’ Church King Street Choir |
| Wyclif Nunc Dimittis (Medieval English Wycliffe Bible (c.1450)) (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) |
Sheet music Listen: Midi file Recording: St James’ Church King Street Choir |
| A carol of St George
(Medieval English Carol, anon 15th C) (Tenor, Baritone, Bass, optional Recorders) |
Sheet music Sheet music: Modern English translation Listen: Midi file |
| Nu this fules singet (Medieval English Christmas carol) (Soprano, Alto, Tenor) |
Sheet music Listen: Midi file Recording: St James’ Church King Street Choir |
| A child is boren (Medieval English Christmas carol) (Alto, Tenor, Bass) |
Sheet music Listen: Midi file |
| Synge We To The Lord
(Medieval English Wycliffe Bible (c.1450), Exodus) (Soprano I, II, Alto I, II, Timbrel/Tambourine) |
Sheet music Listen: Midi file |
| Sodenly Afraide
(Medieval English Carol of Mary, anon 15th C) (Soprano I, II, Alto) |
Sheet music Listen: Midi file |
| I saw our Lord as a Lord in his owne hous
(Medieval vision of Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love, 1373) (Soprano, Alto) |
Sheet music |
| Jhesu of His Moder Was Born
(Medieval English Carol of Easter, anon 15th C) (Soprano I, II, Alto) |
Sheet music |
| Veni Sancte Spiritus
(Words by Stephen Langton, c.1160-1228, Latin) (Tenor, Baritone, Bass) |
Sheet music Listen: Midi file |
Renaissance Dance arrangements
Many surviving Renaissance and Medieval dances have reached us with just a single line of music. I have arranged over fifty such dances for multiple parts. My arrangements have been published in Del’s Dance Book, often under my pseudonym Geoffrey of Exeter (which I use in the Society of Creative Anachronism).
I’ve also published them below – all of the arrangements are free use for non-profit. If you’d like to use them as part of a profit-making endeavour, contact me and we can discuss.
English Country Dance (Playford)
| Sheet Music | Sound | ||
| Argeers | MIDI | ||
| Chestnut | MIDI | ||
| Cuckolds All A Row | MIDI | ||
| Dargason | MIDI | ||
| Dissembling Love | MIDI | ||
| Dull Sir John | MIDI | ||
| Fine Companion | MIDI | ||
| Gathering Peascods | MIDI | ||
| Glory of the West | MIDI | ||
| Goddesses | MIDI | ||
| Merry, Merry Milkmaids | MIDI | ||
| Newcastle | MIDI | ||
| Parson’s Farewell | MIDI | ||
| Picking of Sticks (Lavena/Half Hannikin) | MIDI | ||
| Rufty Tufty | MIDI | ||
| Staines Morris | MIDI | ||
| Upon A Summer’s Day | MIDI | ||
| Wherligig | MIDI |
Dances from France and Burgundy (Bransles)
| Sheet Music | Sound | ||
| Mimed Bransle 1 – Washerwoman’s | MIDI | ||
| Mimed Bransle 2 – Pease | MIDI | ||
| Mimed Bransle 3 – Hermit’s | MIDI | ||
| Mimed Bransle 4 – Shoes | MIDI | ||
| Mimed Bransle 5 – Horses | MIDI | ||
| Cut Bransle 1 – Cassandra | MIDI | ||
| Cut Bransle 2 – Pinagay | MIDI | ||
| Cut Bransle 3 – Charlotte | MIDI | ||
| Cut Bransle 4 – La Guerre | MIDI | ||
| Cut Bransle 5 – Aridan | MIDI | ||
| Burgundian Bransle | MIDI | ||
| Double Bransle | MIDI | ||
| Gay Bransle (Bransle Gai) | MIDI | ||
| Hay Bransle | MIDI | ||
| Official Bransle | PDF
(With descant: PDF) |
MIDI
(With descant: MIDI) |
|
| Single Bransle | MIDI | ||
| Trihory of Brittany Bransle | MIDI |
Other medieval and Renaissance dances
| Sheet Music | Sound | ||
| Court Set – Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie
(with optional descant) |
MIDI | ||
| Court Set – Tourdion | MIDI | ||
| Court Set – Jouyssance Vous Donneray | MIDI | ||
| Bizzaria D’Amore | MIDI | ||
| Black Allemande | MIDI | ||
| Buffens | MIDI | ||
| Contentezza D’Amore | MIDI | ||
| Cuncti Simus Concanentes | MIDI | ||
| Danse De Cleves | MIDI | ||
| Esperans | MIDI | ||
| Gavotte | MIDI | ||
| Gelosia | MIDI | ||
| La Fiamma D’Amore | MIDI | ||
| Passo E Mezzo | MIDI | ||
| Saltarello La Regina | MIDI | ||
| Spagnoletta | MIDI | ||
| Villanella | MIDI | ||
