Carols for Dancing explores the intimate connection between our tradition of midwinter holiday songs and Medieval and Renaissance dance. Renaissonics, an award-winning improvisational Renaissance dance band, performs new arrangements of familiar and unfamiliar carols, noels, lauda and villancicos with a flair and exuberance based in their long-time engagement in the interpretation of Renaissance dance music and the art of improvisation. As carols and other associated Christmas music were originally dance songs, these instrumentals move and come to life in unexpected ways.

The Music: Sussex Carol (trad. English) In dulci jubilo (Michael Praetorius, Musae Sioniae) Good King Wenceslaus (Piae cantiones, 1582) Joseph, lieber Joseph, mein / Resonet in laudibus (Praetorius, Musae Sioniae) Remember, O Thou Man (Thos. Ravenscroft, Melismata 1611) Halfe Hannikin (John Playford, English Dancing Master)

Greensleeves / Passa e mezzo (trad. British / improvisation)

Gavottes (Praetorius, Terpsichore) Tant que vivray (Claudin de Sermisy) Branle gay / Branle de Poictou (Claude Gervais, 1550) Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabella (trad. Provençal) Patapan (trad. Burgundian / text Bernard de la Monnoye, c. 1700) Un serao de la chacona (Juan Aranes, 1624) Gaytas (Santiago de Murcia, ~1732) El la don, don Verges Maria (Mateo Flecha? 1556) 25co de diciembre (trad. Catalan) Riu, riu, chiu (Mateo Flecha? 1556) Canaria lira / Canario (Praetorius, Terpsichore) La Piva (Vincenzo Ruffo, 1564)

Piva (Joan Ambrosio Dalza, 1508) Salten y Ballen (trad. Catalan)

Quando nascette Ninno (trad. Italian) Courantes (Praetorius, Terpsichore) Bransle de l'Official (Thoinot Arbeau, Orchesographie)

Volta (Wm. Byrd, Fitzwilliam Virginal Book / Praetorius, Terpsichore) Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day (trad. English)

For more information about the individual carols, stories about their meanings and origins - and a link to the public radio special hosted by Sound & Spirit host Ellen Kushner - visit the Carols for Dancing website [www.wgbh.org/carols].