Adrian Le Roy - Tiers Livre (1552)
Adrian Le Roy (1520 - 1598) composed for both the lute and guitar. Le Roy was also a music publisher, along with Robert Ballard, in Paris. Le Roy and Ballard were the Royal music printers for Kings Henri II, Charles IX, Henri III and Henri IV. 4 books of Le Roy's guitar music were printed in the 1550s, including his Tiers Livre de Tablature de Guiterre... in 1552. Tiers Livre is a book of 4-course guitar music, and includes 2 preludes, an absolutely fantastic tourdion, and a number of pavans, galliards (including pavan/galliard pairs), almans, bransles, etc., in French Tablature.
Cover of Adrian Le Roy's Tiers Livre guitar book from 1552.
Below are three pieces from Le Roy's Tiers Livre, presented in facsimile of the original music along with recordings of the music from my SCA guitar CD. I've also included my transcriptions to modern staff notation and guitar tablature for the bransle and prelude.
Tourdion - Adrian Le Roy (1552)
Johann performs Le Roy's Tourdion for renaissance guitar at Pennsic 46.
This is the absolutely fantastic Tourdion that I mentioned above. Click the player above to give it a listen, or watch the video from Pennsic 46.
Facsimile of Adrian Le Roy's Tourdion from Tiers Livre (1552). The Tourdion begins on the 3rd line of the 1st page. Le Roy includes a diminution (plus diminue' ) for the piece on the top three lines of the second page above. Many of Le Roy's compositions include these highly ornamental diminutions. The recording linked above includes the diminution.
Prelude - Adrian Le Roy (1552)
Facsimile of Le Roy's Prelude #1 from Tiers Livre (1552). The Prelude begins at the top of the first page, and continues through the first two lines of the second.
Staff notation and modern guitar tablature for Prelude #1 by Adrian Le Roy (1552). Transcribed by Johann von Solothurn
Bransle de Champaigne #3 - Adrian Le Roy (1552)
Facsimile of Le Roy's 3rd Bransle de Champaigne from Tiers Livre (1552). A 4th Bransle de Champaigne begins at the bottom of the page.
Staff notation and modern guitar tablature for Bransle de Champaigne by Adrian Le Roy (1552). Transcribed by Johann von Solothurn.
Contents of Tiers Livre (1552). Note that each piece is not listed individually in the table. For example, 4 Bransles de Champaigne are included in the book, but there is only one line for these bransles in the table above (the table does indicate where multiple pieces of the same form occur - note the "4" next to Bransles de Champaigne).