Jacob van Eyck: Courante, of Ach treurt myn bedroefde

The “Courante, of Ach treurt myn bedroefde“ [“Courante, or Oh, mourn my sorrowful“ ] comes from Der Fluyten Lust-hof, the magnum opus of seventeenth century blind carillon and recorder player Jacob van Eyck (ca. 1589-1657). FLH was published in Amsterdam by Paulus Matthysz in several editions (the first edition was known as “Euterpe oft Speel-goddinne“ (“Euterpe, or the goddess of [music] playing“) in the mid-seventeenth century. As the title page stated, FLH was a compendium of “psalms, pavanes, allemandes, courantes, ballets, airs, etc.“ for solo recorder. van Eyck was keeper of the carillons in Utrecht and received an additional stipend from the city to play his “little flute“ (recorder) for townspeople as they promenaded in the park beside the St. Janskerk. He became famous throughout Europe both for his profound knowledge of bell acoustics and his recorder playing. I am playing on my own copy of an early seventeenth century soprano record