José Marín (1618–1699) José Marín was a Spanish composer, singer and priest. He sang tenor in the royal chapel of King Felipe IV from 1644 to 1649. After travelling to Rome, for ordination, and then to the Indies he returned to Madrid and in 1657 was charged with robbery and murder and subsequently defrocked. Between 1680 and 1694 Martin Garcia de Olegue, organist at Trinitarian convent in Madrid, copied a manuscript of fifty-one secular songs composed or arranged by Marín, in a version for voice and five-course guitar. These songs are taken from that collection. Sepan todos que muero De amores y de ausencias Etienne Mouliníe (1600–1669) These songs by Mouliníe are taken from Airs de cour avec la tablature de lúth (1629). Moulinié was the musical director to Gaston d’Orléans, Louis XIII’s younger brother. Airs de cour (1629) is the only one of Moulinié’s five books of Airs de cours to include songs with guitar accompaniment. This corresponds to the popularity of the guitar at the French court in the late 1620s and after. Non ha sott'il ciel O che gioia Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin (1670–1738) Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin (Turlough O’Carolan) was a blind, itinerant harper, composer and singer whose great fame is due to his gift for melodic composition. He was the last great Irish harper- composer and is considered by many to be Ireland’s national composer. Sí bheag, Sí mhór is believed to have been his first composition Sí bheag, Sí mhór Recorded in concert, July 2008 Aodh Mac Aingil (1571–1626) The beautiful nativity poem, Dia do Bheatha a Naoi Anocht, was composed by Aodh Mac Aingil (Hugh of the Angels). Simple and direct in style, it was set by Seán Ó Casaide to an old Irish air in the Petrie collection of Irish traditional music. Mac Aingil who was born at Saul, Co Down in 1571 and was appointed Archbishop of Armagh and primate of all Ireland by Pope Urban III in 1626, but died before he could take office. Dia do bheatha Recorded in concert, July 2008