Documento presents a two-part series based on the diaries of Samuel Pepys which looks at his musical activities and his relationship with the music world of the 17th century. Part 2 is broadcast in Documento on Monday 22nd June at 19:00 CET.
Who was Samuel Pepys? He lived from 1633 to 1704 and lived in London for much of his life where he worked as Chief Secretray to the Admiralty. Pepys is famous for the diary that he kept for a period on 9 years from 1660 to 1669.
In our programme about Pepys we limit ourselves to the period covered by the diaries. A lot happened in London during those years.
It was more than a century after his death before his diaries were decrypted. He had written them in a code based on the stenography devised by Thomas Shelton. In addition, the passages about his many affairs with women were written in a mix of Latin, French and Spanish.
The diaries describe the musical activities of Samuel Pepys and his wife and their relationship with the musical world of the period.
In part 1 of the series you heard music by Henry Lawes, Nicolas Lanier, Giulio Caccini, Thomas Ravenscroft, Giovanni Battista Draghi and Thomas Morley.
Click here to listen to part 1
Part 2 includes music by William Lawes, Henry Desmarest, John Jenkins, Pelham Humprey, Vincenzio Albrici, Matthew Locke and Giovanni Battista Draghi.
