In a book called Renaissance Elizabethan Music for Banjo (!) Kyle Datesman says of the Anthony Holborne galliard on Tabernakel
In my opinion this is one of the most beautiful pieces ever written. I first heard it from a recording called "Tabernakel" by Jan Akkerman. It contains the most inspiring music that I have ever been exposed to and I have been affected by it considerably. He plays Archlute, which gives an extremely rich, full sound in the bass register. Akkerman's treble is truly ethereal and floats heavenward while his bass seems as if it can penetrate the deepest watery depths. His Archlute playing must be heard to be appreciated. Sadly, I believe that it is out of print.
When people ask me to name my favourite piece I often reply. "A Galliard by Anthony Holborne." Puzzled, they inquire "A Galliard, he wrote a number of them, which one??" This illustrates a big problem when discussing music of the period. Sometimes a musician may compose a dance for a patron, and then name it after them. Other times a tune would be composed and given a very generic title such as "a dance" or perhaps no title at all. This gets to be incredibly annoying to the modern musicologist who loves to taxonomize and pigeon-hole everything in neat packaged categories. They also come to despise it when people ask them their favourite tune. I assume that it was the fashion at the time to give pieces non-descript generic titles: for little mental exertion is called for to think of a catchy title and I have never met a musician who does not relish this.
This wonderful piece is a good example of a stylised dance which has evolved to be practically thorough-composed. It is also another piece which when played slow is pensive but when played briskly sounds like a fanfare. It is interesting for it can be moody even though it is in a major key. When played as a fanfare it sounds very stately but when played calmly the character of the piece comes out. This is how Akkerman treated it. and so that is how we shall look at it here.
The beginning is somewhat startling for the first three notes ascend very rapidly. This may catch some off guard as the beginning of a tune usually is not this animated. It goes from a low D to a high D within the space of two beats! But then perhaps sensing that this made some dizzy, it decided to settle in a D Major an octave lower in the second measure. The first part of the tune, measures #1-8, has this overriding theme: that of moving away from D Major only to return to it rather quickly. One gets the impression that the ice is thin everywhere except around D Major.
The second part, measure #9-24, however, takes a slightly different approach. This section begins and ends in D Major, yet all that falls within is basically centred around A Major. Measure #9, in some respects is the exact opposite of the first measure. Instead of ascending, here it descends to resolve into A Major in measure #10. The 10th-12th measures are over-whelmingly centred around this chord also. Measure #13 goes through a series of chord changes to resolve again to A Major in the next measure. The same theme is repeated in measures #14-16 - that of going through chord progressions of a measure or two only to resolve to a high A Major. The paths they take are quite different but the objective is both the same.
To re-emphasise the fact that this section is ruled by A Major it traversed its territory from a low A Major to a high one all in one beat in the 17th measure. It continued to reign in the next measure as well. Measure #19 is very interesting. Vertical block chords go from E minor to B7 then to E major in the following measure, The very last phrase measures #21-24 is very reflective and and is often repeated to provide for a good ending cadence.
Where in the first section it was cautious not to move far from D Major, the second has the very same feel but with A Major. It may stray, but it is never too far away. The tune has many interesting harmonies. There are many. many instances of very gradual resolutions - chords gently and cautiously creeping in and out of each other. Here we see a number of unusual chords being used in this regard. A7 (with added 2nd) is used to resolve to D Major in the 3rd, 4th, 9th and 15th measures, while Bb7 is seen in a similar situation in the 5th measure. A7 is used in measure #21, while the 13th measure uses C# minor in a similar way.
One notices that many 7 chords are employed. This is an example of the experimental atmosphere of the times where we see the newer theory interacting with the older. I would say the experiment was a success. Besides their avante garde chords one finds what one would expect to rind in a D Major piece. Yet, the tune cannot decide between E minor and E Major. B7 is used to resolve to E Major in measure #19, while B minor is seen in only one spot - measure #22.
The piece makes use of good effects as well. Note the ascending run in measures 15-16 and the vertical block transition at E minor to its major in measures 9-20. The opening ascension catches one's attention, while the surreal chordal uncertainties give it depth. 16th-note flurries are not placed haphazard but rather strategic. Absolutely the best.