Cheerful-melancholic island music for viol consort
Witty, sparkling, endowed with an unusual sense of humour, but also sinking into the deep darkness of great emotions - all these qualities are often and readily attributed to the British by their neighbouring mainlanders.
Inspired by the Italian madrigal art of the Renaissance, the islanders developed a unique musical style in the 16th and 17th centuries. Bold harmonies, sudden changes of volume, tempo and time signature, daring melodic turns and an extremely complex wealth of ideas are the building blocks of this music, which we still have the impression today is far ahead of its time. One looks in vain for a concertmaster in the modern sense, for the voices are all equal. The fantasy, the most popular genre of music for viol consort, represents with its compositional variety a wide spectrum of human feelings. It is no coincidence that the listener has the impression that all the highs and lows are explored here.
And it is no coincidence that the viola da gamba plays the leading role in this music!
Works by: Ferrabosco, Gibbons, Byrd, Ward, Locke a.o.
Participants: 4 viols
CD release May 2013