Product Details
English Music For Viols (5 CDs)

English Music For Viols (5 CDs)
Fretwork

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Track Listing

Disc 1:

  1. Fantasia a 5 No. 16 in D major
  2. Fantasia a 6 No. 8 in A minor
  3. Fantasia Suite for 2 trebles, bass & organ No. 4 in C major: Fancy
  4. Fantasia Suite for 2 trebles, bass & organ No. 4 in C major: Ayre
  5. Suite for 4 parts No. 6 in F major, MB26
  6. Fantasia á 5 No. 7 in C minor, VdGS 7
  7. Pieces for lyra viol
  8. Fantasia a 4 No. 12 in D major
  9. In nomine, for 6 parts No. 2 in E minor, MB39
  10. Pavan for 2 bass viols in A minor
  11. Fantasia à 4 No. 5 in F major, VdGS 5
  12. Fantasia a 6 No. 3 in C minor
  13. Fantasia Suite for treble, 2 basses & organ No. 7 in D minor: Fancy
  14. Fantasia Suite for treble, 2 basses & organ No. 7 in D minor: Almain
  15. Fantasia Suite for treble, 2 basses & organ No. 7 in D minor: Corant
  16. Pavan, for 6 parts No. 2 in F Major, MB39
  17. Divisions for 2 bass viols in D Major
  18. Fantasy á 5 No. 8 in C minor
  19. In nomine, for 6 parts No. 1 in G minor, MB 39

Disc 2:

  1. Consort Sett a 6 in F major (No. 8): Fantazy
  2. Consort Sett a 6 in F major (No. 8): Aire
  3. Consort Sett a 6 in F major (No. 8): Fantazy
  4. Consort Sett a 6 in F major (No. 8): Aire
  5. Consort Sett a 5 in A minor (No. 2): Fantazy
  6. Consort Sett a 5 in A minor (No. 2): Fantazy
  7. Consort Sett a 5 in A minor (No. 2): Aire
  8. Countrey Coll for lyra viol
  9. Jigg for lyra viol
  10. Consort Sett a 5 in C major (No. 5): Fantazy
  11. Consort Sett a 5 in C major (No. 5): Paven
  12. Consort Sett a 5 in C major (No. 5): Almaine
  13. Consort Sett a 5 in F major (No. 4): Fantazy
  14. Consort Sett a 5 in F major (No. 4): Paven
  15. Consort Sett a 5 in F major (No. 4): Aire
  16. Fantasie for 3 lyra viols (VdGS No. 573)
  17. Humour, for 3 lyra viols (VdGS No. 568)
  18. Consort Sett a 6 in C minor (No. 10): Fantazia
  19. Consort Sett a 6 in C minor (No. 10): Fantazia
  20. Consort Sett a 6 in C minor (No. 10): Inominy
  21. Consort Sett a 6 in C minor (No. 10): Aire

Disc 3:

  1. Consort Sett a 6 in G minor (No. 6): Paven
  2. Consort Sett a 6 in G minor (No. 6): Fantazy
  3. Consort Sett a 6 in G minor (No. 6): Aire
  4. Consort Sett a 5 in C minor (No. 3): Fantazy
  5. Consort Sett a 5 in C minor (No. 3): Aire
  6. Consort Sett a 5 in C minor (No. 3): Paven
  7. Consort Sett a 5 in C minor (No. 3): Aire
  8. Almaine, for lyra viol (VdGS No. 430)
  9. Corant for lyra viol (VdGS No. 431)
  10. Saraband for lyra viol (VdGS No. 432)
  11. Consort Sett a 6 in C major (No. 7): Fantazy
  12. Consort Sett a 6 in C major (No. 7): Fantazy
  13. Consort Sett a 6 in C major (No. 7): Aire
  14. Consort Sett a 5 in G minor (No. 1): Fantazya
  15. Consort Sett a 5 in G minor (No. 1): On the Playnsong
  16. Consort Sett a 5 in G minor (No. 1): Aire
  17. Aire for lyra viol (VdGS No. 462)
  18. Aire for lyra viol (VdGS No. 463)
  19. Consort Sett a 6 in B flat major (No. 9): Fantazia
  20. Consort Sett a 6 in B flat major (No. 9): Aire
  21. Consort Sett a 6 in B flat major (No. 9): Inominy

Disc 4:

  1. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 1 in D minor (Consort of Fower Parts No. 1): Fantasie
  2. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 1 in D minor (Consort of Fower Parts No. 1): Courante
  3. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 1 in D minor (Consort of Fower Parts No. 1): Ayre
  4. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 1 in D minor (Consort of Fower Parts No. 1): Sarabande
  5. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 2 in D minor/D major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 2): Fantasie
  6. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 2 in D minor/D major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 2): Courante
  7. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 2 in D minor/D major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 2): Ayre
  8. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 2 in D minor/D major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 2): Sarabande
  9. Suite, for 2 bass viols No. 1 in D minor (Duos for 2 bass viols No. 1): Fantasie
  10. Suite, for 2 bass viols No. 1 in D minor (Duos for 2 bass viols No. 1): Fantasie
  11. Suite, for 2 bass viols No. 1 in D minor (Duos for 2 bass viols No. 1): Courante
  12. Suite, for 2 bass viols No. 1 in D minor (Duos for 2 bass viols No. 1): Fantasie
  13. Suite, for 2 bass viols No. 1 in D minor (Duos for 2 bass viols No. 1): Fantasie
  14. Suite, for 2 bass viols No. 1 in D minor (Duos for 2 bass viols No. 1): Sarabande
  15. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 3 in F major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 3): Fantasie
  16. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 3 in F major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 3): Courante
  17. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 3 in F major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 3): Ayre
  18. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 3 in F major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 3): Sarabande
  19. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 4 in F major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 4): Fantasie
  20. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 4 in F major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 4): Courante
  21. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 4 in F major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 4): Ayre
  22. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 4 in F major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 4): Sarabande
  23. Suite, for 2 bass viols No. 2 in D major (Duos for 2 bass viols No. 2): Fantasie
  24. Suite, for 2 bass viols No. 2 in D major (Duos for 2 bass viols No. 2): Fantasie
  25. Suite, for 2 bass viols No. 2 in D major (Duos for 2 bass viols No. 2): Courante
  26. Suite, for 2 bass viols No. 2 in D major (Duos for 2 bass viols No. 2): Fantasie
  27. Suite, for 2 bass viols No. 2 in D major (Duos for 2 bass viols No. 2): Fantasie
  28. Suite, for 2 bass viols No. 2 in D major (Duos for 2 bass viols No. 2): Sarabande
  29. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 5 in G minor (Consort of Fower Parts No. 5): Fantasie
  30. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 5 in G minor (Consort of Fower Parts No. 5): Courante
  31. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 5 in G minor (Consort of Fower Parts No. 5): Ayre
  32. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 5 in G minor (Consort of Fower Parts No. 5): Sarabande
  33. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 6 in G major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 6): Fantasie
  34. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 6 in G major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 6): Courante
  35. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 6 in G major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 6): Ayre
  36. Suite, for 4 viols & optional continuo No. 6 in G major (Consort of Fower Parts No. 6): Sarabande

Disc 5:

  1. Fantasy for 4 viols in G minor, Z. 735
  2. Fantasy for 4 viols in B flat major, Z. 736
  3. Fantasy for 4 viols in F major, Z. 737
  4. Fantasy for 4 viols in C minor, Z. 738
  5. Fantasy for 4 viols in D minor, Z. 739
  6. Fantasy for 4 viols in A minor, Z. 740
  7. Fantasy for 4 viols in E minor, Z. 741
  8. Fantasy for 4 viols in G major, Z. 742
  9. Fantasy for 4 viols in D minor, Z. 743
  10. Fantasy for 3 viols in D minor, Z. 732
  11. Fantasy for 3 viols in F major, Z. 733
  12. Fantasy for 3 viols in G minor, Z. 734
  13. Fantasia for 4 parts in A minor (incomplete)
  14. Fantasia upon one note, for 5 viols in F major, Z. 745
  15. In nomine for 6 viols in G minor, Z. 746
  16. In nomine for 7 viols in G minor (Dorian), Z. 747

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #6179 in Music
  • Released on: 2008-10-28
  • Number of discs: 5
  • Format: Box set
  • Dimensions: .47 pounds

Customer Reviews

Amazing deal on a great introduction to English Consort Music5
English consort music is the first great body of instrumental chamber music in Western music, 200 years or so before the First Viennese School of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, etc. (some may disagree and award the 17th-century Italian chamber sonata repertory this honors, but I simply find the English composers more inspired). This 5-cd box set by Fretwork presents four later-generation 17th-century composers, Jenkins, Lawes, Locke, and Purcell - each with sublime musical offerings on these cds. At $16.98 this is an amazing deal and a perfect introduction to 17th-century English consort music. One would like to see a companion box set of earlier-generation consort composers such as Byrd, Dowland, Thomas Lupo, Gibbons, Tomkins, or Ferrabosco II (at least the first three of which have been previously recorded by Fretwork). I have my own preferences for other versions than Fretwork's, such as Phantasm's recordings of the Jenkins consorts in 5 & 6 parts and both the Phantasm and Hesperion XXI versions of William Lawes' consorts in 5 & 6 parts. Phantasm's interpretations tend to be more cerebral, tense, and incisive, conjuring up a late Beethoven-like soundscape in these composers. Hesperion brings out a more stately, lyrical, singing quality to the music. The Fretwork recordings (if a bit like the Rose Consort's) achieve something different still - a measured, limpid or pellucid clarity that seems perfectly in character with the Englishness of these composers, in distinction to a more Italian or Mediterranean sound. But all of the Fretwork recordings are highly satisfying in their own right, and the recording quality is rich and plangent (though best brought out with a high-end audio system). Listeners will respond differently according to personal tastes. The more you are drawn into this music, the more you will want to compare different interpretations, and that's surely a measure of great music. I hope to see more bargain-priced releases like this to spread the word about this music.

FIVE FOR THE CONTENT / 0 FOR THE "BOX"5
I can't add to David Cahill's comments on the value and the music. He's also right about the period and the performances. I've listened to Fretwork since the 1980s, always impressed with their touch and ability. For those of you who do appreciate this period -- with its dense harmonies, drone-like calms and timbral intricacies -- you might also look into Fretwork's take on more contemporary pieces. Their 1997 SIT FAST release presents period works by Tye, Isaac, Ferabosco and Ockeghem along side the works of living composers including Gavin Bryars, Sally Beamish, Elvis Costello and others, all ably demonstrating the timeless qualities of the viol.

What I can add is the fact that this is not really a "Box Set", but a weirdly conceived and executed old-time bulky 2-CD jewel case retrofitted with the most bizarre, built-to-fall-out tray I have ever seen. For the dimensionally impaired, such as myself, the only good news is that the run time of one CD seems just sufficient for me to figure out how to reassemble the case, only to start reassembling it once more, after trying to return the CD to its tray... It makes for a full evening my friends, and frankly, Fretwork deserves a level of packaging that matches the level of their artistry.

If Musick Be the Food of Love ...5
... then money CAN buy you love after all! In fact, in the current economic turmoil, music is obviously the only luxury (or for some of us, necessity) we can afford. THIS IS AN ASTONISHING BARGAIN! As recently as a year or so ago, you would have needed a lot of 'plata' to build a collection of English Viola da Gamba Consort performances. Now you can buy the heart fo the repertoire, by one of the two dominant ensembles (the other is Phantasm), for about twelve bucks. Don't hesitate! This is the buy of your lifetime!

I've reviewed several of Fretwork's recordings previously. They are superb technicians, pellucid in tone, precise in rhythm, always worth hearing. The only thing that could make this 5-CD package more appealing would be a sixth CD!