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The Melancholic Airs of An Old English Mercenary's Viola da Gamba, October 20, 2005
This review is from: Captaine Tobias Hume: Musicall Humors 1605 (Audio CD)
Tobias Hume is one of many composers of the late 16th/early 17th century who has been on the brink of oblivion. This particular collection of his beautiful works for viola da gamba brings him back from the shadows with an outstanding performance by fabled violist, Jordi Savall.
Captain Tobias Hume was a contemporary of Shakespeare and an English mercenary whom historians believe performed in the Old Globe on several occasions as per the comments of Shakespeare referring to a captain playing the viola in the theater's band. Hume served a great portion of his life as a soldier and found himself penniless in his old age. His luck ran out as he progressed in years and he lived his remaining life in a poor house in London. Hume made many desperate pleas to the queen almost groveling for a position as court musician but was ignored. His works are quite original and have the distinct sound of a military man with many military marches and ballads. His works such as "Harke, Harke", "Life", and "Death", and "A Pauin" are filled with an austere passion: the music is very deep and melancholic. The pieces are a delight to the ear and this recording captures one of the best performances.
Apart from there being few musicians who actually play Hume, there are also very few who are masters of the viola da gamba which became a somewhat obsolete instrument by the late 18th century and surpassed by the easier to play but more limited cello. Jordi Savall is singularly the best viola performer alive and his specialties are earlier viola composers such as Hume and especially French Baroque composers such as Lully, Marais, Forqueray, and Couperin. This is a great album!
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