Customer Reviews

English Music For Viols

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

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 lambent (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.

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.

... 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!

I don't have any time to write reviews anymore, but here I make one exception, just to counter the negative reviews, all claiming that the 5th CD is missing. I ordered this in September 2011 and the 5th CD was there.
The theory that Virgin should have produced some boxes with 5 CDs and some with only 4, is not credible. Two errors must then have occurred simultanously which is not probable, or we must imagine that the production team had either one 5 CD box but only 4 CDs, without anybody noticing or one 4 CD box but 5 CDs, also without anybody noticing it.
In my case the 5th CD is behind the 4th, invisible if I don't take out the 4th CD, and then only the downside visible. That part of the case has standard-thickness with hinged tray that can be lifted up to reveal the second disc, so yes, the case looks just like a 4CD-box.
Virgin offers this great music in five CDs to the price of one budget CD. All the music by the four composers is of high quality; the Purcell doesn't stand out. It is about 50 years between the earlies compositions (Jenkins from the 1630ties) and the latest (Purcell from the 1680ties). Moreover, the Purcell was considered out of fashion at the time. Lots of nice polyphony makes the music very rewarding.
Please forgive me writing errors.

Amazon's website, as well as the package itself, proclaims this to be a 5-CD set. Guess again. I dismantled the entire case, every piece of plastic, thinking perhaps there was some secret chamber where the fifth CD (of Purcell's Fantasias) had been hidden. Not only is there no fifth CD anywhere, there isn't even a place where a fifth disc could be stashed--it's a 4-CD jewelbox, pure and simple. Worse, when I tried to exchange it for a complete 5-disc set--which, judging from other reviews, does exist in some territories of the country--I got a note saying that while I could get a refund, Amazon can't offer an exchange. I will grant that the price is still low for a four-CD set, but if you're hoping to get the disc of Purcell, don't bother.

I bought these CDs even though I already had other fine performances of the Purcell works which represent the culmination of the historical progression represented on the 5 discs, because I like the Purcell and I wished to expand my musical horizons a bit more by going earlier. I know some of the Locke represented here, and he is a close contemporaroy of Purcell, but Jenkins and especially Lawes are somewhat earlier historically than those two. Lawes borders on late Renaissance music and with the spare string writing represented here is quite different from Purcell. The performances are good and I do indeed feel stretched a bit musically. Highly recommended.

I can't say much more than has already been said, other than this: the works are excellently executed and the recording is very clear. So much for England as "the land without music." The pieces are very sedate, but often creative. And just because Purcell is the one you have probably heard of on this set doesn't mean he is the only one worth listening to: all of the works here are more or less on the same level (though noticeably in different styles). I'm not sure whether the addition of the organ was the idea of the consort or if it is obligato (called for in the score) but it is very effective indeed. It was a worthy addition to my collection.

Also, if you enjoy this kind of music, there are several excellent French viol composers of the 17th century that are worth looking into: their music is, in my opinion, more expressive and ornamental than the English school, though having less counterpoint. Marin Marais is the famous one to look for.

I returned the set because it had only 4 CD's, missing, as others have noted, the 5th CD, the Henry Purcell one. The replacement also was missing the 5th CD. After reading other people's comments I saw that other people had the same problem, but someone said that the 5th CD was behind the 5th. I took the tray apart and the only thing on the other side was a piece of paper. I then chatted online with an Amazon rep who admitted that there are only 4 CD's in the set, and that if I exchanged it again the new one was likely to have the same problem. He offered, twice, a full refund if I returned the set, but I explained that I like the 4 CDs that are included (which of course is still a bargain). Finally I said that Amazon should refund 1/5 the cost, since 1/5 of the product was missing, and he agreed. So I will get a refund of $3. I feel silly but Amazon should not be allowed to keep selling 4 CD sets as 5 CD sets. Unfortunately, now I am having problems putting the case back together!
Bottom line: if you are willing to put up with the aggravation of not getting what is being advertised, you can get a 4 CD set of really beautiful music in a case that says it is a 5 CD set.

As other reviewers have pointed out, Purcell CD is missing. It is a shame that Amazon does not seem to care about selling a product with blatant wrong information!!

I ordered this with some trepidation, considering the problems some other people had had with the set. I'm glad I went ahead with the order, because the music on all five CDs is beautiful, and beautifully played. Other reviewers more expert than I have offered more insight on the music, so I won't go farther than to say I'm very glad to have this set.

The fourth and fifth CDs in my set are on a swing-out tray of the type used in many "slim-line" double-CD sets, that put two CDs in a jewel case of standard thickness. Yes, this arrangement is somewhat fragile, but it works.