Customer Reviews

John Ward - Consort Music for Five and Six Viols

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This is another excellent recording from Phantasm. Ward was entirely unknown to me, but I tried the CD because I have hugely enjoyed their recordings of Gibbons, Jenkins and others. This is just as good.

Ward was composing during a golden age of viol consort music. He was roughly contemporary with Gibbons and Jenkins, and William Lawes was his junior by only a decade or so. His music was widely respected at the time and by immediate posterity - which is praise indeed among this company - and it fully deserves to be given a wider audience today. It is largely quiet and contemplative and "seduces the ear into a dream of lyrical temptation and wistful longing" according to Lawrence Dreyfuss's scholarly notes. A bit overblown, perhaps, but I see what he means and the music is very seductive and beautiful.

Phantasm's playing is fabulous. They are already well established as a world-class viol consort, and they amply justify that reputation here. The sound is full and rich and they show a real love for and empathy with Ward's music; I cannot imagine this music being played better. The recorded sound by Linn is (of course) excellent and the presentation attractive. It's a great disc all round, and very warmly recommended.

I bought this one because it was recommended in BBC Music Magazine's newsletter (September 2009) and I am quite happy with it.

I had not heard about the ensemble playing here (Phantasm) before I heard this CD, but they play it beautifully - the ensemble sound as if it was one instrument which to me is ideal. The sound is also great.

If you are not familiar with this sort of music you have to be prepared for a somewhat monotonous sound picture: all instruments playing sound alike and they play in the same tempo and at the same volume throughout the 77 minutes total running time.

{First, I preface this review with a few words about LINN Records. This group have regularly proved themselves again and again to be right at the front in bringing us the finest interpretations of music, both the old and the new(er) works. They are to be commended for what they have brought to us, and hopefully will continue to do so for a very long time.}

.....Also, read what the previous reviewers have to say, and also what Mark Sealy of Classical.Net says above.....

Phantasm, a relatively new group, here works seductive and sublime magic with the string works of John Ward, whom we know relatively little about. He lived at the time of James I, contermprary of John Dowland's, hailed from Canterbury, a chorister at the Cathedral there, and later in London, served Sir Henry Fanshawe both as an attorney in the Exchequer and as a musician, writing madrigals, viol works, services and anthems. There are few recordings of his works, one of the finest of which is this one reviewed here.

This music will not likely leave melodies, etc., in your head. It will not move you to tap your foot or any other sort of melodic following with your body. But what it will do is seduce you into a quiet contemplative and thoughtful time (for about an hour and a half) that will calm and sooth you as no other music, perhaps, has ever done. This is non-intrusive music, lilting and calming, particularly enjoyable when one is in a meditative or introspective mood, or seeking solace, perhaps.

Nothing stands out here particularly from another but the whole makes one lovely cohesive and relaxing experience much enjoyable through to its end.

Early music, for sure, but not in the least "boring" and proves to be deeply reflective....surely some time very well spent listening to this wonderful group, Phantasm. Of course the icing on the cake is the capturing of all this by the folks of LINN, who truly deserve more recognition than they do, for all they do, for us lovers of music and the finest presentation(s) thereof. It is another first-class issue from this company of geniuses. I am sure they love music just as much as we all do, else they would not put all the effort into everything they release!

Enjoy this album. It sadly has not had much exposure, but truly deserves it. I doubt if this one will sit idly on your shelves for long periods of time...you will want to listen frequently and be transported to that wonderful deep calming place that it takes you to.

For those interested, I also highly recommend this album of Ward's madrigals (sans voices, there are no entire albums of Ward's sung texts). John Ward Consort Music: John Ward, Rose Consort of Viols, John Bryan: Music It too is most worthy of your attention.