Customer Reviews

Pieces De Luth

5 star:		(4)
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How can music convey a sense of serene wisdom, a kind of gentle consolation? The Elizabethan composers had that sweet sadness and here it is in the French baroque in a masterful performance that practically defies description. I have admired the French Astree label's releases since the mid 1980's and this disc for over 10 years. But nothing lasts forever in the catalogue (except Bing Crosby Christmas records) so be advised- you need to get a copy of this CD while you can. Since no praise could really be too high for releases like this, I can only say to early music aficionados- performances like this come along once in our lives.

Hopkinson Smith is without any doubt the most inventive and sensitive performer of French Lute-music. If you hear him play Jacques De Gallot, De Visée or Ennemond "Le vieux" Gaultier, you'd like to throw other perfomances in the dustbin. Hopkinson Smith has set the standards very very high for the performances of French Lute music, and this record is his masterpiece (listen to the chaconne, or the "cascade". Magnificent!

There are no words to describe this music. Full of melancholy, sensitive, sensual, wonderful. This music was written at the beginning of the great lute era in France, but it was already on its top. The booklet mentions that a storm accompanied the recording sessions. Although it cannot be heard, you can surely feel that there was magic around. A masterpiece !

This is a magnificent performance, and I've never heard a better recording of a stringed instrument - better even than Julian Bream's guitar recording of Granados and Albeniz. This is the most relaxing music I know. A desert island recording!