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CD reviews
William Lawes: "Knock'd on the head - Music for Viols"
Concordia
Dir: Mark Levy
rec: Sep 22 - 25, 2001, Orford Church, Suffolk (U.K.)
Metronome - MET CD 1045 (59'02")
Come my lads, catch a 3; Consort Setts a 6 in F, in g minor, in B flat [1];
Hark jolly lads, catch a 3; Lyra viol trios in D, in d minor; The wise men
were but seven, catch a 3; Whither go ye, catch a 3
Mark Levy, Veli-Markus Tapio, treble viol, lyra viol; Joanna Levine,
tenor viol, lyra viol; Emilia Benjamin, tenor viol; Reiko Ichise, Alison
McGillivray, bass viol; Gary Cooper, organ
(Sources: [1] Consorts in six Parts)
William Lawes was one of the main composers in England in the first half of
the 17th century. He was held in very high esteem by King Charles I, himself
a great lover and connoisseur of the arts. But it was the King himself who
was ultimately responsible for the premature death of this great composer.
As Mark Levy writes in the lines notes: "Not one content to fiddle at home,
since after all he was more used to performing for one of the greatest
monarchs in Europe, he chose to fight and was duly knock’d on the head in
one of the last and most disastrous royalist manoeuvres, shot in the massacre
at Rowton Heath on 24 September 1645, as the King watched from his vantage
point atop the old city wall of Chester."
The fact that Lawes chose to fight, although he didn’t have to, is an
indication of the close relationship between the composer and the king, but
also tells us something about Lawes’ character – stubborn and recalcitrant -
which is reflected in his music for viol consort. If there is anything that
strikes in the pieces recorded here, it is Lawes’ unconventional musical
language. This recording brings together three of the Consort Setts
in 6 parts. These are basically suites, whose main sections are the
fantazies, where we meet Lawes at his most unconventional. The
strange and uncommon harmonies in some of these fantazies are quite
astonishing. The second fantazy of the Consort Sett in F ends –
after a sudden general pause – with a harmonic progression which can only
be compared to the madrigals of Carlo Gesualdo. And the fantazy from
the Consort Sett in g minor lacks any harmonic pattern, wavering from
the conventional to the highly unusual and unexpected. The first fantazy
from the Consort Sett in F reflects Lawes the composer of theatre music:
it starts quietly, but becomes more and more passionate, and then returns to
the tranquillity of the beginning.
This recording also contains all extant pieces for the lyra viol.
"The lyra viol was a small bass viol which could be used in a huge variety
of chordal tunings; its music was consequently notated in tablature so the
player would always know where to put his fingers, whatever unlikely notes
the strings were tuned to" (Mark Levy). Most music for the lyra viol was
somewhat lighter in nature than music for the ‘normal’ viol. Although some
music Lawes wrote belongs to that category, like Humor from the Lyra
viol trio in D, even here Lawes breaks the rules by composing more
serious works as well. To compensate for the lack of music for lyra viols
by Lawes, Mark Levy has transcribed some of Lawes’ catches for three
lyra viols. They were originally composed for three male voices to be sung
in the tavern. The texts of these catches have been lost, so this is the
only way they can be performed, and they do quite well in this form.
I have nothing but praise for this recording. This is simply great music,
reflecting a very strong and intriguing musical personality. The ensemble
playing is immaculate, the tone crisp and clear, and the full dynamic range
of the instruments is exploited. The interpretation is dramatic where needed,
or light-hearted when the music asks for relaxation. Strongly recommended.
N.B. This review first appeared on MusicWeb
Johan van Veen (© 2003)
Relevant links:
William Lawes
Concordia