musica Dei donum
CD reviews
John BULL (1562/63 - 1628): "The real John Bull"
Maciej Skrzeczkowski, virginals
rec: Feb 2024, Brussels, Studio Dada
Ricercar - RIC 462 (© 2024) (72'21")
Liner-notes: E/F
Cover, track-list & booklet
Scores
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Bull's Good Night;
Chromatic Pavan & Galliard;
Duchess of Brunswick's Toy;
Duke of Brunswick's Alman;
Een Kindeken is ons geboren;
Fantasia (MB 1);
Fantasia (MB 15);
In Nomine (V);
In Nomine (IX);
Lord Lumley's Pavan & Galliard;
Melancholy Pavan & Galliard;
My Self;
Pavan & Galliard 'Saint Thomas, Wake!';
Prelude (MB 30);
Salvator mundi (II);
Ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la (I)
If someone explains why he has done something, it is always wise not just to take his word for it. John Bull is a case in point. When he left England and settled in the Spanish Netherlands, and looked for a job, he stated that he had done so for religious reasons, being a Catholic. Although it is certainly true that the situation of Catholics under the firmly Protestant Elizabeth I was precarious, it is unlikely that this had any influence on Bull's career. It is even questionable whether he was a Catholic while living in England.
Soon being recognized as a keyboard virtuoso, he was appointed organist at Hereford Cathedral, where he previously had entered the choir; a few years later he also became master of the choristers. In 1586 he entered the Chapel Royal as a Gentleman, and acted as the queen's - and later King James' - organist. In addition he made a career in science as he gained doctorates at the universities of Cambridge and Oxford. It was in fact his fiery temperament that resulted in conflicts with his employers, and his immoral behaviour, including frequent adultery, that led to his downfall.
In 1614 Sir William Trumbull, the English envoy in Brussels, wrote in a letter to King James I "that it was notorious to all the world, the said Bull did not leave your Majesties service for any wrong done unto him, or for matter of religion, under which fained pretext he now sought to wrong the reputation of your Majesties justice, but did in that dishonest matter steal out of England through the guilt of a corrupt conscience, to escape the punishment, which notoriously he had deserved, and was designed to have been inflicted on him by the hand of justice, for his incontinence, fornication, adultery, and other grievous crimes."
The king was not satisfied, and insisted that Bull should be dismissed as organist at the court of Archduke Albert in Brussels. This intervention was successful but Bull did not return to England. He went to Antwerp where he was appointed organist at the Cathedral.
Although Bull left some vocal and consort music, the largest part of his oeuvre consists of keyboard music. His reputation as one of the main keyboard players and composers of his time in England explains why he was one of the three masters who contributed to one of the most important collections of keyboard music in the early 17th century, Parthenia or The Maydenhead of the first musicke that ever was printed for the Virginalls, printed with a clear reason: the wedding of Elizabeth Stuart and Frederick V, Count Palatinate of the Rhine, which was to take place in February 1613. The other contributors were William Byrd and Orlando Gibbons. Another major source of his keyboard music is the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book.
The disc under review offers a survey of Bull's keyboard oeuvre, going from light-hearted pieces, such as Duchess of Brunswick's Toy and My Self, to brilliant displays of his command of counterpoint (fantasias, pavans and galliards) and pieces based on plainchant.
Many composers of the 16th and 17th centuries have written pieces with the title In nomine, for various scorings. Christopher Tye (c1505-c1573) composed a whole series of such pieces for a consort of viols (http://www.musica-dei-donum.org/cd_reviews/MusicaFicta_MF8022.html). They are based upon the Sarum antiphon Gloria tibi Trinitas as it was used by John Taverner as cantus firmus in his mass of the same name. However, in many cases the plainchant melody is hardly recognizable (although that is also due to the fact that many listeners may not be familiar with the tune). The fact that so many pieces are based on it, indicates that it can be treated in many different ways. The third item of this category is Salvator mundi, which closes the programme. It is based on the hymn Veni Creator spiritus. It is different from the In nomines in that the melody of the hymn is used as cantus firmus in the upper voice from start to finish. The same goes for the Pavan and Galliard 'Saint Thomas, Wake!', which is based on the melody of a now-lost hymn in honour of St Thomas. It is quoted consistently in the right hand.
The latter piece is a specimen of a combination of dances that was very popular in Bull's time; many composers have written such pairs. The programme includes four of a different character. The pavan has a solemn character, whereas the galliard is more lively. What they have in common is that they are models of counterpoint. Bull's pairs included here attest to that. In Lord Lumley's Pavan the two hands are largely independent, whereas the parts are much more connected by way of imitation in the galliard. As one may expect, the Chromatic Pavan and Galliard includes quite some passages of harmonic tension, especially in the galliard, also due to the use of meantone temperament. Although pavan and galliard are dances, in some cases the counterpoint overshadows the dance rhythms, such as in the Melancholy Pavan and Galliard.
The fantasia is the most undefined form of music for mostly one instrument, in this case the keyboard. Basically the composer can let things go as he wishes; the fantasia has its roots in improvisation. Therefore such works, even by the same composer, can be very different, as is the case here. Notable in the Fantasia (MB 1) is the distance between the various parts; the upper part is sometimes more than two octaves above the middle voice. In the Fantasia (MB 15) the various parts are thematically connected. It includes many fifths, suspensions and dissonances. Ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la is based on the tetrachord, another popular device in the late Renaissance.
Vocal music, apart from plainchant, was a popular subject for variations; one can find many in the Fitzwilliam Book. It seems that they don't take a prominent place in Bull's oeuvre; the work-list in New Grove does not include many such pieces. That justifies the minor role of this genre here; the variations on Een kindeken is ons geboren, which opens the programme, is the only specimen included. The Dutch title reflects Bull's stay in the Spanish Netherlands; in his oeuvre one can find several other pieces with Dutch titles (Den lustelijken Meij, Laet ons met herten reijne).
The keyboard music by John Bull is frequently played, and there is no lack of recordings. The keyboard works are played on a variety of instruments, such as the virginals, the harpsichord and the organ, and even pianists like to play them (such as Glenn Gould). One of the notable features of the present disc is that all the pieces are played on the virginals. Two different instruments are used, both modern copies of historical instruments. One is an English virginal, based on an anonymous instrument built between c1550 and c1644. The other instrument is based on an instrument by Ioannes Ruckers of 1623. Flemish virginals came in two different forms, known as muselar (with the keyboard to the right) and spinet virginal (with the keyboard to the left). "Both the spinet virginals and the muselars provide space to house a 3 foot virginal inside the larger instrument. This configuration is known as a 'Mother and Child' and offers many possibilities. The 3 foot instrument, the child, can be played on its own, or as a duet with the 6 foot mother instrument, or also placed on top of the mother whose jacks engage the keys of the child to play the same note one octave above the mother. In this coupled position it is also possible to play the child keyboard at the same time as the mother keyboard, as in the organ Oberwerk system."
Although the virginals are pretty well-known and regularly used in recordings, sometimes one would wish it to be used more frequently. Although I greatly appreciate Pieter-Jan Belder's recording of the complete Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (Brilliant Classics), I regret that he does not employ the virginals that often. That said, it is questionable whether they should be used in each piece. "Contrary to the performance practice of our time, which calls for the virginals to be used only for smaller and uncomplicated works such as toys, some dances and variations, this album also includes performances of elaborate fantasias and extended pavanes and galliards on the instrument." (booklet) From a historical point of view this is debatable. However, that is compensated by the way the virginals are played here.
Maciej Skrzeczkowski presents himself here for the first time on disc; this recording is the fruit of his winning first prize in the keyboard competition at the MA Festival Bruges 2023. This disc attests to his brilliance. His technical skills are abundantly demonstrated here; some of Bull's pieces are very virtuosic, and they way Skrzeczkowski plays them is impressive. However, this is more than a demonstration of technical skills. Here the music is in the centre. Skrzeczkowski not only shows his dexterity in the fast pieces and passages, but he also keeps things going in items with a more solemn character and modest tempi, which never fall apart. His timing is excellent, and allows him to set accents within single pieces.
The 'real John Bull' was a rather unpleasant character - to put it mildly - but undoubtedly a great composer, and that is amply demonstrated here with this compelling survey of his oeuvre. It is played on two highly interesting and beautiful instruments by a young and brilliant player, of whom we may expect to hear much more in the years to come.
Johan van Veen (© 2025)
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Maciej Skrzeczkowski