Newe Vialles

Newe Vialles Old Viols

~ Andrew Benson-Wilson

Newe Vialles Old Viols
Newe Vialles
Barn Cottage Recordings BCR027. 65’26

Benjamin Hely (d.1699): Sonatas in G minor and B flat major
Christopher Simpson (c.1604-1669): Divisions in C major and F major
John Jenkins (1592-1678): Dances and Divisions in G minor
William Young (d.1662): Duos for two bass viols
Daniel Norcombe (c.1576-1655): Tregian’s Ground
Nicola Matteis (c.1650-after 1714): Pieces for guitar and continuo
and arrangements of tunes from Playford and Sumarte

The possibly confusing title of this recording needs some explanation. As I understand it, Newe Vialles is the group’s name and Old Viols the title of the recording. Newe Vialles was founded in 2015 by Henrik Persson and Caroline Ritchie, the name coming from the “Newe Vialles” of Henry VIII’s court which replaced the “old vialles” (rebecs or fiddles), starting a long tradition of English viol-playing. My previous reviews of Newe Vialles can be found here. For this recording, they are in their consort format, with Henrik Persson and Caroline Ritchie joined by Lynda Sayce (theobo and lute) and James Akers (baroque guitar). Their programme is music for two division viols, played on two original English viols by John Pitts (1675) and Edward Lewis (1703). The concept for the recording is stated as … “If the original owners of these viols had met, what music might they have played? The programme encompasses repertoire from the latest sonatas by Benjamin Hely (who himself owned a viol by Pitts) to divisions by Christopher Simpson and John Jenkins, duos by William Young, and arrangements of popular tunes and grounds from the time. An imaginary glimpse into a private music meeting in the early years of the 18th century.”

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See, See, the Word is incarnate

~ Andrew Benson-Wilson

See, See, the Word is incarnate
Choral & Instrumental music by Gibbons, Tomkins & Weelkes
The Chapel Choir of Trinity Hall, Cambridge,
Newe Vialles, Orpheus Britannicus Vocal Consort, Andrew Arthur
Resonus Classics RES10295. 70’51

The Chapel Choir of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, under the College’s Director of Music, Andrew Arthur, follow their previous recording of Buxtehude (reviewed here) with this exploration of some of the best-known music from the early decades of the 17th-century. This was the period when James I was on the throne of the two kingdoms of Scotland and England. Gibbons and Weelkes were both dead by the end of his reign (in 1625), but Tomkins (the first-born of the three) lived on until 1656 to witness, at considerable personal loss, the collapse of the Stuart dynasty and the Commonwealth.

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Buxtehude: Membra Jesu Nostri

~ Andrew Benson-Wilson

Buxtehude: Membra Jesu Nostri
The Chapel Choir of Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Orpheus Britannicus, Newe Vialles, Andrew Arthur (director)
Resonus Classics RES10238. 70’17

Buxtehude’s cycle of seven cantatas, under the collective title of Membra Jesu nostri patientis sanctissima, is one of the finest sacred vocal works of the 17th-century. It reflects on The holy limbs of our suffering Jesus, using texts from the Medieval hymn Salve mundi salutare, probably written by Arnulf of Leuven (d1250). Each cantata focusses on a specific part of Christ’s crucified body: feet, knees, hands, sides, breast, heart, and face, adding to the hymn text words from the Bible. It is composed for five solo singers, who usually also make up a chorus although, in this case, the chorus is the 24-strong Chapel Choir of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, conducted by Andrew Arthur, the Director of Music at Trinty Hall. They are accompanied by the College’s professional period ensemble Ensemble-in-Residence, Orpheus Britannicus (founded by Andrew Arthur), with the five viols of Newe Vialles (directed by Henrik Persson and Caroline Ritchie) playing for the sensuous sixth cantata, Ad cor (To The Heart). Continue reading →

Richard Campbell 60th Birthday Celebration

~ Andrew Benson-Wilson ~ Leave a comment

Richard Campbell 60th Birthday Celebration
Tregye Festival Players, Newe Vialles, Peter Harvey
Guildhall School of Music & Drama. 25 February 2016

RC1It was a mark of the respect that the viola da gamba player, Richard Campbell, is held that so many people came to the Guildhall School of Music & Drama to celebrate his 60th birthday. The evening also marked the presentation to the Guildhall School of a Lirone and a Bandorra from Richard’s own collection, both to be made available to any young musician for study and performance. The choice of two such unusual instruments was a nice reflection of Richard’s wide-ranging musical interests. Continue reading →