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The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book is a collection of about 300 keyboard works from either side of the year 1600. It is of unknown provenance (it was named for a later owner), but it is unparalleled as a source of Renaissance keyboard music from England and even beyond. There are various single-album sets of selections from the book on the market, but this live recording (minus crowd noise) by American-French keyboardist Kenneth Weiss stands out in several ways. First of all, Weiss uses three instruments, all copies of period pieces: an Italian virginal (a virginal is a sort of portable tabletop harpsichord with single horizontal strings for each note), a Flemish harpsichord, and an Italian harpsichord. This is reasonable, for the word "virginal" to Queen Elizabeth I, its most famous player, would have meant any keyboard instruments, and harpsichords of both types would have circulated in England at the time. The variation in timbre adds a lot to the album, with the resonant, thick sound of the Flemish harpsichord effectively set off against the brighter, clearer Italian instrument. Quarter-comma meantone tuning is used for all three instruments. The biggest attraction is the program, which combines famous works (Byrd's setting of Dowland's ubiquitous Pavana Lachrymae, track 2) with some that are very rarely recorded. In the latter group would be the opening title track, a programmatic fantasia encompassing no fewer than 12 changes in the weather. This both works well with other more or less representational pieces (a genre generally neglected in performances of music from this period) and helps create enough variety and drama to balance the major virtuoso showpiece, John Bull's Walsingham (track 14), a work that can stand with anything else from the Renaissance era. The program includes dances and variations as well as a few unclassifiable pieces like Giles Farnaby's Woody-Cock and the little Why aske you? (track 5), a delightful piece that combines aspects of ground bass, variation, and song. Weiss matches instrument to music effectively and ends up with a swashbuckling Walsingham. Strongly recommended for everyone from lovers of Renaissance keyboard music to those looking for a fine exploration of this basic Renaissance repertory item.
© TiVo
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Fantasia (John Munday)
Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist - John Munday, Composer
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
Pavana Lachrymae (John Dowland)
John Dowland, Composer - William BYRD, Composer - Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
Galliard (William Byrd)
William BYRD, Composer - Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
Amarilli di Julio Romano (Peter Philips)
Peter Philips, Composer - Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
Why Aske You (Anonymous)
Anonymous, Composer - Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
Wooddy-Cock (Giles Farnaby)
Giles Farnaby, Composer - Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
Pavana (Orlando Gibbons)
Orlando Gibbons, Composer - Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
The Woods so Wild (William Byrd)
William BYRD, Composer - Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
The Fall of the Leafe (Martin Peerson)
Martin PEERSON, Composer - Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
Barafostus Dreame (Thomas Tomkins)
Thomas Tomkins, Composer - Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
The Queenes Alman (William Byrd)
William BYRD, Composer - Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
Pavana-Variation (Ferdinando Richardson)
Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist - Ferdinando Richardson, Composer
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
Galliarda-Variation (Ferdinando Richardson)
Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist - Ferdinando Richardson, Composer
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
Walsingham (John Bull)
John Bull, Composer - Kenneth Weiss, MainArtist
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
Album review
The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book is a collection of about 300 keyboard works from either side of the year 1600. It is of unknown provenance (it was named for a later owner), but it is unparalleled as a source of Renaissance keyboard music from England and even beyond. There are various single-album sets of selections from the book on the market, but this live recording (minus crowd noise) by American-French keyboardist Kenneth Weiss stands out in several ways. First of all, Weiss uses three instruments, all copies of period pieces: an Italian virginal (a virginal is a sort of portable tabletop harpsichord with single horizontal strings for each note), a Flemish harpsichord, and an Italian harpsichord. This is reasonable, for the word "virginal" to Queen Elizabeth I, its most famous player, would have meant any keyboard instruments, and harpsichords of both types would have circulated in England at the time. The variation in timbre adds a lot to the album, with the resonant, thick sound of the Flemish harpsichord effectively set off against the brighter, clearer Italian instrument. Quarter-comma meantone tuning is used for all three instruments. The biggest attraction is the program, which combines famous works (Byrd's setting of Dowland's ubiquitous Pavana Lachrymae, track 2) with some that are very rarely recorded. In the latter group would be the opening title track, a programmatic fantasia encompassing no fewer than 12 changes in the weather. This both works well with other more or less representational pieces (a genre generally neglected in performances of music from this period) and helps create enough variety and drama to balance the major virtuoso showpiece, John Bull's Walsingham (track 14), a work that can stand with anything else from the Renaissance era. The program includes dances and variations as well as a few unclassifiable pieces like Giles Farnaby's Woody-Cock and the little Why aske you? (track 5), a delightful piece that combines aspects of ground bass, variation, and song. Weiss matches instrument to music effectively and ends up with a swashbuckling Walsingham. Strongly recommended for everyone from lovers of Renaissance keyboard music to those looking for a fine exploration of this basic Renaissance repertory item.
© TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 14 track(s)
- Total length: 01:03:31
- Main artists: Kenneth Weiss
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Satirino Records
- Genre: Classical
(C) 2011 Satirino Records (P) 2011 Satirino Records
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