This little release explores a rather obscure corner of the viola da gamba repertory: the English duet for viols. This music deserves to be better known, and the recording's commercial success upon its release in 2017 is noteworthy. Most of the music comes from two composers, John Jenkins and Christopher Simpson, who are known for viol ensemble music, if at all; there are also a few airs for two viols by the even more obscure Simon Ives. The duos do not resemble the bicinia of continental music, which are little ...
Read More
This little release explores a rather obscure corner of the viola da gamba repertory: the English duet for viols. This music deserves to be better known, and the recording's commercial success upon its release in 2017 is noteworthy. Most of the music comes from two composers, John Jenkins and Christopher Simpson, who are known for viol ensemble music, if at all; there are also a few airs for two viols by the even more obscure Simon Ives. The duos do not resemble the bicinia of continental music, which are little counterpoint exercises, nor the inward world of French viol music, nor even the duo fantasias of Gibbons. Instead they are of two types, both highly listenable: the "divisions," or sets of short variations by Jenkins (with a few by Simpson), and preludes by Simpson. The divisions, which were originally an improvisatory form at least in part, were designated as being for "learners," but in fact they often display a high level of virtuosity, with one of the viols playing a dominant role. Sample...
Read Less
