Matthew Wadsworth is a fast-rising young British lutenist who numbers among his many accomplishments the development of a Braille lute tablature. He has accompanied singers, played in continuo groups, and performed various types of lute repertoire. With this release he takes on a collection that itself includes music from various European traditions: the Varietie of Lute Lessons published by Robert Dowland but likely compiled largely by his father, John Dowland, in 1610. The elder Dowland, on shaky ground in England due to ...
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Matthew Wadsworth is a fast-rising young British lutenist who numbers among his many accomplishments the development of a Braille lute tablature. He has accompanied singers, played in continuo groups, and performed various types of lute repertoire. With this release he takes on a collection that itself includes music from various European traditions: the Varietie of Lute Lessons published by Robert Dowland but likely compiled largely by his father, John Dowland, in 1610. The elder Dowland, on shaky ground in England due to his Catholic faith, traveled widely and learned lute pieces from French, German, Netherlandish, and Italian lutenists. The latter group included the shadowy Laurencini of Rome, whom Dowland dubbed the Knight of the Lute. Wadsworth appropriates the title for himself, and he deserves it. This is a superb recording of lute music, and not only because of the attractive variety of the program with its dances, intense fantasies (sample that by Gregorio Huwet of Antwertp, track 2, to hear...
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