William Lawes, who was shot and killed during the English Civil War, was the intellectual of English viol music in the 17th century, and the pieces heard here will appeal most to those whose interests run to the brainy and slighly shocking: Gesualdo, Zelenka, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. "Consorts to the organ" are viol consort pieces with the accompaniment of a small organ, which here blends almost imperceptibly into the texture only to emerge into unexpected short solos. That's typical of the offbeat quality of the music, ...
Read More
William Lawes, who was shot and killed during the English Civil War, was the intellectual of English viol music in the 17th century, and the pieces heard here will appeal most to those whose interests run to the brainy and slighly shocking: Gesualdo, Zelenka, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. "Consorts to the organ" are viol consort pieces with the accompaniment of a small organ, which here blends almost imperceptibly into the texture only to emerge into unexpected short solos. That's typical of the offbeat quality of the music, manifest most of all in its harmonic content. Lawes delights in driving the music into thickets of dissonance and then setting it on the straight and narrow again just when you've become convinced it will run aground. The contrapuntal subjects are oddly shaped, and the overall concepts of the "sets" (groups of three or four pieces) and their individual movements vary wildly. You are in a world here very different from the sober, rather sad decorum that's the standard for viol music....
Read Less
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!