DCD34149-CD

Serenissima: Music from Renaissance Europe on Venetian viols

A disc of journeying and exploration, paying homage to the pan-European tendencies of a period in which composers, instruments and manuscripts crossed geographical borders; in which a song by one composer might become the subject of ingenious contrapuntal treatments by another and of Mass settings by a third; and in which new dance genres evolved alongside the widespread adaptation of vocal music for performance by instrumental consorts. The Rose Consort of Viols, already acclaimed for their recordings of later English repertoire, have been inspired by viol-maker Richard Jones’s reconstructions of a Venetian instrument by Francesco Linarol – the earliest viol surviving from the sixteenth century – and they trace a path from the viol’s northern Italian origins to England, where it found a particularly welcome home at the turn of the 1600s.

"This musical kaleidoscope turns through dark hued reflections and light-filled reveries...Technically, the Rose Consort is well-nigh flawless, and these restrained, refined readings, informed by a deep understanding of the viol and its repertoire, evoke the finesse and grace of the celebrated Renaissance courts."

"The Rose Consort of Viols offer lively and resonant but always intimate and understated interpretations, executed with precision and piquancy"

"In regard to repertoire and instruments this is a most interesting disc. Those are reasons enough to urge any lover of consort music to add this recording to his collection. Another good reason is the playing of the Rose Consort of Viols. They produce a beautiful sound…This is a very valuable collection of Renaissance instrumental music."

"this music is heard far too rarely, and some of it is quite extraordinary … Delphian have done a fine job in recording the plangent timbre of the viol consort…A treasure chest of Renaissance riches!"

LIMELIGHT

"[an] exceptional and ground breaking recording … I was held in thrall by the whole recording … [a] very significant project, a daring concept, brilliantly successful. This is an absolute must for viol players, of course, but it will also speak strongly to people to whom all this background is less important that the experience of listening to beautiful music, marvellously played."

EARLY MUSIC REVIEW

"The ensemble's precision and rhythmic clarity are also note worthy features of these performances...this is a most attractive release from the Rose Consort of Viols."

FANFARE

Producer: Paul Baxter
Release Date: 26 August 2014
Catalogue No: DCD34149
Total playing time: 1:11:24

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