Composer: Johann Christoph Bach, Christian Geist, Giovanni Felice Sances, Samuel Scheidt, Johann Hermann Schein, Heinrich Schütz, Franz Tunder
Performer: Iestyn Davies, Silas Wollston, Hugh Cutting, Fretwork
Conductor: Richard Boothby
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Signum
Catalogue: SIGCD684
Release: 2021
Size: 1.11 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
01. Tunder: Salve mi Jesu
02. Scheidt: Canzon super O Nachbar Roland
03. Bach: Ach, daß ich Wassers genug hätte
Schein: Banchetto Musicale, Suite No. 14
04. I. Paduan
05. II. Gagliarda
06. III. Courente
07. IV. Allemande & Tripla
08. Schütz: Auf dem Gebirge, SWV396
Schein: Banchetto Musicale, Suite No. 7
09. I. Paduan
10. II. Gagliarda
11. III. Courente
12. IV. Allemande & Tripla
13. Geist: Es War aber an der Stätte…
14. Tunder: An Wasserfluessen Babylon
15. Scheidt: Canzon super Cantionem Gallicam, SSWV 67
16. Sances: O dulce nomen Jesu
17. Schein: Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam, cantata
Countertenor Iestyn Davies and the viol consort Fretwork present a new recording of works for viol consort and voice, drawn from 17th Century Germany, following their critically praised 2019 album of works by Michael Nyman and Henry Purcell.
Featuring performances from organist Silas Wollston and countertenor Hugh Cutting, the recital ranges widely over the 17th Century – from the early years with three curiously similar sounding friends: Schein, Scheidt and Schütz, to the most significant member of the Bach family before Johann Sebastian, Johann Christoph Bach.
From there they travel down the North Sea to the foothills of the Alps, including Buxtehude’s predecessor at the Marienkirche in Lübeck – Franz Tunder (whose daughter Buxtehude he was to marry) – and another north German composer who worked in Copenhagen, Christian Geist.
Giovanni Felice Sances is an outlier here: he was born in Rome but spent the second part of his life working for three successive Emperors in Vienna, where viol playing was still very much in vogue.
In 2021, Fretwork celebrate their 35th Anniversary. In the past three and a half decades they have explored the core repertory of great English consort music, from Taverner to Purcell, and made classic recordings against which others are judged. In addition to this, Fretwork have become known as pioneers of contemporary music for viols, having commissioned over 40 new works.
Iestyn Davies is a British countertenor widely recognised as one of the world’s finest singers, celebrated for the beauty and technical dexterity of his voice and intelligent musicianship. Critical recognition of Iestyn’s work includes two Gramophone Awards, a Grammy Award, a RPS Award for Young Singer of the Year, the Critics’ Circle Award and recently an Olivier Award Nomination. He was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List 2017 for services to music.