This 2 CD set is a long way from my usual nineteenth and twentieth
century haunts of British music. Moreover, I must confess to
finding it a bit hard going. However, that is my problem. It
is certainly aimed at the specialist listener: one who has devoted
his life to studying, thinking about and listening to ‘early
music’. In overview, I guess that the reviewer in the
‘Manchester’ Guardian has summed up the general
mood of this release well by describing it as ‘lugubrious’
music. Presumably this is not a criticism but a statement of
fact.
What is the Manchester Gamba Book? Well for one thing, it is
not a collection of ‘Lancastrian’ tunes. What gives
the work its Mancunian connection is the fact that the collection
of music was bought by the music scholar Dr. Henry Watson and
was subsequently deposited as part of the Watson Collection
in the Manchester Public Library. It is probably presently residing
in a secret location awaiting the reopening of that great library
after its major refurbishment.
The manuscript is important for a couple of reasons. Primarily,
this is the largest collection of solo viol music surviving
from the mid 17th century. Technically, this means
that there are 246 pieces written in tablature and a further
12 numbers written in conventional staff notation. Paul Furnas,
in the liner-notes, has suggested that the inclusion of a ‘Table
of Graces’ (a manual of ornaments) makes this document
extremely important for musicologists. Apparently there is only
one other such table in existence.
I decided to check up on what a ‘viola da gamba’
actually is. One web page wisely suggested that it is not a
fretted cello. The latter instrument has four strings, whereas
the viola da gamba has six or seven. In addition, talking of
‘frets’ suggests a guitar. However, this instrument
has ‘movable’ frets unlike the guitar: they are
made of gut and are tied onto the neck. There is also a different
technique for holding the bow - underhand and not overhand.
Tuning is another issue altogether and is best left to those
who know what they are talking about.
The history of the viol family (there are a number of different
sizes) ranges across the 15th to the 18th
centuries - or from Henry VIII who was an aficionado to the
age of Louis XIV. Many famous composers have written for the
viol including Henry Purcell, J.S. Bach, William Byrd and Orlando
Gibbons.
Paul Furnas has pointed out that half of the 38 contributors
to the Manchester Gamba Book are unknown. However, four of these
composers have the surname Read. It is suggested that one of
them - a certain Henrie Read was probably the editor and compiler
of the manuscript. Further conjecture suggests that Richarde
Sumarte, who contributed more than thirty numbers, may have
been a ‘resident music teacher’ in the Read household.
Sumarte set a number of ‘old English’ songs such
as ‘Roben is to the greens-woode gon’ and ‘Whoope
doe me no harm’. Other composers mentioned by name in
the manuscript included Stephen Goodall, Alfonso Ferrabosco,
Willm Younge and Thomas Martine.
The liner-notes suggest that the Paven (CD 2 Track 15) is a
little masterpiece. This is apparently the most richly ornamented
piece in the viol repertoire.
Dietmar Berger was born in Cologne. After studying the cello
at music colleges in Aachen, Düsseldorf and Leipzig, he
played in the orchestra of the Landesbühen Sachsen in Dresden.
He is now based in his birthplace and plays both cello and viola
da gamba. He is a member of the Trio Köln with Gudrun Höbold
(violin) and Hubert Käppel (guitar). He has made a number
of recordings and has contributed both compositions and arrangements
for the instruments.
This double-CD is definitely for the dedicated listener. Without
doubt, attending to 159 minutes of viola da gamba music would
surely prove a challenge to even the most enthusiastic ‘ancient
music’ fan. Yet these tunes allow the listener to enter
a world of music that appears so far removed from the classical
and romantic eras that dominate the musical scene. There is
a timelessness about these characteristically sad, melancholic
and reflective pieces that defies time itself. I may not relate
to this music personally, but I can see why this collection
is so important for scholars and enthusiasts. I can understand
why it can be a moving experience for listeners who are attuned
to the music’s mood. Certainly, Dietmar Berger plays this
music with depth and what I take to be a huge understanding
of the technical and historic aspects of the genre. I am sure
that listeners who specialise in this music will hope that more
of the Manchester Gamba Book will be recorded in the coming
years.
Finally, Naxos has provided a link to the Viola
da Gamba Society of America (and not as stated in the liner
notes which is a misprint) where listeners who are viol or guitar
players can download the tablature of their favourite pieces.
John France
Track listing
Queen Maries Dumpe (R.S.) I-1 [6:27]
A paven (Joseph Sherlie) III-11 [3:54]
Untitled (Stephen Goodall) I-22 [3:17]
Fortune (R.S.) I-3 [5:42]
Roben is to the greens-woode gon (R.S.) I-4 [3:54]
Preludiu (R.S.) I-13 [1:54]
Whoope doe me no harm (R.S.) I-5 [3:31]
Daphne (R.S.) I-6 [3:40]
Monusiers Allman (R. Sumarte) I-7 [3:30]
Lachryme (R.S.) I-9 [3:56]
Solus cum Sola (R.S.) I-11 [3:31]
Coranto (Alfonso Ferrabosco) III-10 [2:10]
Coranto (Alfonso Ferrabosco) III-8 [1:49]
Salte pitts (R.S.) I-8 [1:58]
Untitled (Mr. Elliot, Oxon.) I-21 [3:05]
A thump (Thomas Martine) III-12 [2:51]
Untitled (Stephen Goodall) I-19 [5:15]
A Coranto (G. Gerrarde) II-2 [1:07]
A Coranto (R. Sumarte) II-3 [2:22]
Saraband (Thomas Woodson) I-27 [2:41]
Untitled (Willm Younge) I-26 [3:41]
Untitled (Mr. Elliot, Oxon.) I-17 [3:41]
Untitled (Stephen Goodall) I-16 [5:10]
What if a daye (?) I-2 [4:20]
Malte Man (R. Sumarte) II-1 [2:43]
Untitled (Gervise Gerrarde) III-6 [2:17]
The Buildings (R.S.) I-10 [5:39]
Preludiu (R.S.) I-15 [2:16]
The Nightengale (R.S.) I-12 [4:35]
Untitled (R.S.) I-18 [4:14]
The Kings Maske (R. Sumarte) II-4 [3:21]
Preludiu (Rich. Sumarte) I-25 [1:12]
An Almaine (Joseph Sherlie) III-7 [2:40]
Coranto (G. Willis) III-14 [1:57]
A Saraband (Wilm Kingslake) III-13 [3:27]
Untitled (John Jenkins) XIII-4 [2:54]
Almaine (John Jenkins) XI-1 [3:04]
Paven (Gervise Gerrarde) III-15 [4:53]
Preludium (R.S.) I-14 [1:01]
Coranto (Alfonso Ferrabosco) III-5 [1:25]
Coranto (Alfonso Ferrabosco) III-3 [1:32]
Saraband (John Jenkins) X-9 [6:50]
Untitled (R.S.) I-23 [4:12]
Untitled (Stephen Goodall) I-20 [6:37]
Untitled (Anonymous) XVI-1 [3:08]
A Saraband (Wilm Younge) I-24 [5:52]
(R.S) is certainly Richard Sumarte.
Dietmar Berger (viola da gamba) 