This is a curious CD. It finds James Bowman, our national treasure, in excellent
voice just before his 58th birthday, when he made this recording
for a French label at Bolland. But there is no indication of his importance
in the story of the counter tenor, Bowman being the chief pioneer after Alfred
Deller.
Research has encouraged the performance of English madrigals and motets with
instrumentalists taking some of the parts, a practise which was usual too
on the continent in performing music by the Flemish polyphonists. The CD's
title is a little misleading because only seven of the songs are by William
Byrd. The rest are by that prolific composer of the period, Anonyme, and
the consort songs with viols are interspersed with several Fantasias by Byrd.
The music is for the greater part slow and decidedly solemn. Some items are
connected with events of the time. Rejoice in the Lord is a tribute
to Queen Elizabeth I, who tolerated Byrd's Catholicism. Ye sacred muses
is an elegy upon the death of Byrd's teacher, Thomas Tallis, organist of
St Alfege's, the local church near my home in Greenwich, where Tallis's organ
is proudly preserved.
A pleasant CD for Bowman fans, but otherwise perhaps more for the specialist.
There are no biographical notes about any of the performers Full texts are
provided in English and French, and the recording is satisfactory.
Reviewer
Peter Grahame Woolf
James Bowman, counter tenor, with Ricercar Consort
