Your clickable banner could be here: details If you cannot see an advert click here.
rotating banners
Early Music

Classical Editor: Rob Barnett                               Founder Len Mullenger


John JOHNSON (c.1550-1594)
Lute Music
The Delight Pavan; Galliard to the Delight Pavan; Carman’s whistle; Short Almaine; Dump; Rogero; Pavan; Piece without title (Galliard); Omnio Galliard; Almaine; Johnson’s Jewel; Quadro Pavan; Galliard; Chi Pausa; La Vechia Pavan; Galliard to La Vechia Pavan; The Marigold Pavan; Galliard; A Ground; The Flat Pavan; Galliard to the Flat Pavan; Dump; Passing measures Pavan; Walsingham; Goodnight
Christopher Wilson; Shirley Rumsey (lutes) Recorded June 1995 in St Andrew’s Church, Toddington, Gloucestershire
NAXOS 8.550776 [59.24]



BUY NOW 

Crotchet   AmazonUK   AmazonUS

Robert Johnson – described on this disc as ‘the founder of English lute music of the Golden Age’ – was Queen Elizabeth’s favourite lutenist. Pieces such as these no doubt maintained his role as court lutenist, but are also historically interesting. Johnson continued the tradition of using familiar tunes and courtly dances such as Pavans, Almaines and Galliards adorned with Italianate ornamentation and divisions as a basis for his compositions.

The lute had existed in Europe since Renaissance times, mainly as a continuo instrument and for accompanying voices, but until the Elizabethan era solo lute music was rarely heard Britain. Johnson started a fashion for short, graceful pieces for the entertainment of the Nobility and the pleasure of accomplished amateurs. The ‘golden age’ of English lute music was brief but fruitful, and by the end of the 18th century the fashion had declined, and the lute was not revived until the 20th century.

Obviously all twenty-three pieces were not intended to be heard in succession, though they are nicely played and form a representative selection. They are not as exciting as Dowland’s elaborate Fantasias and Divisions, and all but three do not last more than three minutes. The six-course lute has a comparatively restricted compass and the resonant church acoustic makes for neither clarity nor excitement.

Roy Brewer

Advertising Rates
Visitor stats
MusicWeb International
has over 40,000 Classical CD reviews on offer

Discs received

Having a problem Donating?



Gerard Hoffnung Concerts &
The Bricklayer Story

MusicWeb can now offer you discs from the following catalogues:
Prices include postage
There will be NO VAT Rises

[Acte Préalable £13.50]
[Arcodiva £12.00]
[Avie from £6.25]
[British Music Society £12.00]
[CDACCORD from £13.50 ]
[ClassicO £12.50]
[Hallé from £11]
[Heritage £10]
[Hortus £14.99 ]
[Lyrita ONLY £11.75 ]
[Nimbus Special prices]
[Northern Flowers £13.50]
[REDCLIFFE £11 ]
[Sheva £11]
[Tactus £11.50 ]
[Talent from £12.00 ]
[Toccata Classics £10.50 ]

Musicweb
Special Offers

Monthly Best Buys

 

Naxos Classical


New Releases

Hyperion


New Releases


 





MusicWeb sells the Polish
catalogue CDAccord
£10.50 post free W-W


MusicWeb sells the
Arcodiva catalogue
£12.00 post free W-W


£11.75
post-free world- wide

 

 

Google Ads - for information about privacy matters, click here. 
Amazon Musicweb International is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

Return to Index

Untitled Document


Reviews from previous months
Join the mailing list and receive a hyperlinked weekly update on the discs reviewed. details
We welcome feedback on our reviews. Please use the Bulletin Board
Please paste in the first line of your comments the URL of the review to which you refer.