Spanish Gypsies - Celtic & Spanish Music In Shakespeare's England

$17.99
Label
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi
Release Date
February 5, 2008
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      PLAYFORD, JOHN
    • PERFORMER
      Andrew, Lawrence-King
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      February 05, 2008
    • UPC
      054727751622
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      DHM77516
    • LABEL
      Deutsche Harmonia Mundi
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Orchestral & Symphonic
    Works ⌄

    1. The English Dancing Master, Vol. 1: Scotch Cap

      Composer: John Playford

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    2. The Gypsy Lilt [Rowallan Manuscript] (arr. for harp)

      Composer: Anonymous

      Performer: Andrew Lawrence-King

    3. The Spanish Jeepsies

      Composer: John Playford

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    4. New Scotch Jig

      Composer: John Playford

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    5. The Irish Ho-Hoane (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book)

      Composer: Anonymous

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    6. An Ayre Called "Croke"

      Composer: Thomas Pratt

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    7. Sarabande to Corke

      Composer: Thomas Pratt

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    8. A Spanish Humour, "The Lord Hayes' Favourite" (arr. for chamber ensemble)

      Composer: Tobias Hume

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    9. Muy linda

      Composer: Antony Holborne

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    10. The Quadran Pavan [Rowallan Manuscript] (arr. for harp)

      Composer: Anonymous

      Performer: Andrew Lawrence-King

    11. Buffins

      Composer: Otley

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    12. The Hay de Gie

      Composer: Traditional

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    13. Trenchmore

      Composer: Anonymous

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    14. Spagnioletta (arr. for harp)

      Composer: Giles Farnaby

      Performer: Andrew Lawrence-King

    15. The Hunt's Up (arr. for chamber ensemble)

      Composer: William Byrd

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    16. The English Dancing Master, Vol. 1: The Whirlygig

      Composer: John Playford

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    17. Mal sims - The Last of the Gypsies

      Composer: Giles Farnaby

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    18. Packington's Pound

      Composer: John Playford

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    19. The Punks Delight

      Composer: John Playford

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    20. The English Dancing Master, Vol. 1: Lulle me beside thee (arr. for viola da gamba)

      Composer: John Playford

      Performer: Anonymous

    21. The Laydie Louthian's lilt

      Composer: Anonymous

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    22. The Gypsies Song

      Composer: Anonymous

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King

    23. Gypsies' Round (arr. for chamber ensemble)

      Composer: William Byrd

      Ensemble: The Harp Consort

      Conductor: Andrew Lawrence-King


A delightful medley, musically as well as musicologically, the 18 different instruments being combined with great imagination.

The subtitle of this album says more about its content than does the main one. There is much titular reference to Spain and to gypsies, but only in ‘The Spanish Jeepsies’ do the two come together. It seems that in Shakespeare’s time Spanish popular tunes were perceived as being of gypsy origin. More to the point, the programme is skilfully devoted to showing the influence of Celtic and Spanish idioms on English popular music – a difficult, labyrinthine process that it’s not particularly helpful to try to summarise here, but it is well covered in Lawrence-King’s annotation.

Charles I’s Consorte opened the way for courtly instruments to ‘fraternise’ with humbler ones, creating a variety of new sounds, and the Harp Consort take full advantage of this ‘social’ freedom. The eight players form a kaleidoscope of broken consorts drawn from the 18 instruments (plucked, bowed, blown and percussed) at their disposal, producing a remarkable spectrum of sound from the ethereal (‘Lady Louthians Lilt’) to the downright boisterous (‘The Wherligig’). Only five of the 23 items last for more than four minutes but one never has the impression of a trayful of canapes deputising for a good meal.

When it comes to putting together a coherent and well-researched programme of assorted small-scale items, only Peter Holman springs to mind as Andrew Lawrence-King’s peer. Excellent recording is the icing on this delectable cake, one that takes 71 minutes to enjoy.

-- John Duarte, Gramophone [11/2000]