In Chains of Gold: The English Pre-Restoration Verse Anthem Vol. 1, Orlando Gibbons Complete Consort Anthems by Fretwork

Orlando Gibbons

Fretwork

In Chains of Gold: The English Pre-Restoration Verse Anthem Vol. 1, Orlando Gibbons Complete Consort Anthems

Price: € 19.95
Format: CD
Label: Signum Classics
UPC: 0635212051122
Catnr: SIGCD 511
Release date: 03 November 2017
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Label
Signum Classics

UPC
0635212051122

Catalogue number
SIGCD 511

Release date
03 November 2017

Album

Artist(s)

Composer(s)

About the album

Leading performers of 17th-century music Fretwork, His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts and the Magdalena Consort (directed by Peter Harvey) combine forces under the artistic direction of William Hunt for this first complete recording of the consort anthems of Orlando Gibbons.

Gibbons’ music is one of the artistic glories of the first Stuart reign. Amongst his sacred compositions, verse anthems such as This is the record of John and Behold, thou hast made my days are long acknowledged masterpieces, amongst the greatest in all English sacred music, but best known to most in their setting for choir and organ. Here they are presented together with an array of other great anthems, some of them scarcely known, in their more intricate and colourful versions for consort accompaniment.

Following the instruction of such contemporary writers as Morley and Caccini, these radical new performances place communication of text at the forefront, seeking to rediscover the dramatic essence of the verse anthem that made it arguably the most effective musical creation of the English Reformation. With the incisive declamatory skill of several of the UK’s leading period performers, they reveal the extraordinary rhetorical and poetic power of this music, as it might have been heard in the Chapel Royal and the private domestic chapels of early 17th century England.

Een unieke samenwerking tussen toonaangevende oude muziekensembles

De vooraanstaande uitvoerenden van 17e-eeuwse muziek Fretwork, His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts en het Magdalena Consort (geleid door Peter Harvey) slaan onder de artistieke leiding van de gerespecteerde musicoloog William Hunt de handen ineen voor de eerste volledige opname van de consort anthems van Orlando Gibbons.

De muziek van Gibbons’ is een van de artistieke pareltjes uit het eerste bewind van het huis Stuart. Onder zijn geestelijke composities worden verse anthems als This is the record of John en Behold, thou hast made my days, waarin solisten en het koor elkaar afwisselen, al lang erkend als meesterwerken. Maar hun versies voor orgel en koor zijn het bekendst. Op dit album worden ze gezamenlijk met een reeks van andere geweldige anthems gepresenteerd, in de meer ingewikkelde en kleurrijke versies voor ensemblebegeleiding. Sommigen van hen zijn nauwelijks bekend.

Deze radicale nieuwe uitvoeringen, die de instructies van tijdgenoten als Morley en Caccini volgen, plaatsen het overbrengen van de tekst op de voorgrond, en proberen de dramatische essentie die het verse anthem tot de meest effectieve muzikale creatie van de Engelse Reformatie maakte te herontdekken. Met de scherpzinnige retorische bekwaamheid van verschillende vooraanstaande Britse artiesten op het gebied van de historische uitvoeringspraktijk onthullen de uitvoeringen de buitengewone retorische en poëtische kracht van deze muziek, zoals die geklonken zou kunnen hebben in de Chapel Royal en de privékapellen uit het vroege 17e-eeuwse Engeland.

Artist(s)

Fretwork

'Fretwork is the finest viol consort on the planet' - Stephen Pettitt, The London Evening Standard. In 2026, Fretwork celebrates its 40th anniversary. In these last decades, they have explored the core repertory of great English consort music from Taverner to Purcell, made classic recordings against which others are judged, and commissioned an entirely new repertory of music for viols. The list of composers they have encouraged to create new works is like the role call of the most prominent writers of our time: George Benjamin, Michael Nyman, Sir John Tavener, Gavin Bryars, Elvis Costello, Alexander Goehr, John Woolrich, Orlando Gough, Sally Beamish, Tan Dun, Barry Guy, Thea Musgrave, John Paul Jones, Nico Muhly, Sir James MacMillan and many others. They have expanded...

"Fretwork is the finest viol consort on the planet" - Stephen Pettitt, The London Evening Standard.

In 2026, Fretwork celebrates its 40th anniversary. In these last decades, they have explored the core repertory of great English consort music from Taverner to Purcell, made classic recordings against which others are judged, and commissioned an entirely new repertory of music for viols.
The list of composers they have encouraged to create new works is like the role call of the most prominent writers of our time: George Benjamin, Michael Nyman, Sir John Tavener, Gavin Bryars, Elvis Costello, Alexander Goehr, John Woolrich, Orlando Gough, Sally Beamish, Tan Dun, Barry Guy, Thea Musgrave, John Paul Jones, Nico Muhly, Sir James MacMillan and many others.

They have expanded their repertory to include music from over 500 years, from the first printed consort music in Venice in 1501 to music written this year. And, in between, everything that can be played on a consort of viols - Byrd & Schubert, Purcell & Shostakovitch, Gibbons & Britten, Dowland & Grieg.

Recently they have performed in the Lammermuir Festival, in Wigmore Hall with Tenebrae, and in the Malling Festival. They also visit North America again, including concerts at Carnegie Hall with Iestyn Davies. In 2025 they commemorate the sudden and untimely death of Orlando Gibbons, and celebrate the 90th year of Arvo Pärt with concerts and recordings.

While they used to fly all over the globe, they have now committed to reducing their carbon footprint by travelling in Europe only by train or electric cars - recently, they have toured Germany, France, Spain, Austria & Slovenia in their two Teslas.

The future sees many exciting projects based on the thrilling juxtaposition of old and new; making the experience of old music new and bringing the sensibilities of past ages to bear on contemporary music.

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His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts

Celebrating its 42nd birthday in 2024, His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts continues in the same spirit as always: aiming to bring the sound of its noble instruments to the 21st century, through pan-European repertoire from 16th- and 17th-century composers, attracting new audiences via recordings, radio, television and (best of the lot!) live performance.
The group’s illustrious-sounding name is taken from Matthew Locke’s Five-part tthings for His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts that were probably played during the coronation celebrations for King Charles II in 1661. Recent collaborations include work with Fretwork Viols and the Magdalena Consort, Dunedin Consort, Alamire, Magnificat, the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, and Ex Cathedra. It has more than thirty recordings to its credit, including several critically acclaimed discs of Venetian instrumental music from the turn of the 17th century by Giovanni Gabrieli, Giovanni Battista Grillo, and Gioseffo Guami. Programmes of English and Spanish music of the early baroque, Christmas music from around Europe, and the world premiere recording of Martin Harry’s 30th anniversary commission for HMSC At His Majesty’s Pleasure all feature on the group’s own record label, SFZ Records, and are available via the group website.

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Magdalena Consort

William Hunt (conductor)

Composer(s)

Orlando Gibbons

Gibbons was an English composer, virginalist and organist of the Golden Century of English music. His career started in Cambride, after which he was named organist of the Chapel Royal. Later, he became of the Virginals of Jams I and in 1623 he was named organist of the Westminster Abbey. Gibbons wrote a large number of madrigals and plenty of sacred music, yet he is mostly known for his instrumental music. He is seen as the succesor of William Byrd. Gibbons died of an acute stroke. His son, Christopher Gibbons, grew to fame too, as he composed Cupid and Death together with Mathew Locke, a masque on a libretto by James Shirley, which is now considered as one of the first English...

Gibbons was an English composer, virginalist and organist of the Golden Century of English music. His career started in Cambride, after which he was named organist of the Chapel Royal. Later, he became of the Virginals of Jams I and in 1623 he was named organist of the Westminster Abbey. Gibbons wrote a large number of madrigals and plenty of sacred music, yet he is mostly known for his instrumental music. He is seen as the succesor of William Byrd. Gibbons died of an acute stroke. His son, Christopher Gibbons, grew to fame too, as he composed Cupid and Death together with Mathew Locke, a masque on a libretto by James Shirley, which is now considered as one of the first English operas.

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