Colin Booth is a harpsichord maker and musician who
has recorded several discs on his own label, Soundboard. This recording
is a selection of Frescobaldi’s keyboard works, chosen from the three
types of music he composed: toccatas, variations and fugal works. Booth
has chosen to record this music on two different instruments - a rich-sounding
copy of an Italian harpsichord that he built himself, and a small organ
with just two stops.
Booth’s approach to this music is more intimate and
personal than many performers of Frescobaldi’s works. It can clearly
be heard, in his organ recordings, that he is focusing more on the music
than the sound of the organ. Rather than choose a grandiose organ in
the reverberating environment of a church, he plays a small organ in
a simple room, much like that where Frescobaldi might have played his
music. This gives the organ works a tone rarely heard - one is not overcome
by the force of the instrument; the listener can hear the music for
what it is, rather than for the context in which it is played. Since
most of Frescobaldi’s music can be played either on harpsichord or organ,
this judicious choice allows Booth to give the same tone to either instrument.
This is not likely to please those listeners who seek loud, energetic
organ recordings, but others may appreciate the subtleties that arise
from listening to this type of instrument. Toccata 11, played on organ,
is a slow, intense piece, with subtle lines that weave together well
on this simple organ. And the Ricercar 3 is an attractive, moving fugue,
played slowly and with feeling. Booth may be a bit too rigid when playing
this work, lacking in just a bit of energy, but the result is spellbinding
nevertheless.
The harpsichord pieces let Frescobaldi’s virtuosity
be clearly heard. Toccata 7 begins with a free, highly-embellished opening
section, which is typical of this kind of work. With their improvisatory
nature, harpsichord toccatas are often full of shifts in tempo, rhythm
and style, and this work is no exception. Booth shows a mastery of the
technique in this piece, as he negotiates runs up and down the keyboard,
yet never loses track of the main lines.
The longest piece on this work is the Partite (Variations)
on L’Aria della Romanesca, one of many such variation pieces that Frescobaldi
wrote. This set of variations explores many different tones and rhythms,
and is a beautiful piece. Booth gives a fine performance, showing an
excellent command of the variety of touches necessary for this works,
from a light, subtle touch to a more forceful, energetic and rhythmic
approach.
This disc is a fine selection of works by Frescobaldi.
The originality of using a small organ, and of presenting both organ
and harpsichord performances, is an excellent choice, and makes for
an attractive listening experience. Booth’s harpsichord especially stands
out for its rich, subtle sound.
Kirk McElhearn
Colin Booth