A few years ago, when
Jordi Savall’s Hesperion was
still only XX, I stumbled across a magnificent
recording of that fine group playing
viol consort music by the Englishman
John Jenkins. Instantly I was in love
with the sweet, enchanting sound of
these predecessors to the modern string
family. Shortly thereafter, the film,
"Tous les Matins du Monde"
would go on to be an international
hit, and the Savall’s outstanding soundtrack
recording would bring the viola da gamba
out of historical obscurity and into
a twentieth century light of day.
Up for grabs here is
a reissue of Hille Perl and friends
playing some lovely arrangements, reconstructions
and original versions of music by the
enigmatic M. Sainte Colombe, famous
in his day as the teacher of Marin Marais,
now a character shrouded in the mists
of obscurity by a gross lack of biographical
information.
There is nothing about
the performances here that is not to
enjoy. Opening with a delightful transcription
of a keyboard prelude by Couperin, and
traveling on through a chaconne or two
and some lovely dances, Ms. Perl and
her companions bring some neglected
music to splendid life. She and her
collaborators have made some judicious
editorial decisions, adding instruments
from time to time to either augment
the scores, or to replace missing parts
in the manuscripts. All of these alterations
are done with such skill and taste as
to be completely unnoticeable to anyone
except the most well read expert in
this repertoire.
Ms. Perl plays with
a rich warm tone and accomplishes a
good deal of rhythmic interest on an
instrument whose deep sonorous voice,
when coupled with the rather mellow
speed of attack allowed by the bow can
result in rather monochromatic listening
when in the wrong hands. The addition
of the harp in particular lends interest
and vitality to what is otherwise very
sweet and dreamy music.
The good folk at BMG
should be flogged for the sloppy packaging.
Mistakes abound from a track timing
listed at six minutes and sixty-seven
seconds (huh?) to the misspelling on
the slipcover of lutenist Lorenz Duftschmidt’s
name. Program notes, complete with a
quote from the late Jerry Garcia (of
Grateful Dead fame), are a bit trendy
and unscholarly for my particular taste,
but at least they are not dull or dry.
A nice evening’s listen
all in all and a chance for some aural
peace and tranquility for a change.
Recommended.
Kevin Sutton