Tobias HUME (c.1569-1645) Captain Humes
Pavan [7.30]; A Souldiers Gaillard [1.33]; What Greater Griefe
- Couplet one [2.19]; Couplet 2 [2.38]; A Question [1.53]; An
Answere [3.31]; Touch me Sweetly [1.52]; The Virgins muse
[5.50]; Musicke and Mirth [3.20]; Tinckeldum Twinckeldum [1.29];
Sweet Musicke [6.56]; Good Again [4.44]
Eric FISCHER (b. 1950) Topographique Long Range Premier duo
Rock [4.36]; Les Géosophiques [18.13]; Topographique Long Range
Deuxieme duo [3.21]; La Clepsydre [3.57]
Marianne Muller; Liam Fennelly; Pau Marcos (violas da gamba)
rec. 20-24 July 2009, l’Église Évangélique Allemande, Paris
ZIG-ZAG TERRITOIRES ZZT 100501 [72.47]
Discs anthologizing Tobias Hume have appeared for almost as long as Elizabethan
and Jacobean music has been recorded. Discs presenting only Captain Hume -
yes he was indeed, in his youth, a soldier - are much rarer although in 1997
Naxos did produce two discs mixing instrumental works, especially the viol
pieces he is best known for, with various songs (Naxos 8554126 and 554127).
What makes this well-filled recording valuable and unusual is that Hume’s
music is coupled with a recent work for violas da gamba by Eric Fischer. His
is a new name to me but from what the booklet biographies tell us he is a
very prolific composer.
The CD opens with one of Captain Hume’s most played and recorded pieces, Captain
Hume’s Pavan coupled here with a brief Soldier’s Gaillard.
The former is a searching and deep meditation, which can only just be considered
a Pavan. This is the most expressive account of it I have ever heard and sets
the CD off on the right foot for me.
There are two major collections of Hume’s music The first part of Ayres
in which the above two pieces can be found. This dates from 1605 and comprises
mainly but not entirely pieces for solo viol. Then there is Captain Hume’s
Poeticall musicke (1607) in which can be found pieces for viol consort
or more especially two or three violas da gamba. The next pieces are from
that collection. What Greater Grief might remind one of passages from
Dowland’s recently published Lacrimae. This piece, better known in
its solo vocal version (with words like “ there is no relief in deepest woe”)
comes in what is called ‘Two couplets’; melancholic second part ends the CD.
Also from this collection comes The Virgin’s muse for three
viols is a lengthy and intense piece in fantasia form. It is preceded
by an imitative dance-like miniature for two viols possibly based on a folk
melody Touch me Sweetly.
A Question and its ensuing An Answere is not like a James Naughtie
question: it is short and to the point with some quite aggressive phrases.
The placatory Answere is much longer, uses some of the material from
A Question and grows in confidence - all quite fascinating.
Musick and Mirth is almost a madrigal for three viols with its opening
contrasted ideas being repeated with typical imitation. It is in triple time
but with the second contrasting idea in duple time. These two melodies are
then played attractively and with imagination. Tinckeldum Twinckeldum
is a triple time dance for solo viol but so cleverly written in its two registers
that it almost appears to be for two viols.
One of my favourite pieces on the disc is Sweet Music for three viols
set as a Pavan in three sections. Perhaps Dowland is the inspiration. It is
lyrical and clearly a tune with a not overly complex accompaniment. Its predominantly
major mode is especially touching. It is followed by a solo piece from the
‘Ayres’, Good Again, presumably based on a pre-existing song,
with its usual double-stopping, some left hand pizzicato passages and dance
measures. Do I also detect some col legno?
Eric Fischer’s Topographic Long-Range falls into eight sections. It
was commissioned by Muller. The opening Premier duo is a duet. It is jazz-inspired,
highly syncopated and almost a perpetuum mobile. A five movement solo
viol portion follows being headed as Les Géosophiques. This challenges
the performer to use several extraordinary effects which the composer in his
notes lists as quarter-tone melodies, glissandos, long measured sustained
notes, simultaneity of unsynchronized fluxes! “Sources”, the first movement,
sounds rather nocturnal. In “Concordancia discordancium canorum” we hear the
glissandi and double-stoppings. In “Medius” we have harmonics and further
haunting glissandi. “De l’arupt” incorporates quarter-tone double-stops. Finally
the wonderful “Coda” has some finger percussion and all kinds of pizzicato
effects. There follows a second duo which is partially syncopated and jazzy
but also has haunting nocturnal moments. Finally we have “Le Clepsydre”, a
weird and wonderful exploitation of wispy noises for all three viols. A truly
extraordinary work and one, which, much to my surprise, held my attention.
The modernist Fischer and the modernist (for his time) Captain Hume make ideal
bedfellows. All of the performances are remarkably true to the composers’
intentions and wonderfully conceived and created.
Gary Higginson
Modernists Fischer and Hume make ideal bedfellows. Remarkably true to the
composers’ intentions and wonderfully conceived and created.