Some composers attract attention for other than strictly musical reasons.
One of them is Gesualdo, for murdering his wife and her lover. Another is
Stradella, who paid for his womanizing by being stabbed to death. Tobias
Hume is also someone who fascinates, especially because he led an
adventurous life as a professional soldier. His comments about his exploits
further excite the imagination: we meet a person who is not exactly modest
about his qualities as a soldier or about his musical skills. The fact that
so little is known about his life leaves the field clear for the
imagination. It is impossible to write his biography: we don't know
when he was born and there is even a gap in the information about his
whereabouts between 1607 and 1629.
In the former year he published a second book comprising vocal and
instrumental pieces. It was preceded in 1605 by his first collection of
basically the same content, although less organised. These were not so much
a token of his social standing but rather of his precarious position. The
second book was dedicated to Queen Anne, and he described it as "the
last hope of my labours". It is also telling that his name is hardly
ever mentioned by other musicians and composers of his time. A remark from
the pen of John Dowland is rather negative, as he defended the lute against
Hume's championing of the viol.
The two collections were first and foremost intended for the viola da
gamba, the instrument Hume himself played. However, Hume suggested
alternative scorings, with ensembles of various instruments, including wind.
It is this suggestion which has been picked up by the Concerto Caledonia,
which plays using gambas, flutes, virginals and several plucked instruments,
such as the orpharion and the cittern. The ensemble includes a
nyckelharpa, a traditional Swedish instrument which is used here as
"an acknowledgement of his [Hume's] time in Sweden, and as a
counterpart to the lyra d'amore, a tenor viol with sympathetic
strings". I find this aspect of the scoring on this recording the least
convincing. Hume's two collections were intended for the English
market, and in the article on the nyckleharpa in
New Grove I
haven't found any suggestion that this instrument may have been
known, let alone played, there in Hume's time.
However, it is hardly an issue in the assessment of this disc.
Hume's music is well represented in the catalogue, and his music is
sometimes performed with various instruments with viole da gamba dominant.
That makes the approach by Concerto Caledonia all the more interesting, and
they defend it with zest and imagination. This is a most delightful disc
which will give any listener about an hour of first-class musical
entertainment. Thomas Walker gives a brilliant performance of
The
Souldiers Song, with its sound imitations, but is equally convincing in
the more delicate
Cease leaden slumber dreaming.
The booklet includes informative programme notes, and - most praiseworthy
- a list of the selected pieces with their numbers in the two books of 1605
and 1607.
Johan van Veen
www.musica-dei-donum.org
twitter.com/johanvanveen
Track listing
A merry conceit: The Q[ueens] delight [1:51]
What greater griefe [4:03]
A Spanish humor: The Lord Hayes favoret [3:45]
Fain would I change that note [2:28]
The virgins muse: The Lady Arbellaes favoret [4:30]
Be merry a day will come/A Toy [1605, 64
(63)]
/Ha Couragie [2:19]
A Toy [1605, 52]
/A Merry Meeting [2:08]
A Galliard 3 [1:54]
Start: The Lady of Sussex delight [2:03]
A Pollish Vilanell [2:04]
Tobacco [1:55]
Maister Crasse his Almayne/A Galliard 5 [3:06]
The Earle of Pembrookes Galiard [2:25]
The Souldiers Song [1:39]
The Souldiers Galiard [1:42]
Tickell, Tickell/I Am Falling/Tickle me quickly
[3:54]
Captaine Humes Galliard [3:15]
My hope is revived: The Lady of Suffolkes delight [1:55]
Cease leaden slumber: The Queenes New-yeeres gift [4:00]
An Almayne/The Spirit of the Almayne [2:43]
The Dukes Almayne: The Duke of Holstones Delight [1:56]
Give you go[o]d morrowe Madam [1:34]
