Masters of the Lute – JOHN DOWLAND, GIOVANNI GIERALOMO, ALESSANDRO PICCININI, ROBERT DE VISEE, FRANZ VON BIBER – Matthew Wadsworth, lute & theorbo – Channel Classics

by | Apr 5, 2007 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews | 0 comments

Masters of the Lute – JOHN DOWLAND, GIOVANNI GIERALOMO, ALESSANDRO PICCININI, ROBERT DE VISEE, FRANZ VON BIBER – Matthew Wadsworth, lute & theorbo – Channel Classics multichannel SACD CCS SA 24206, 56:47 ****:

I’ve enjoyed the lute forays recorded by guitarist Julian Bream for RCA in the past, but although the music played was obviously of a different ilk, the instrumental timbres never actually sounded that different to me from the classical acoustic guitar.  No such problem here!  The careful micing, hi-res original DSD recording, and surround sound brings out the deep, rich and gorgeous multi-stringed tone of the lute, which sound so much more expressive in this music than the modern guitar.  The sound is even better than that given Sting’s lutenist accompanist on his recent much-promoted recording of lute songs.

Dowland and De Visée receive the majority of the tracks here, with a half dozen apiece. The deep and resonant voice of the lute seems to fit the overall melancholic air of Dowland’s music, even in the strictly instrumental plane. The version of the big 17th century hit Greensleeves heard here is by Francis Cutting, and sounds quite different from the tune with which most of us are familiar, though it can be identified if you listen closely.

The theorbo or chitarrone has even more bass end, having been developed to be part of the basso continuo ensemble accompanying songs and stage productions. Eventually solo music for the instrument began to appear. The six dance-form movements for theorbo by De Visée are interesting in that he stressed the lowest octave more than most composers of the period, getting an effect  akin to the left and right hands of a keyboard instrument.

Some of these pieces have been performed and recorded on guitar in the past. For a really shocking comparison, try an A/B of a similar guitar version of such music – say one of the mono reissues of Andres Segovia – and then go to this hi-res surround recording on the lute. Quite a revelation!

 – John Sunier

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