Midnight Viols (6/30/22)

 Gotham Early Music Scene

Patricia Ann Neely, Charlie Reed, Arnie Tanimoto, Lisa Terry – viols; Gene Morrow, English concertina and recorder; Ruth Cunningham, soprano vocals, flute, and recorders

English Country Dances from The Dancing Master – John Playford, John Walsh, publishers
Parson Upon Dorothy (1652), John Playford; Come Let’s Be Merry (1719), John Walsh; Epsom Wells, or Wa is me (1696), Playford; Jenny Pluck Pears (1651), Playford
“Awake, sweet love” – John Dowland (1563−1626)
Three Galliards – Anthony Holborne (1545−1602)
Muy Linda ~ The Widowes Myte ~ The Faerie Round
Fantasia à 5 “Ardo” – Thomas Lupo (1571−1627)
Prima parte ~ Seconda parte
“Ye Sacred Muses” – William Byrd (c.1540–1623)
Dance Suite – Willam Brade, a.k.a. Wilhelm Brade (1560−1630)
Der ander Mascharada ~ Ein schottische Tanz ~ Der Rothschencken Tanz
“Can She Excuse My Wrongs” – Dowland
Two Pavans – Holborne – The Cradle ~ Infernum
English Country Dances from The Dancing Master, and Preston’s “24 Dances for the Year 1791”
Fair and Softly (1726), Henry Playford; Long Odds (1791), Thomas Preston; Room for Ramblers (1719), Walsh; Hole in the Wall (1698), Playford

OK, I learned a few things here. The viola da gamba (what the English call a viol) is not of the cello family, even though it looks like a cello. It’s actually in the guitar family. Who knew? Well, now I do and you do, too. The English concertina was described as a baby accordion—dubbed here as an “air viol” since it has a similar range as a treble viol, just with open reeds instead of strings. Does this make sense?

These first country dances were just that. Pieces played for entertainment for folks in the country (plus some for the Elizabethan court). But they were mostly brief and relatively simple, as will be my descriptions.

The first of the four dances was jaunty, for viols and concertina; the second added a flute to the mix, and was more subdued; the third was a gentle triple meter dance; and the fourth was quicker in tempo though it bounced back and forth between slower and quicker, ending with a slow section.

The first Dowland song featured the soprano vocalist, gentle and pleasant, featuring some shifting rhythms.

The galliards had (i) interesting rhythms, (ii) more of the same, and (iii) a jauntier tempo. As explained from the stage the galliard is based on a six-note section/phrase that can be varied between 1-2-3, 1-2-3 and 1-2, 1-2, 1-2, with mixing and matching thrown in for good measure. Those shifting rhythms were in evidence throughout the entire concert.

After a brief re-tuning (the instrumentalists were playing on period instruments that often need more re-tuning), the two sections of the Lupo Fantasia were a bit more complicated, compositionally, with the second part having more varied dynamics.

William Byrd’s piece honored his teacher, Thomas Tallis, and was a mournful dirge for soprano soloist and viols; it was very effective.

The three movements of the Dance Suite that followed were energetic, with pauses at the ends of some phrases, leading into a second movement that began with an introduction played on a soprano recorder, then one viol added, then another, until the entire ensemble was playing. Then the entire thing was essentially reversed, ending with the solo soprano recorder. The third dance featured the entire ensemble in a more subdued tempo.

“Can She Excuse My Wrongs” offered more of Dowland’s shifting rhythms, first in an instrumental rendition, then a second verse, adding the soprano vocalist.

The first of the two pavans was slow and stately, essentially three repeated sections, each of which was varied slightly. The second pavan was fuller and richer, compositionally, adding additional interest. This might have been my favorite piece on the program.

The last four country dances were similar to the dances that opened the afternoon. First up was (after a mini train wreck and a restart) a gentle and pleasant dance with the concertina added to the final section. The second began with two recorders and a tenor viol—then the full ensemble (sans concertina, as the concertina player was one of the recorder players (confused yet?)) joined the recorders. It was a lovely piece. The third was brighter in tempo, and had a little more depth as a composition. The final dance was recorder and two viols, then the full ensemble (with the concertina player back on the concertina) all in a gentle, lilting rhythm.

Alas, this was the final concert in Gotham Early Music Scene’s Midtown Concerts season. They will pick up again on Thursday, Sept. 8. I’ll probably be there.

ConcertMeister