ALSO AVAILABLE BY PAMELA THORBY ON LINN RECORDS 291 CKD Baroque Recorder Concertos Handel Recorder Sonatas CKD 217 CKD 223 Discover the world of Linn Records Download at www.linnrecords.com Now you can explore Linn music on-line with even greater ease by using our innovative download facility. Linn albums and tracks are available to download at studio master and CD quality – the quality you desire to achieve the best possible sound. MP3 downloads are also available. linnrecords.com is a multi-format music delivery system that delivers music on vinyl, CD and download. Register online today at www.linnrecords.com to keep up to date about our latest releases and to find out more about our artists. LINN RECORDS, GLASGOW ROAD, WATERFOOT, GLASGOW G76 0EQ UK t: +44 (0)141 303 5027/9 f: +44 (0)141 303 5007 e: [email protected] pages 16 | 1 GARDEN OF EARLY DELIGHTS für Alte Musik, Bremen, and the Escuela Superior de Musica de Catalunya in Barcelona. PAMELA THORBY recorder In 1994 Andrew Lawrence-King formed his own ensemble, The Harp ANDREW LAWRENCE-KING harp, psaltery Consort, with whom he has made an extensive collection of award-winning In 1993, as a recent music graduate, I found myself being shown around recordings, from medieval drama and O’Carolan, to Bach, Vivaldi, a Mexican the high-end audio equipment manufacturer, Linn Products, hidden away mass and South American opera. His solo CDs include dances by Lully, suites in the depths of the Scottish countryside. Here I met Philip Hobbs, sound by Bach and melancholy by Dowland. His direction of Handel’s first opera, engineer / producer extraordinaire, the manager of the then-fledgling label Almira, won the American Handel Society prize for CD of the year. Linn Records. With his expertise and patience, the Palladian Ensemble (of Andrew Lawrence-King conducted a staged production of Peri’s Euridice which I was proud to be a member between 1991 and 2007) began a long at the Los Angeles Getty Centre for the 400th anniversary of the earliest opera, and fruitful relationship with Linn Records, which resulted in many award- and in summer 2008 directed the first UK performance of Hidalgo’s Celos aun winning albums. I could not have imagined that 15 years later, I would still del aire matan (1660). His work on 17th-century dances with Steven Player & have the good fortune to be associated with the same company and to have The Harp Consort has won the ensemble an unparalleled reputation for stylish had the opportunity to record the rare and unusual, as well as more familiar and entertaining stage shows, and his duo album with Paul Hillier was chosen repertoire. by Elvis Costello as record of the year in Rolling Stone magazine. He has been To coax an instrumenttosing, to breathecolour and sophisticated awarded an honorary doctorate by Sheffield University for his achievements nuancewithout mannerismintoamusicalline is an intricate challenge in baroque opera. and one which this repertoire certainly demands of the performer. With Andrew Lawrence-King now divides his time between solo recitals, regard to theinstruments on this recording, thehistoricalcopies Ihave tours with The Harp Consort, and appearances as guest director for orchestras, chosen could be variously described as ‘renaissance’, ‘ganassi’ or ‘transi- choirs and baroque operas in Europe, Scandinavia and the Americas, tional’models. Ihaveusedarticulations that arementioned in historical interspersed with worldwide performances of Luz y norte and Missa Mexicana. sources and found these particularly necessary in the quicksilver flights He is Principal Guest Director of Concerto Copenhagen (Scandinavia’s of demi-semiquaver runs; to achieve something more than just machine- leading baroque orchestra), and the Florentine ensemble, L’Homme Armé gun precision, a fluent, expressive line at high speed demands an array of (specialising in baroque opera and oratorio). He is a regular guest teacher at flexible articulation possibilities. The ‘fruity’ temperament serves to Sibelius Academy & Helsinki Stadia (Finland) and has been awarded a three- heighten the delicious moments of – sometimes intentionally uncomfort- year Research Fellowship by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council to able – tension and release. research Spanish baroque music-drama. 215 I have picked freely from our musical ‘Garden of Early Delights’ to form a mixed bouquet of diverse, joyous, unusual and eloquent pieces. The quixotic drama of the experimental sonatas ‘in stil moderno’ is countered withburstsofgoodhumourinourtreatmentofvanEyck’s popularvariations: the sensuous melancholy of Dowland’s fabulous melodies contrasts with the formality of diminutions on favourite madrigals. Having worked on previous Linn projects with continuo-players of the calibre of harpsichordist Richard Egarr and lutenist William Carter, I am delighted to be collaborating with the extraordinary harpist Andrew Lawrence-King on this project. The intention for this album is not to create a dry historical document, but simply that it becomes part of the ever evolving tradition of musicians discovering and bringing to life a repertoire full of surprise, beauty and delight. © Pamela Thorby, 2008 Pitch: A440 Tuning: quarter-comma meantone Pamela’s instruments: soprano ‘Ganassi’ recorder by Fred Morgan (on tracks 2, 3, 11, 13 and 16) g alto ‘Ganassi’ recorder by Michael Grinter (on tracks 1, 4, 5 and 9) and tenor recorder by Tom Prescott (on tracks 7 and 14) Andrew’s instruments: Baroque triple harp by Christopher Barlow after Italian models (on tracks 2, 5—16) Spanish double harp by Tim Hobrough after Zurberán (on track 1) Psaltery by Colin Booth after renaissance models (on track 4) 14 3 GARDEN OF EARLY DELIGHTS million-selling ‘Adiemus’ albums and on ‘Imagined Oceans’, which was written especially for her. She also appears on Dame Kiri te Kanawa’s EMI release ‘Kiri DIEGO ORTIZ (c.1510~1570) sings Karl’. Her appearances on these albums make her possibly the most 1. Recercada segunda de tenore – from ‘TraTTado de glosas’ (1553) listened to recorder player in the world. JACOB VAANN EYCK (1589/90~1657) Pamela began her career as a prize-winning student at the Guildhall 2. Wat zal men op den Avond doen School of Music and Drama (GSMD) in London and then received a prestigious 3. Derde, Doen Daphne d’over DAAD scholarship to study at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam. 4. Boffons Within a few years of graduating she returned to the GSMD to teach the from ‘Der Flutyen Lust-hof’ (1644~c.1655) recorder as a principal instrument and is currently a visiting professor. www.PamelaThorby.com DARIO CASTELLO (fl. c.1620~1630) 5. Sonata seconda a soprano solo from ‘Sonate concertate in stil moderno, Libro secondo’ (1629) ANDREW LAWRENCE-KING Baroque-harp virtuoso and imaginative continuo-player, Andrew Lawrence- JOHN DOWLAND (1563~1626) King is one of the world’s leading performers of early music. A creative and 6. Sorrow, sorrow stay – from ‘Second Booke of Songes’ (1600) inspiring conductor who directs from one of several continuo instruments JOHANN SCHOP (1590~1664) after Dowland (including harp, organ, harpsichord and psaltery), he has led baroque operas 7. Lachrime Pavaen – from ‘T’UitnemenT Kabinet’ (1646) and oratorios at La Scala, Milan; Sydney Opera House; Casals Hall, Tokyo; Berlin Philharmonie; Vienna Konzerthaus; New York’s Carnegie Hall; and JOHN DOWLAND Mexico City’s Palacio de Bellas Artes. 8. Weep you no more – from ‘Third Booke of Songes’(1603) His musical career began as Head Chorister at the Cathedral and Parish Church of St Peter Port Guernsey, when he won an Organ Scholarship GIOVANNI BASSANO (c.1558~1617) after Lassus to Cambridge, completing his studies at the London Early Music Centre. He 9. Susanne ung jour rapidly established himself as a versatile continuo-player with Europe’s from ‘MoteTTe, madrigali et canzone francese’(1591) foremost specialist ensembles and in 1988 founded and co-directed the DIEGO ORTIZ continuo-group, Tragicomedia. He joined Jordi Savall’s Hesperion XX as harp 10. Recercada segunda de canto llano – from ‘TraTTado de glosas’ (1553) soloist, and was appointed Professor of Harp and Continuo at the Akademie 413 GIOVANNI BATTISTA FONTANA (died c.1630) 11. Sonata sesta – from ‘Sonate a 1. 2. 3. per il violino, o cornetto, fagoTTo, chitarone, violincino o simile altro istrumento’(1641) BIAGIO MARINI (1594 – 1663) 12. Passacalio – from ‘Per ogni sorte di strumento’ (1655) GIOVANNI BATTISTA FONTANA 13. Sonata seconda – from ‘Sonate a 1. 2. 3. per il violino, o cornetto, fagoTTo, chitarone, violincino o simile altro istrumento’(1641) JACOB VAN EYCK after Caccini 14. Amarilli mia bella from ‘Der Flutyen Lust-hof’(1644~c.1655) DIEGO ORTIZ after Sandrin 15. Recercada prima sobre doulce mémoire from ‘TraTTado de glosas’ (1553) GIOVANNI BASSANO after Clemens non Papa 16. Frais et gaillard from ‘MoteTTe, madrigali et canzone francese’(1591) Recorded at The National Centre for Early Music, York, UK from October 30th – November 1st 2006 Produced and engineered by Philip Hobbs Post-production by Julia Thomas Sleeve design by The Art Surgery Photos of Pamela by York Digital Image With thanks to Catherine Latham and to Dick and Jill Pyper. 12 5 nnocent joy in Eden; forbidden pleasures in Bosch’s famous Garden PAMELA THORBY of Earthly Delights; serenades, wit and sophisticated metaphors in Over thelastfew yearsPamela hasquietly established herself as one of IElizabethan drama; elegant formal design at European courts: the garden theworld’s leadingrecorderplayers.Her stylish virtuosity can be heard of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries brought forth a rich harvest of on numerous recordings of music ranging from the medieval period to the symbolism and literary associations. In the shady groves of Italian madrigals present day. and early operas, pastoral shepherds enjoy the delights of love. In English, Pamela’s ‘Baroque Recorder Concertos’ disc (Linn CKD 217) received Spanish and Dutch plays, Romeo serenades Juliet in the orchard garden by outstanding reviews – “a world-class performeer”r” (Gramophone) – and was a moonlight.