Important aspects abound in a new recording from Athene, featuring virtuoso violinist Peter Sheppard Skærved, to be released in the autumn. The album, titled ‘Florish in the Key’, presents John Walsh’s ‘Preludes & Voluntarys’ (published before 1704, 2nd edition 1705) and works by Thomas Balzar, providing a comprehensive survey of music for solo violin in London at the turn of the 18th century. As well as being of interest historically and musically, the album also features two extraordinary violins: the 1629 Girolamo Amati, which Skærved presented in his recent ‘Great Violins’ album (volume 4, Athene ATH 21210), and for the majority of the tracks, the so-called ‘Charles II’ violin of 1664. Though by an unknown maker, its inlay and known date suggest strongly that it was used in one of King Charles II’s violin bands, and possibly may have been played by some of the composers represented here. With the modern but early-baroque-style small bow by Airenti, this instrument demonstrates how this intimate early music would have sounded in its own day.
Peter Sheppard Skærved is one of the most accomplished violinists of our age with a hectic concert and recording schedule. Equally comfortable with ancient music and the very newest, as soloist or chamber musician with the Kreutzer Quartet and Longbow, he has had over 400 works written for him. His pioneering work on music for solo violin has led to international research, performances and recordings of many pieces and cycles. His recordings appear on several labels including the Athene (period instruments) and Métier (new music) imprints of the Divine Art group. Currently he is recording works by Edward Cowie for Métier and has just completed volume 5 of the ‘Great Violins’ series for Athene which is to be formally announced soon.
Album Details
TITLE: ‘Florish in the Key: The solo violin in London 1650-1700
LABEL: Athene
CATALOGUE NUMBER: ATH 23211
ARTIST: Peter Sheppard Skærved
Works (in order of album appearance)
Works from ‘Preludes and Voluntarys’ published by John Walsh)
- Prelude in D major (Arcangelo Corelli)
- Prelude in E minor (Giuseppe Torelli)
- Prelude in A major (Nicola Cosimi)
- Prelude in D major (Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber)
- Prelude in D minor (Giovanni Bononcini)
- Prelude in A major (Nicola Matteis)
- Prelude in D major (Francesco Gasparini)
- Prelude in F major (Nicola Francesco Haym)
- Prelude in D major (Johann Gofttfried Keller)
- Prelude in A major (“Mr. Dean”)
- Prelude in D major (Tomaso Albinoni)
- Prelude in A major (William Corbett)
- Prelude in A minor (Henry Eccles)
- Prelude in A major (Arcangelo Corelli)
- Prelude in A major (Nicola Cosimi)
- Prelude in D minor (Tomaso Vitali)
- Prelude in B flat major (John Bannister)
- Prelude in D minor (Johann Christoph Pepusch)
- Prelude in D minor (Ambrogio Lonati)
- Prelude in G minor (Henry Purcell)
- Prelude in F minor (“Mr. Simons”)
- Prelude in A major (Robert King)
- Prelude in E flat major (Giovanni Battista Bassani)
- Prelude in E major (“Mr. Smith”)
- Prelude in A major (William Gorton)
- Prelude in F minor (Marc-Antonio Ziani)
- Prelude in E major (Gottfried Finger)
- Prelude in A major (“Mr. Hills”)
- Prelude in B flat major (Johann Christoph Pepusch)
- Prelude in C minor (Giuseppe Torelli)
- Prelude in D minor (Nicola Francesco Haym)
- Prelude in C major (Tomaso Albinoni)
- Prelude in C major (Nicola Matteis)
Works by Thomas Baltzar
- “A Set of Tunings by Mr. Baltzar” (Suite in A major, Thomas Baltzar)
- Preludium in C minor (Thomas Baltzar)
- Corant in C minor (Thomas Baltzar)
- Courante in G minor (Thomas Baltzar)
- Sarabande in G minor (Thomas Baltzar)
- Sarabande in B flat major (Thomas Baltzar)
- Allemande & Variatio in G minor (Thomas Baltzar)
