Florish in the Key: the solo violin in London 1650-1700
As well as being internationally recognised as a leading interpreter of music new and old, Peter Sheppard Skærved is the only violinist to have performed on the personal violins of Viotti, Paganini, Joachim, Kreisler and Ole Bull. Here he presents the works from ‘Preludes or Voluntarys’ (2nd edition, published by John Walsh in 1705. The edition includes petite gems from the leading lights of the age such as Purcell, Biber, Pepusch, Correlli and Torrelli, and some whose names are somewhat forgotten: Matteis, Bassani and Vitali – and more who are only known by their surname, probably musicians of the royal court who had presented a work to Walsh for publication. It’s also true that Walsh included several extracts from sonatas, suites and other chamber works, not always correctly attributed.
These fascinating pieces are played on a 1664 violin of unknown make which was an instrument of King Charles II’s court orchestra.
The album also contains several works by the (at the time) highly regarded Thomas Baltzar, played on the superb 1629 Girolamo Amati violin also used for Sheppard Skærved’s most recent ‘Great Violins’ recording.
Altogether a wonderful album, both musically and historically.
Track Listing
- Arcangelo Corelli – D major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Giuseppe Torelli – E minor Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Nicola Cosimi – A major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber – D major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Giovanni Bononcini – D minor Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Nicola Matteis – A Major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Francesco Gasparini – D Major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Nicola Francesco Haym – F major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Johann Gottfried Keller – D major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- ‘Mr Dean’ – A major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni – D major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- William Corbett – A major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Henry Eccles – A minor Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Arcangelo Corelli – A major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Nicola Cosimi- A major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Tomaso Vitali – D minor Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- John Banister – B flat Major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Johann Christoph Pepusch – D minor Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Ambrogio Lonati – D minor Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Henry Purcell – G minor Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- ‘Mr Simons’ – F minor Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Robert King – A major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Giovanni Battista Bassani – E flat major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- ‘Mr Smith’ – E major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- William Gorton – A major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Marc’Antonio Ziani – F minor Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Gottfried Finger – E major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- ‘Mr Hills’ A major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Johann Christoph Pepusch – B flat major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Giuseppe Torelli – C minor Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Nicola Francesco Haym – D minor Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni – C major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Francesco Gasparini – C major Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Nicola Matteis – C minor Prelude (‘Preludes & Voluntarys’1705)
- Thomas Baltzar – A Major Allemande 1 (‘A Set of Tunings by Mr Baltzar’)
- Thomas Baltzar – A major Allemande 2 (‘A Set of Tunings by Mr Baltzar’)
- Thomas Baltzar – A major ‘Corant.’ (‘A Set of Tunings by Mr Baltzar’)
- Thomas Baltzar – A major ‘Sarabrand.’ (‘A Set of Tunings by Mr Baltzar’)
- Thomas Baltzar – C minor ‘Pręludium’
- Thomas Baltzar – C minor ‘Corant’
- Thomas Baltzar – G minor Courante
- Thomas Baltzar – G minor Sarabande
- Thomas Baltzar – B flat major Sarabande
- Thomas Baltzar – G minor ‘Allemande & Varatio.’
Reviews
“Skaerved’s imaginative accounts of the music on a wonderful 17th-century violin are lovely airy readings, lightweight but eloquent. a genuinely intriguing musical journey and a fascinating window opened on the world of the early violin.
” —D. James Ross
“This is a pleasing way to spend 73 minutes. Peter Sheppard Skaerved plays with a warm intimacy; and, as usual, his booklet notes are models of musicological research but not dry.
” —Joseph Magil
“You know you’re getting quality with Sheppard Skærved, recognised as a leading interpreter of music new and old, and regularly let loose on old and valuable violins. You might like the album because of Sheppard Skærved’s virtuoso skills or because of an interest in historical violin but you can equally enjoy it for the warm, varied playing [and] the warm, fuzzy and happy mood it creates.
” —Jeremy Condliffe
“The playing by Peter Sheppard Skærved is excellent; the violin used for most of the recording, which dates to 1664 but whose maker is unknown, has a warm and full-bodied sound that is instantly attractive; a second violin is an absolutely wonderful, even-toned Girolamo Amati instrument. What is noteworthy is the uniformly high quality of the material: every single composer was clearly skilled at writing for solo violin, exploring the instrument’s capabilities within a constricted length, and there is little to distinguish the preludes by the virtually unknown composers from those of the more-famous ones.
” —Mark J, Estren
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