Archive for Gilbert Rowland

Athene Announces Volume Four of Johann Jakob Froberger’s Harpsichord Suites

English harpsichordist Gilbert Rowland is preparing the fourth volume in his ongoing series presenting the complete Suites for Harpsichord by Johann Jakob Froberger.  The album is to be recorded at Holy Trinity Church, Weston, Hertfordshire in  July 2024, with engineer John Taylor who produced all of Gilbert’s previous Divine Art and Athene recordings. Earlier  volumes have attracted much praise:

Gilbert Rowland
Gilbert Rowland © Andrew Cockrell

“A glorious sound and enjoyable music recorded in a resonant acoustic, giving a truly luscious sound. Rowland plays with energy and a good forward drive.” —David Griffel (Harpsichord & Fortepiano) on volume. 1

“One of the finest recordings of Froberger’s harpsichord music I have heard, with a wonderful-sounding instrument and magnificent playing from Rowland.” —Stuart Sillitoe (MusicWeb International) on volume 1

“Froberger’s music is individual in nature and ground-breaking – he was one of the first composers to settle the ‘dance-movement’ style. These are thrilling and authoritative recordings by Gilbert Rowland of wonderful music.” —John Pitt (New Classics) on volume 2

“Froberger’s music – in this splendid rendition by Gilbert Rowland – reveals huge variety and baroque beauty. Clever, ingenious and melodious engaging and attractive works.” —Stuart Millson (Quarterly Review) on volume 2

“Impeccably noble performance… first-class engineering… an indispensible addition to fine recordings of early music.” – Rafael de Acha (All about the Arts)

Johann Jakob Froberger (1616-1667) was a highly accomplished composer of the middle baroque and is usually credited with inventing the ‘baroque suite’ used with variations by Bach, Handel and countless other composers; certainly it was his idea to set the ‘backbone’ of the Suite as the four dance movements of allemandecourantesarabande and gigue. He was extremely prolific and indeed several works (including Harpsichord Suites) have been discovered only recently.

Gilbert Rowland first studied the harpsichord with Millicent Silver. Whilst still a student at the Royal College of Music, he made his debut at Fenton House 1970 and first appeared at the Wigmore Hall in 1973.

His mentors have included Kenneth Gilbert and Fernando Valenti. Recitals at the Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room, appearances at major festivals in this country and abroad, together with broadcasts for Capital Radio and Radio 3 have helped to establish his reputation as one of Britain’s leading harpsichordists.

His numerous records of works by Scarlatti, Soler, Rameau and Fischer have received considerable acclaim from the national press. The recording of the 13-CD set of Soler sonatas with Naxos was completed in 2006. He also recorded a CD of Sonatas by Albero for London Independent Records, which was released in 2009. He joined Divine Art in 2010 to record the harpsichord suites by Handel, followed by those of Froberger and Mattheson.  Gilbert Rowland is assigned to Divine Art’s specialist early music label, Athene.

Froberger: Suites for Harpsichord, volume 4

Performer: Gilbert Rowland (harpsichord)

Label: ATHENE

Catalogue number: ATH 23215 (2CD set, double digital album)

Works: Harpsichord Suites by Johann Jakob Froberger 

  • Suite in G minor, FbVW 614
  • Suite in E minor, FbWV 622
  • Suite in F major, FbWV 621
  • Suite in D minor, FbWV 613
  • Suite in B flat major, FbWV Anh. IV/02
  • Suite in D minor, FbWV 639
  • Suite in G minor, FbWV 649
  • Suite in D major, FbWV 611
  • Suite in A minor, FbWV 628
  • Suite in E minor, FbWV 648
  • Suite in C minor, FbWV 644
  • Suite in F major, FbWV Anh. IV/08

Previous Divine Art group albums by Gilbert Rowland:

Gilbert Rowland To Record His Third Album of Froberger Harpsichord Suites

Gilbert Rowland at harpsichord
Gilbert Rowland © Andrew Cockrell

English harpsichordist Gilbert Rowland is preparing the third volume in his ongoing series presenting the complete Suites for Harpsichord by Johann Jakob Froberger.  The album is to be recorded at Holy Trinity Church, Weston, Hertfordshire on 11-14 July 2022, with engineer John Taylor who produced all of Gilbert’s previous Divine Art and Athene recordings. The first two volumes attracted much praise:

“A glorious sound and enjoyable music recorded in a resonant acoustic, giving a truly luscious sound. Rowland plays with energy and a good forward drive.” —David Griffel (Harpsichord & Fortepiano) on volume. 1

“One of the finest recordings of Froberger’s harpsichord music I have heard, with a wonderful-sounding instrument and magnificent playing from Rowland.” —Stuart Sillitoe (MusicWeb International) on volume 1

“Froberger’s music is individual in nature and ground-breaking – he was one of the first composers to settle the ‘dance-movement’ style. These are thrilling and authoritative recordings by Gilbert Rowland of wonderful music.” —John Pitt (New Classics) on volume 2

“Froberger’s music – in this splendid rendition by Gilbert Rowland – reveals huge variety and baroque beauty. Clever, ingenious and melodious engaging and attractive works.” —Stuart Millson (Quarterly Review) on volume 2

Johann Jakob Froberger (1616-1667) was a highly accomplished composer of the middle baroque and is usually credited with inventing the ‘baroque suite’ used with variations by Bach, Handel and countless other composers; certainly it was his idea to set the ‘backbone’ of the Suite as the four dance movements of allemandecourantesarabande and gigue. He was extremely prolific and indeed several works (including Harpsichord Suites) have been discovered only recently.

Gilbert Rowland first studied the harpsichord with Millicent Silver. Whilst still a student at the Royal College of Music, he made his debut at Fenton House 1970 and first appeared at the Wigmore Hall in 1973.

His mentors have included Kenneth Gilbert and Fernando Valenti. Recitals at the Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room, appearances at major festivals in this country and abroad, together with broadcasts for Capital Radio and Radio 3 have helped to establish his reputation as one of Britain’s leading harpsichordists.

His numerous records of works by Scarlatti, Soler, Rameau and Fischer have received considerable acclaim from the national press. The recording of the 13-CD set of Soler sonatas with Naxos was completed in 2006. He also recorded a CD of Sonatas by Albero for London Independent Records, which was released in 2009. He joined Divine Art in 2010 to record the harpsichord suites by Handel, followed by those of Froberger and Mattheson.  Gilbert Rowland is assigned to Divine Art’s specialist early music label, Athene.

J. J. Froberger: Suites for Harpsichord, Volume 3 (ATH 23213 – 2CD set, double digital album)

Works

Harpsichord Suites by Johann Jakob Froberger

  • Suite in A minor, FbWV 630
  • Suite in F major, FbWV 617
  • Suite in A major, FbWV 638
  • Suite in F sharp minor, FbWV 646
  • Suite in E flat major, FbWV 654
  • Suite in E minor, FbWV 651
  • Suite in D minor, FbWV 639
  • Suite in A minor, FbWV 601
  • Suite in D major, FbWV 624
  • Suite in G minor, FbWV 609
  • Suite in E minor, FbWV 623
  • Suite in B minor, FbWV 652
  • Suite in E major, FbWV 656

Previous Recordings

Gilbert Rowland to Record his third Froberger Album

Gilbert Rowland at harpsichord
Gilbert Rowland © Andrew Cockrell

English harpsichordist Gilbert Rowland is preparing the third volume in his ongoing series presenting the complete Suites for Harpsichord by Johann Jakob Froberger. The album is to be recorded at Holy Trinity Church, Weston, Hertfordshire on 11-14 July 2022, with engineer John Taylor who produced all of Gilbert’s previous Divine Art and Athene recordings. The first two volumes attracted much praise:

“A glorious sound and enjoyable music recorded in a resonant acoustic, giving a truly luscious sound. Rowland plays with energy and a good forward drive.”

—David Griffel (Harpsichord & Fortepiano) on volume. 1

“One of the finest recordings of Froberger’s harpsichord music I have heard, with a wonderful-sounding instrument and magnificent playing from Rowland.”

—Stuart Sillitoe (MusicWeb International) on volume 1

“Froberger’s music is individual in nature and ground breaking – he was one of the first composers to settle the ‘dance-movement’ style. These are thrilling and authoritative recordings by Gilbert Rowland of wonderful music.”

—John Pitt (New Classics) on volume 2

“Froberger’s music – in this splendid rendition by Gilbert Rowland – reveals huge variety and baroque beauty. Clever, ingenious and melodious engaging and attractive works.”

—Stuart Millson (Quarterly Review) on volume 2

Johann Jakob Froberger (1616-1667) was a highly accomplished composer of the middle baroque and is usually credited with inventing the ‘baroque suite’ used with variations by Bach, Handel and countless other composers; certainly it was his idea to set the ‘backbone’ of the Suite as the four dance movements of allemande, courante, sarabande and gigue. He was extremely prolific and indeed several works (including Harpsichord Suites) have been discovered only recently.

Gilbert Rowland first studied the harpsichord with Millicent Silver. Whilst still a student at the Royal College of Music, he made his debut at Fenton House 1970 and first appeared at the Wigmore Hall in 1973.

His mentors have included Kenneth Gilbert and Fernando Valenti. Recitals at the Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room, appearances at major festivals in this country and abroad, together with broadcasts for Capital Radio and Radio 3 have helped to establish his reputation as one of Britain’s leading harpsichordists.

His numerous records of works by Scarlatti, Soler, Rameau and Fischer have received considerable acclaim from the national press. The recording of the 13-CD set of Soler sonatas with Naxos was completed in 2006. He also recorded a CD of Sonatas by Albero for London Independent Records, which was released in 2009. He joined Divine Art in 2010 to record the harpsichord suites by Handel, followed by those of Froberger and Mattheson. Gilbert Rowland is assigned to Divine Art’s specialist early music label, Athene.

J. J. Froberger: Suites for Harpsichord, Volume 3 (ATH 23213)

2CD set, double-digital album

Gilbert Rowland (harpsichord)

Works:

  • Harpsichord Suites by Johann Jakob Froberger 
  • Suite in A minor, FbWV 630
  • Suite in F major, FbWV 617
  • Suite in A major, FbWV 638
  • Suite in F sharp minor, FbWV 646
  • Suite in E flat major, FbWV 654
  • Suite in E minor, FbWV 651
  • Suite in D minor, FbWV 639
  • Suite in A minor, FbWV 601
  • Suite in D major, FbWV 624
  • Suite in G minor, FbWV 609
  • Suite in E minor, FbWV 623
  • Suite in B minor, FbWV 652
  • Suite in E major, FbWV 656

Gilbert Rowland on Divine Art Recordings

Divine Art Releases in Classical Music Magazine’s May 2019 Issue

Two very nice features appear in the May 2019 issue of Classical Music Magazine: a feature for Natalia Andreeva‘s Divine Art recordings of the music of Galina Ustvolskaya, and an Early Music Today shout-out for Gilbert Rowland‘s first volume of Johann Jakob Froberger’s Harpsichord Suites!

12 Harpsichord Suites of Johann Froberger

Veteran English harpsichordist Gilbert Rowland returns to the studio in July 2018 to record 12 of the Harpsichord Suites of Johann Froberger for Athene Records, the early-music imprint of Divine Art. This follows Rowland’s survey on 6 CDs of the suites by Handel and his recent 3-CD box of the suites by Johann Mattheson which has become one of the label’s best sellers of 2017 and received international critical praise.

Johann Jakob Froberger (1616-1667) was a highly accomplished composer of the middle baroque and is usually credited with inventing the ‘baroque suite’ used with variations by Bach, Handel and countless other composers; certainly it was his idea to set the ‘backbone’ of the Suite as the four dance movements of allemande, courante, sarabande and gigue. He was extremely prolific and Stephen Sutton, CEO at Divine Art, is hopeful that this will be the first of a series eventually containing all of Froberger’s harpsichord music – this may be a challenge as considerable numbers of works have been recently discovered so the ‘complete’ works may not be established for some time! This first volume will be released late 2018/early 2019 but the exact date has not been yet finalized.