Orlando Gibbons (1583 - 1625)
Consort and Keyboard Music, Songs and Anthems
[1] Pavan a 6
[2] Galliard a 6
[3] Behold, thou hast made my days
[4] The Lord of Salisbury his Pavan and Galliard
[5] Fantasia No.1 for two trebles
[6] I weigh not Fortune's frown
[7] I tremble not at noise of war
[8] I see ambition never pleased
[9] I feign not friendship where I hate
[10] Preludium in G
[11] Go from my window
[12] Dainty fine bird
[13] Fair is the rose
[14] Fantasia No. 3 a 6
[15] Fantasia No. 5 a 6
[16] A Mask (The Fairest Nymph)
[17] Lincoln's Inn Mask
[18] Allmaine in G
[19] Fantasia No. 1 a 3 for the Great Double Bass
[20] Galliard a 3
[21] The silver swan
[22] In Nomine a 4
[23] Glorious and powerful God
The music and reputation of Orlando Gibbons have survived the ravages of time rather
better than those of some of his contemporaries. His
services and unaccompanied anthems have been a part of the central repertory of English
cathedral choirs since his death, The silver swan
[21] was quickly recognised as a classic madrigal by early twentieth century singers, and
some of his keyboard music was already available in a 'modern' if rather faulty edition by
1847. It is, however, only relatively recently that his superb contributions to the
tradition of English viol consort music have been fully recognised, as well as his
important position in the development of the verse anthem. This recording represents most
of the main areas of Gibbons' output, apart from the music for the English liturgy, and
shows not only his consummate skill in handling complex contrapuntal textures, but also
the variety of mood of his work, and the directly evocative response to the texts he set.
Like many sixteenth century composers, Orlando Gibbons came
from a family of musicians. His father William was a wait (town band musician) in both
Oxford and Cambridge, his eldest brother Edward was Master of the Choristers at King's
College, Cambridge, and then Succentor (responsible for the organ and choir) at Exeter
Cathedral, and another brother Ellis contributed two madrigals to 'The Triumphes of
Oriana' in 1601. It was not surprising then that Orlando, born in Oxford in 1583, should
follow in their footsteps. He sang as a chorister at King's College, Cambridge and later
took the degree of Bachelor of Music there as well as receiving a Doctorate of Music from
Oxford. It was, however, his move to London to become a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal
around 1603 that must have brought him to wider public notice, and the rest of his career
was centred upon his duties as a 'royal' musician. By 1615 he was one of the two organists
of the Chapel Royal, and by 1625 had been promoted to be senior organist (his junior was
Thomas Tomkins). In the meantime he had also accumulated the positions of 'one of his
Majesty's musicians for the virginals to attend in his highness privy chamber' and that of
organist of Westminster Abbey. Gibbons' sudden death (in 1625) of an apoplectic fit while
attending with the rest of the court upon Charles I as he greeted his new wife Henrietta
Maria at Canterbury, deprived the nation of one of its most renowned and respected
musicians.
We have no documentary evidence to suggest that Gibbons played
the viol himself, but his family background must surely have provided him with
opportunities to become familiar with the instruments and their music. Town waits like his
father were normally competent viol and violin players as well as wind players, and
brother Edward certainly encouraged viol playing amongst the Exeter choristers. As a
senior court musician, Orlando Gibbons may even have been a member of the King's Private
Musick, and would certainly have worked with its number, who included some of the most
forward-looking players and composers of their time: Ferrabosco, Lupo (descendents of
itinerant Italian musical families), and the thoroughly English Coprario (born plain John
Cooper). These musicians, under the patronage of the future Charles I, who apparently
played bass viol with them, were in a position to experiment with new musical styles and
genres.
By 1600 the viols, hitherto largely the domain of such
professional instrumentalists at court, were being cultivated by wealthy amateurs, and
Gibbons' fantasias, In Nomines and dances were circulated widely. Indeed he took the
unusual step of publishing nine of his three part fantasias around 1620, 'Cut in Copper,
the like not heretofore extant'. The six part fantasias recorded here bear witness to
Gibbons' versatility. No.3 [4] opens with
a series of searingly dissonant suspensions before moving into more dance-Iike antiphonal
ideas and a strong final section. No. 5 [15]
is perhaps less extrovert, but contains some tensely rising chromatic lines and a central
section of great stillness and serenity. This spaciousness contrasts well with the closely
argued fantasia for two restlessly chattering trebles [5]. Several of Gibbons viol
consorts make use of the extraordinary low register of 'the Great Double Bass', an
instrument a fourth lower than the conventional bass viol. We include a fantasia [19] and galliard[20] which combine this with a treble and a bass viol, the organ binding
together these rather disparate elements.
The other forms available to composers for viol consort were dances, the In Nomine and variations Go from my window [11] is a beautifully crafted set of ten variations on a
popular tune initially heard in the lower treble part. Variation nine gives the two basses some excitingly fleet-footed running to
do. The In
Nomine was a uniquely English phenomenon a fantasia based on a cantus firmus
which used the plainsong Gloria tibi Trinitas'. A section of the Benedictus of the mass of that name by John Taverner was
taken out of context as an instrumental piece, then imitated by most great English
composers down to Henry Purcell. Gibbons only four part version [22] is probably a
student work and pays homage to Taverner's original by using several of the older
composer's ideas. The six part >pavan [1] and galliard
[2] which open this recording show how functional "dance forms could be
elevated in the hands of a master although they pay lip-service to the conventions, these
are fully fledged fantasias in all but name.
In his own lifetime Gibbons was
perhaps most renowned for his skill as a keyboard player. In 1624 the French ambassador referred to his playing at Westminster Abbey
the organ was touched by the best finger of that age, Mr. Orlando Gibbons, and the esteem
he enjoyed as a composer for keyboard is acknowledged by the inclusion of six pieces in Parthenia published about 1613, alongside works by
the much older Byrd and Bull. Both the Preludium [10] and the famous Lord of Salisbury his Pavan and Galliard [4] come
from this source. They are masterpieces of structure, in which ideas develop organically,
the florid decorative work seeming to grow quite naturally from its framework. The three
shorter keyboard works [16] [18], played here on virginals, show a lighter side to
Gibbons musical character, though even here popular masque tunes are given some
splendidly suave settings.
Despite its title The First Set of Madrigals and Mottets (1612) was
Gibbons' only published book of secular vocal music. Although the parts are all underlaid
with text, the title page advises that these songs were apt for Viols and Voyces'
and several seem to suggest that they were
conceived more truly in the older English form of the consort song for sole voice and
viols. This style was particularly suited to
texts of a serious moralizing or philosophical nature, (perhaps implied by Gibbons
use of the unusual term Mottets' in the title). The set of four poems by Joshua
Sylvester [6] - [9] is a good example the poets rather self-satisfied contentment with his
lot and lack of interest in ambition and wealth are matched by Gibbons' clarity of word
setting. The more conventional love imagery of Dainty
fine bird [12] and Fair is the rose [13] elicit particularly subtle responses from the
composer each image is matched with musical ideas that raise the poetry to new heights. In
The silver swan [21] imitative counterpoint
gives way to an almost hymn like simplicity which throws the emphasis onto the finely
moulded and heartfelt vocal line.
The remaining items on this recording
are examples of a particularly English genre: the verse anthem. It is a development from
the consort song, where short choruses are interjected into the texture breaking up the
solos into a number of verses. Later
to be adopted by the church with organ accompaniment, the verse anthem in domestic devotions would have used viols
instead, the instruments weaving a delicate backdrop to the passionate declamations of the
solo voices. Behold, thou hast made my days [3] was written for
the funeral of Anthony Maxey, Dean of Windsor in 1618. The solo verses, for tenor are reiterated by the chorus, the final pleas of
O spare me a little being highly affecting as they pass around the group of
singers. In contrast Glorious and powerful God [23]
is a rousing piece with solos for bass and tenor with Italianate flourishes on the word
'arise and building to a vigorous 'amen' with apparently unstoppable energy wholly
appropriate to the anthems title. The
combination of drama, majesty and sincerity which mark these verse anthems is a fitting
tribute to this master of English polyphony.
© 1994 John Bryan
Rose Consort of Viols
The members are: John Bryan, Mark Caudle, Alison Crum, Julia
Hodgson, Elizabeth Liddle, Roy Marks, Susanna Pell.
The Rose Consort of Viols takes its name from the celebrated
family of viol makers, whose work spanned the growth and flowering of the English consort
repertoire. With its unique blend of intimacy, intricacy, passion and flamboyance, this
repertoire forms the basis of the Rose Consort's programmes ranging from Taverner and
Byrd, to Lawes, Locke and Purcell, and expanding where necessary to include singers, lutes
and keyboard instruments.
The Consort performs extensively throughout Britain and the
continent of Europe, appears regularly on the BBC and in the major London concert halls,
and has made a number of highly acclaimed recordings. It has received awards for its
research and performance of newly devised programmes, some of which have been toured on
the Early Music Network, or performed at leading festivals such as York, Utrecht and
Bruges.
Timothy Roberts
Timothy Roberts read music at Cambridge University and studied
early keyboards at the Guildhall School in London. In addition to solo recitals on
harpsichord, organ, fortepiano and clavichord he is much in demand as continuo player for
the Gabrieli Consort, His Majesty's Sagbutts & Cornetts and the West German Radio
choir Corona Colonensis.
Tessa Bonner
Tessa Bonner worked in BBC Television before training as a
singer at Leeds University. She is now a key member of such well-known ensembles as the
Tallis Scholars, the Taverner Consort and the Gabrieli Consort, as well as making regular
solo appearances in major festivals throughout the world.
Red Byrd
The members are: Caroline Trevor, Penny Vickers, Ian Honeyman,
John Potter, Henry Wickham, Richard Wistreich
Red Byrd was founded by John Potter and Richard Wistreich to
break new ground in singing both early and contemporary music. They have performed at
major festivals in Bremen, Bruges and Utrecht, made a number of significant recordings and
commissioned several new works for voices and 'old' instruments.