Relic

Description:

Tracklist:

François Dufaut c. 1604 – c. 1670

Pieces in g minor

1 Prélude 1:45

2 Allemande 3:06

3 Courante 2:06

4 Courante 1:51

5 Courante 1:44

6 Sarabande 2:16

Jacques Gallot c. 1625 – c. 1695

Pieces in a minor

7 Prélude 1:46

8 Allemande le Bout de l'An de Mr Gautier 3:24

9 Courante 2:38

10 Allemande Oesope ridicule 4:11

11 Volte la Brugeoise 2:21

Jean Mercure c. 1600 – c. 1660

Pieces in a minor

12 Allemande 2:45

13 Courante 1:39

14 Sarabande 1:42

15 Courante 1:55

16 Gigue 1:23

Germain Pinel c. 1600 – 1661

Pieces in d minor

17 Prélude 1:52

18 Allemande 3:31

19 Courante 2:07

20 Allemande 2:44

21 Courante 1:55

22 Branle des Frondeurs 1:05

23 Courante 1:45

24 Gigue 2:02

Reviews:

GRAMOPHONE februari 2012

French portrait from electric guitarist turned lutenist

Listening to this recording, it is hard to imagine Anders Ericson playing ’progressive

metal’ on the electric guitar – something he evidently does  very successfully in  Stockholm. He is, of course, one of a growing number of musicians pursuing dual performing careers. Certainly his technical command of the lute and the French

17th--‐century idiom is impressive. He understands the underlying rhetoric, musical

textures and expressive power of its ornamentation practices. His booklet--‐notes provide fresh perspectives on lute--‐playing in the 17^th century and acknowlege that

the French repertoire isn’t ’remotely as straightforward and instantly likeable’ as that

of the English or later German schools. The challenge he sets himself is to make us  comfortable with it. Only a few people have recorded this repertoire (Nigel North, for one), historically important because of its profound influence on harpsichordists and

viol players. Hence the composers are almost unknown to most of us. Ericson has limited himself here to four, Dufaut, Gallot, Mercure and Pinel (the melodious music of

Jacques Gallot is instantly engaging), each represented by a single suite of dances opening with an unmeasured prelude (except the Mercure). Dufaut’s G minor suite is interesting for its three successive courantes, all with syncopated rhytmic patterns, the

Second more rhetorical and the last more melodic. Particularly attractive are the sarabandes of Dufaut (with its folksong quality) and Mercure (Ericson achieves here a

carming effect with gentle strumming on the off--‐beats). Ericson makes us think anew

about giges by taking those of both Mercure and Pinel at a gentler pace than one is

accustomed to hearing in later Baroque music. Let’s hope he follows up this sensitively

recorded CD withfurther examples!

Julie Anne Sadie

musicweb-international

Anders Ericson’s excellent liner notes warn that the French baroque lute tradition may not be as instantly likable as the snappy, melodic songs of a John Dowland. That’s true, and it’s also true that these works are never as ‘developed’ or downright snappy as the composers who came a generation or two later (like Silvius Weiss). But I really had no trouble genuinely liking this music, let alone Ericson’s tender, evocative playing.
Brian Reinhart

Read the entire review:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2012/May12/Relic_lute_Dap...

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