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Chelys Australis Volume 2, 2002
Mr Jenkins goes to Versailles
Jenkins Fantasias - Les Voix Humaines. ATMA Classique CD 2 2205
For a composer central to the viol consort repertoire and, perhaps more importantly, so close to the heart of many viol players, there are fewer than half a dozen recordings featuring the music of John Jenkins currently available. This new recording, by the Canadian duo Les Voix Humaines, should be a welcome addition to any viol player's CD collection.  Being such a quintessentially English composer, recordings of Jenkins' music have largely been the domain of English groups such as Fretwork and The Rose Consort of Viols. It is something of a surprise, then, for this new recording to come from Les Voix Humaines. In their previous recordings, Susie Napper and Margaret Little have been joined by a range of other artists in critically acclaimed performances of music by Marais, Sainte-Colombe, Schenck, a highly enjoyable recording of Christmas music arrangements (reviewed in April 2001 AVdGS Newsletter) and, somewhat closer to Jenkins, recordings of music by Tobias Hume and Christopher Simpson. In this recording the duo are joined by Jay Bernfeld, playing treble viol, and Eric Milnes, playing harpsichord and organ.The disc features two of Jenkins' suites for treble viol, lyra-viol, bass and keyboard, including The Five Bells, also known as the The Bell Consort, which, according to the CD booklet, was the most popular of Jenkins' works in his own lifetime. These longer pieces are interleaved with seven Fantasias in Three Parts (which can be found in Musica Brittanica Vol. 70, edited by Andrew Ashbee), along with a Suite and an Air with Divisions for two bass viols. All of the works on the recording are from the later period of Jenkins' career when English music had been influenced by developments in Italy. This music is more dramatically varied, like the Baroque trio sonata, than the polyphonically textured fantasias in four, five and six parts, from earlier in Jenkins' career, with which viol consort enthusiasts are familiar. Just how this music from Jenkins' later period should be interpreted is a challenge that faces performers. Les Voix Humaines appear to take the view that there should be a radical departure from the performance style of the traditional fantasia. Some listeners may love this, feeling that here at last is viol consort music played in a new and exciting way. However, many listeners will feel that the group has gone too far in dispensing with the tradition from which the music developed. Furthermore, if the influence on Jenkins is meant to have been Italian why does the performance on this recording sound so French? Les Voix Humaines embellish Jenkins' music with the frequent and florid ornamentation, quirky articulation and exaggerated changes in tempo that one would expect to hear in Marais' Pièces de Violes. In slow passages there is much swelling through the longer notes and at the other extreme, notes are cut short in the faster sections. There is even the surprising use of a wide vibrato effect (for example, in Fantasia No.5, track 6). What is truly remarkable, however, is that the ensemble manages to stay rock solid through every tempo change and to articulate and ornament consistently across the parts. Despite the strength of the ensemble playing, the sounds of the viols do not seem to blend. This may be a consequence of the engineering of the recording, which, though capturing a resonant acoustic, is rather closely miked. More likely, it is because this is a consort of soloists. Going by the curricula vitae in the CD booklet, viol consort playing appears to be a somewhat peripheral activity for these performers whose main activity is playing (predominantly French) music for solo bass viol. It is not surprising then, that the most successful pieces on this recording are the Suite in d, D and the Air and Divisions for two bass viols played by Susie Napper and Margaret Little. Although these duets for two basses do accommodate the solo style of playing more readily than the fantasias for consort, they also definitely benefit from the fact that these two artists have been playing together for a number of years. Perhaps a disc featuring Jenkins' large body of work for two bass viols, most of which has never been recorded and is little known, may have been a better idea. Such a disc would have complemented the duo's previous recordings of Tobias Hume and Christopher Simpson. Maybe this is something for us to look forward to in the future? Meredith and Malcolm Lawn Tobias Hume: The First Part of Ayres (1605)
Published by Peacock Press/Ruxbury Publications ISBN 0 907908 86 1 - Available from Saraband Music
There is very little known of his life and works. Hume was a professional soldier who served as an officer in the Swedish and Russian armies. His birth dates are at best an educated guess based upon the date for his entry to the Charterhouse (minimum age of entry was 50). We have little trace of the details of Hume's life, but his greatest claim to fame is the publication of The First Book of Ayres in 1605 and subsequent publishing of Captaine Humes Poeticall Musicke in 1607. The Book of Ayres is the largest repertory of solo music for the lyra viol by a single composer of the early 17th Century. This brings us to the publication under discussion. It is a re-publication of the Scholar Press edition of 1969 which has been out of print for some time and I am sure that all scholars and players of viol music will be glad that it is again available. The facsimile edition is taken from the copy in the British Museum and printed on buff coloured paper spiral bound. The cover is made of firm card and is ideal for sitting on a music stand.  Frank Traficante has given an informative introduction with scholarly comments about the composer and, tunings and previous partial publications of the music. He also, in the postscript for the 2002 publication, sends us to his article in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Traficante is a well known authority on "Lyra viol" music. He has several publications on the subject including "Music for the Lyra Viol: The Printed Sources" as well as articles in Grove on, not only Tobias Hume, but also the article on the "Lyra Viol"I believe that a little more information on the reading of tablature would have made the book a little more user friendly to non tab players. Having not played from tab for a great number of years I was at first a little daunted by the vast array of pieces in tablature but the selection of pieces contained within The First Book of Ayres has such a wide variety of technical levels that most players will be able to find pieces where the tab is not too difficult to get the reading started. Tablature is an ideal way for learners to discover the correct positioning of the fingers on the strings and is indispensable when different tunings are used. Indeed de Machy recommends tablature as the only method to teach by and maintains that his teacher Hotman only used Tablature when teaching both himself and Sainte-Colombe. The First Part of Ayres includes 116 pieces, most with descriptive or fanciful titles. The majority of these pieces are in tablature; 35 pieces are in staff notation (or as he describes it "Pricke-song") using bass or baritone clef; 5 songs with viol accompaniment; 8 pieces for 2 and 3 viols and 1 invention for 2 to play on one viol. The titles of the pieces within the book tell us much not only of the character of Hume but also of the character of the viol played the "lyra way". Some of these titles include My Mistress hath a Pretty Thing, The Spirit of Gambo, Death, Life, Good Again Loves Almaine etc. Some of the military titles also include programmatic descriptions throughout the pieces such as Counter March, The second part the Cettill drum, Trumpets and March Away. One of the most interesting aspects of this music is the use of different effects. He at times directs the player to "Drum this with the back of your Bow" and "Play these nine letters with your fingers". Being in facsimile we also get a notion of how people played at the time of publication. The pieces for two viols are printed with one page "upside down" so the 2nd player could sit opposite and read their part. The pieces for 3 viols have part printed "upside down" and "sideways" for the same reason. Facsimile editions also have the difficulties of the reproduction of very old editions and early 17th century printing techniques while beautiful in their own way are sometimes a little difficult to read. Our modern eyes have become very accustomed to very clear text. The Hume originals were printed in London by John Windlet, who had also published earlier works by Dowland. Some of these difficulties are shown up in certain pages where the text is difficult to read due to the combination of age and the imperfections of 16th century printing technique. The article by K. Neumann entitled "On Captain Humes Wrong Notes" in the Journal of the Viola da Gamba Society of America could perhaps by titled "On John Windlet's Wrong Notes". I particularly find the middle section, Hume's "Pricke-songs" difficult to read. These pages seem to be more heavily inked than the tablature section and therefore show more smudging and printing flaws. These imperfections have been exacerbated by the present publication being a "90% facsimile". This was obviously a difficult decision for the publishers to make. To reduce the original to accommodate modern paper sizes has many reasons apart from the obvious cost. Standard sizes means that the publication will sit easily onto a stand, bookshelf and avoid many other problems. It does create some difficulties and most of these to the player like myself with failing eyesight. On the music stand the clear pages are readable and playable. The more crowded and less clear pages are quite difficult to see and interpret. These problems are easily overcome with a little close scrutiny, and I have decided that I will make copies of any pieces that I intend to study and perform (as did most earlier musicians). The copies can easily be enlarged and my trusty pencil can clear up any remaining difficulties. This also means that this lovely book will maintain its beauty far longer than if it was dragged to lessons and rehearsals over the next twenty years or so. We must remember that the real purpose of facsimile editions is to let us see as close as possible the original sources of the music we wish to perform. Having an edition that can be played from is a bonus. Tobias Humes music speaks for itself in popularity. There are many recordings of selections from The First Part of Ayres showing the popularity of this music to a listening audience. All violists should have at least 1 or 2 of his pieces under their belt to play when the rest of the consort can't make it. Such a collection is a must in every viol player's music collection and if the tablature scares you off, try and persevere longer that 10 minutes and it will start to make sense. The current publication is well priced at $60.50 and is available from Saraband Music. Paul Scott |