The Spirit of Gambo

The chamber music on this recording was likely composed during the time Jenkins was living in the homes of the Dereham and L’Estrange families. Where Lawes 'music is often edgy and bizarre in character, Jenkins' compositions from this period are clearly intended to counterbalance the uncertain and risky circumstances that prevailed during the turbulent years of the Civil War. It's not for nothing that Andrew Ashbee, the great English Jenkins connoisseur, titled his book “The Harmonious Musick of John Jenkins”.

The new album of consort music for viols in five parts by John Jenkins comes from an ensemble who has already been awarded two Diapason d’Or for their previous recordings on Musica Ficta: The Spirit of Gambo.

The name of the Spirit of Gambo viol consort comes from an old manuscript referring to the viola da gamba as a "Gambo Violl." It is interesting that absolutely nothing in the packaging of this release, at least in its U.S. version, identifies the ensemble as being from Chicago, or America at all. Be that as it may, the group delivers strong performances of some pieces that have been somewhat neglected within the viol consort repertoire.

Schenk / Herwich / Hacquart - The Spirit of Gambo
Freek Borstlap / Ivanka Neeleman / Haru Kitamika
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 339 MB | Full Artwork: 151 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Stockfisch Rec. # SFR 357.4042.2 | Country/Year: Germany 2006
Genre: Classical | Style: Chamber Music, Viola da Gamba, Baroque

"…Stockfish are only just moving into the Classical sphere with their audiophile discs, and they have taken enormous care with this recording. They used the world's only fully isolated concert and recording suite at the Galaxy Studios at Mol in Belgium. The complex is suspended on gigantic steel springs which damp ground-borne frequencies down to 3 Hz, and extraneous external noise is attenuated by more than 100dB. (…) As a result of all this, the stereo SACD track is simply breathtaking in its fidelity; the players are simply present just behind the speakers, with tiny seat movements, breathing and some finger-squeaks on the strings. In MC the perspective becomes three-dimensional, and the rich hall acoustic signature adds an extra layer of sonority to the gambas. The bellies of these instruments can be heard resonating for many seconds after the music stops. An exceptional demonstration-quality recording and performance. Buy it and step into another age, courtesy of today's high technology."