Christopher Gibbons – Motets, anthems, fantasias & voluntaries

Academy of Ancient Music

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Original Recording Format: DSD 64
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It was about 15 years ago. As I was gently reading through the magnificent diary of Samuel Pepys, I noted again and again references to a great keyboard master ‘Mr.Gibbons’. I was fully aware of the music by Orlando Gibbons, whose music I had sung and known since the age of eight as a chorister at York Minster. The Gibbons of Pepys could not be Orlando, who died decades before the diary was written. Curiosity duly peaked, I quickly discovered that this famous midseventeenth century Gibbons was Christopher, Orlando’s son. Why, if he was indeed so feted in Pepys’s lifetime had I not come across his music? I was aware of his collaboration with Matthew Locke in the music written for Cupid and Death, but Christopher’s involvement was limited, emerging only in some short undistinguished dances – mostly surviving in only the treble and bass instrumental voices. As an organist and harpsichordist I was astonished that I had not ever heard or seen pieces by this man, especially as he had been one of the great line of Organists at Westminster Abbey, the first to be appointed in 1660 after the Restoration of the Monarchy. During the course of the next years I began digging for information and looking for scores. To my huge surprise there was practically nothing: one dissertation from 1963 and less than a handful of Fantasias for viols. Further rummaging after receipt of the dissertation fuelled ardour and increased my amazement: there was a large repertoire of music by this composer – anthems, fantasies, fantasy-suites and keyboard music. Was this music so uninteresting that it wasn’t worthy of attention? Was that the reason it lay undisturbed in Oxford and London libraries? I ordered microfilms of all of the music and discovered a mastercomposer of great personality and genius. I first put on a concert of his music in 1999 in Amsterdam and have been airing it ever since that time. It is extraordinary music of great emotional power, and there are real masterpieces

Tracklist

Please note that the below previews are loaded as 44.1 kHz / 16 bit.
1.
Not unto us, O Lord
04:58
2.
Voluntarie in C
04:08
3.
Above the Stars my Saviour dwells
06:28
4.
Fantasy-suite in d - I. [Fantasy]
03:07
5.
Fantasy-suite in d - II. Allman
01:45
6.
Fantasy-suite in d - III. Galliard
02:03
7.
Ah, my Soul, why so dismayed
02:38
8.
Organ Voluntary in C
02:21
9.
O bone Jesu
03:25
10.
A Voluntary for ye Duble Organ in a
05:39
11.
Fantasia
04:37
12.
The Lord said unto my Lord
05:02
13.
Verse for the Double Organn in d
04:19
14.
Fantasy-suite in F - I. Pavan
07:25
15.
Fantasy-suite in F - II. Allman
01:33
16.
Fantasy-suite in F - III. Courante
01:39
17.
Fantasy-suite in F - IV. Saraband
01:10

Total time: 01:02:17

Additional information

Label

SKU

807551DI

Qualities

, ,

Channels

, ,

Artists

Composers

Genres

,

Mastering Engineer

Brad Michel

Conductors

Instruments

, , ,

Original Recording Format

Producer

Robina G. Young

Recording Engineer

Brad Michel

Recording location

All Hallows Church, Gospel Oak, London

Recording Software

Pyramix

Recording Type & Bit Rate

DSD64

Release DateAugust 16, 2014

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