What the Critics say...
 Complete Keyboard Works
Deux-Elles DXL1047
Pavan in D minor
Voluntary for organ |
GRAMOPHONE FEBRUARY 2004 "Terence Charlston performs Locke's harpsichord pieces on three different instruments, before switching to the clean-toned organ of Trinity College, Cambridge, for the eight short organ voluntaries which end the CD. His playing is neat and bright, enlivening repeats with well-chosen ornaments, and everywhere responding sympathetically to Locke's slightly quirky individuality. The recorded sound, too, is very attractive. This may be slight music, but Charlston and Deux-Elles have taken the job of committing it to disc with admirable seriousness." Classical
Music on the Web September 2003 "This
disc from Deux-Elles is sheer proof that the harpsichord, virginals and
the organ are the most expressive instruments and these works from Matthew
Locke show their high status in the field of seventeenth century keyboard
music. The talented Lancastrian, Terence Charlston, effortlessly achieves
real spirit and soul in this recital and will win many new followers for
composer Matthew Locke. BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE DEC 2003 PERFORMANCE****SOUND***** "Terence Charlston plays them persuasively. He has a fresh, off-the-key touch, letting air into lines and textures, and ornamenting crisply. His chosen tuning is particularly striking tonal excursions in the second half of an Almain generate bitterly anguished moments before a return to the home key releases the tension. Elsewhere there are teasing rhythms in an Ayre and Sarabande, the metallic tone quality of an 'arpichordum' stop, and some thoroughly Frenchified pieces to delight the newly crowned Charles II. Charlston has gathered all the known music, from Locke's own publications and from contemporary collections in which it was included. He uses four contrasting instruments, copies of Italian and Dutch harpsichords, an English virginal- warm but rather scrawny in the bass - and the fine organ with much 17rh-century pipework in Trinity College, Cambridge. They're all recorded with admirable immediacy."
A delightful
airing '...
crisp and lively ...'Let Thomas Tudway set the scene: 'His majesty, who
was a brisk and airy prince, coming to the crown in the flower and vigour
of his age, was soon, if I may so say, tired with the grave and solemn way
which had been established by Tallis, Bird, and others.' Matthew Locke is
supposed to have written the music for Charles II's London entry in 1660.
He probably knew Charles from the days he was organising Royalist troops
from Exeter Cathedral, where young Matthew was a chorister. In 1648 they
were both in the Netherlands, and Locke became a Catholic, the more suited
to Catherine of Braganza's chapel when queen. The CD reprints the
portrait of Locke attributed to Isaac Fuller and now in the Oxford Faculty
of Music. It is mentioned by Dr Burney in connection with the
combativeness and asperity of Locke's writings. The countenance produced
an unfavourable effect: 'we are impressed with more than a suspicion of
his ungentleness and want of urbanity'. Locke's
keyboard music is not major stuff. Most of the pieces come from his Melothesia,
or Certain General Rules for Playing upon a Continued-Bass. It is
essentially a practical treatise, with delightful pieces by way of
illustration, concise and pithy. Many of the movements are English in name
and style, both catchy and robust. A 'Country Dance' in C makes the point
at once [listen
-- track 7, 0:01-1:08]. When Locke calls a couple of G
minor pieces 'Virago' and 'Roundo', it is as well to remember that a
virago need not always be a harridan; indeed in the Latin Bible, Adam
calls Eve 'virago', for the good reason that she took her shape from his
manly rib [listen
-- tracks 10 and 11]. It is much the same with Locke's
'Rant'. Automatically one thinks of politicians and the season of party
conferences. Locke may not have done so. Ben Jonson's secretary, Richard
Brome, wrote a play, The Jovial Crew, later turned into an
'operetta'. It was highly successful, and Locke may well have been amused
by it. One of the characters declares his philosophy: 'The more the
merrier, I am resolv'd to Rant it to the last.' Locke's music concurs [listen
-- track 21, 0:00-0:57]. So far Terence Charlston has used
only single and double harpsichords, both modern reproductions of the sort
of instruments Locke knew. Roger
North paid tribute to Locke's 'robust vein' and went on to praise his
incidental music: 'He conformed at last to the modes of his time, and fell
into the theatricall way.' The result was notable success till his
reputation was overtaken by that of Purcell. The pieces in Musicks
Hand-maide are transcriptions of such music, played here on the
virginals. Hence such spirited titles as 'The Cimmerians' Dance' and 'An
Antic Dance' [listen
-- tracks 26 and 27]. To steady the nerve and round off the
picture with Locke as also accomplished organist, seven of the Melothesia
pieces are specifically for organ, and display a contrapuntal know-how
based on the learning of an earlier age [listen
-- track 46, 0:00-1:36]. Terence Charlston is here at the
organ of Trinity College, Cambridge, which behaves in his skilful hands
with the clarity and directness of Locke's day. Enchanting as the music is
throughout, no less can be said of the performances, which are crisp and
lively, a delightful airing of much neglected music. Copyright © 16 November 2003 Robert Anderson, London UK souce: www.mvdaily.com
|
|
|