Spanish Gypsies - Celtic and Spanish Music in Shakespeare's England

English music from the second half of the 16th and early 17th centuries remains amongst the most accessible and frequently recorded of all pre-Baroque repertoire, and it is perhaps not unsurprising that artists occasionally offer more idiosyncratic readings of this music. To a certain extent, that is the impression which characterises this recording of John Playford, William Byrd et al. The Harp Consort perform with panache in these polished renditions, the regular personnel being augmented on this occasion by Rachel Podger (baroque violin) and Nancy Hadden (renaissance flute).

To his credit, Andrew Lawrence-King makes it clear that the resulting performances owe much to his own (and that of his ensemble's) musicianship in the interesting liner notes (p.8). Yet in truth, there are instances where the liberties seem all too apparent. Firstly, whilst a prescriptive attitude to instrumentation might be dangerous, it must be admitted that the chosen ensemble almost deliberately seems to avoid one that is more plausible. Holborne's 1599 collection, for example, clearly states that the publication was intended 'for Viols, Violins, or other Musicall Winde Instruments'. Similar questions arise from the instrumentation of the Playford pieces (see below)*. More problematic still is the freedom with which manuscript sources are combined, regardless of style (high or popular): Byrd's 'Hunt's Up/Pescodd Time' is considerably more rewarding in its Fitzwilliam Virginal Book original than in the truncated version here which is tagged on to the 'Rownde Scottishe tune', and the other arrangements of FVB pieces are at times similarly eclectic. Lastly, the programme, with its apparent connection between 'Spanish' and 'Celtic' styles, does not always convince and furthermore includes some odd pieces (notably 'Les Bouffons', which although taken from an English 17th century source here was in fact popularised by the [earlier] French [i.e. not Spanish or Celtic] collections of Pierre Phalèse [Liber Primus...1571] and Thoinot Arbeau [Orchésographie..., 1589]). It is a pity that other, more obvious, examples of Celtic influence in this repertoire seem to have been overlooked - pieces which include William Byrd's keyboard setting of 'Callino Casturame' (based on the Irish song 'Cailin o chois tSiuire mé'), the famous 'Sellenger's Ronnde' (the title refers to Sir Anthony St. Leger, Lord deputy of Ireland under Henry VIII), or for that matter, the numerous Scottish tunes published elsewhere in Playford's 'Dancing Master' (especially in the 7th edition [1686], such as 'Lady Catherine Ogle' [significantly for the programme here, also a passamezzo antico tune] and the celebrated 'Miller's Jig').

Overall, the CD has some attractive moments and in general the performances are excellent - these factors alone will win many listeners. Notwithstanding the (at times) rather loose approach to historical integrity, this is an accomplished and confidently delivered recording, one which undoubtedly challenges our aural preconceptions of this music.


*whilst no specific ensemble is mentioned - thus one with harp/guitars is theoretically not impossible - observations can be made which point strongly towards a different ensemble; a variant of the then highly popular broken consort. The 1651 edition refers to the treble violin whilst the 1696 anthology mentions the recorder in the title. Some of Playford's additional publications - aimed at the same market - suggest others: the viol (1652 and 1660), cittern (1652 and 1666) and virginals/harpsichord (1663 and 1678).

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