Utwory na płycie:

• My Lady Nevells Ground (BKM 57)
• Sir William Petre Pavan (BKM 3)
• Sir William Petre Gaillard (BKM 3)
• In Nomine (BKM 51)
• Walsingham (BKM 8)
• Susanna Fair (EKM 50)
• The Queens Alman (BKM 10)
• Fantasia [in A / en la] (BKM 13)
• Ut re mi fa sol la (BKM 64)
• Clarifica me, Pater (III) (BKM 49)
• My Lady Nevells Ground (BKM 57)
• Fantasia [in G / en sol] (EKM 55)
• Pavan [in A / en la] (BKM 17)
• Fantasia [in D / en ré] (BKM 46)
• Memento salutis auctor

The Maiden’s Song [5:31]
Sir William Petre Pavan & Gaillard [7:49]
In Nomine [3:11]
Walsingham [8:32]
Susanna Fair [2:30]
The Queen’s Alman [3:27]
Fantasia in A [7:28]
Ut re mi fa sol la [7:21]
Clarifica me, Pater (111) [2:58]
My Lady Nevell’s Ground [4:45]
Fantasia in G [3:23]
Pavan in A [5:02]
Fantasia in D [4:44]
Memento salutis auctor [3:23]

William Byrd (1539/40-1623) to czołowy angielski kompozytor przełomu renesansu i baroku. Uczył się u Thomasa Tallisa, a obaj byli organistami w londyńskiej Chapel Royal i cieszyli się licznymi przywilejami królowej. Obok wokalno-instrumentalnej angielskiej muzyki sakralnej Byrd tworzył także na instrumenty klawiszowe. I właśnie na tej płycie odnajdujemy ten repertuar. Tym bardziej jest to ważne, że w tym zakresie zapoczątkował on tradycje słynnej szkoły wirginalistów angielskich. Pawany, gagliardy fantazje i inne utwory, które na kopiach historycznych instrumentów wykonuje Jean-Luc Ho, rozbrzmiewają w swoim najbardziej prawdopodobnym brzmieniu z epoki, z zachowaniem dawnego stroju. Jean-Luc Ho posiadający wysokie kompetencji w technice gry na historycznych instrumentach, prezentuje prawdziwy kunszt utworów Byrda, w które naprawdę warto się wsłuchać!

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Jean-Luc Ho’s latest opus, Walsingham, is dedicated to William Byrd’s works for keyboard instruments. It follows two records devoted to Albinoni’s violin sonatas, accompanied by Guillaume Rebinguet-Sudre and Claire Gratton (ECL 1302), and to Bach and Couperin’s pieces for harpsichord (ECL1101), which were released, in 2014 and 2012 respectively, by L’Encelade, a label which was set up to release baroque music in 2010. Remaining true to his interest in authentic techniques, Jean-Luc Ho plays a harpsichord using meantone tuning inspired by the Renaissance model in order to get as close as possible to the sound world of the period; a Quentin Blumenroeder organ (2012) after Koblenz (1511) and an Italian Ryo Yoshida harpsichord (2010) after Trasuntino (1531). William Byrd is a pivotal composer, linking the Renaissance and baroque styles, and one of the most important representatives of the English school of music for keyboard instruments. He studied with Tallis, was appointed a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal in 1572 and Elizabeth I granted him (together with his master) numerous musical privileges starting in 1575. He made a name for himself through his numerous pieces for keyboard which were published in various collections such as My Ladye Nevells Booke (1591), the Weelkes manuscript (circa 1600), the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (circa 1609-circa 1619), Parthenia (1612-13) and Will Forster’s Virginal Book (1624) totalling more than a hundred and forty pieces which make up a key component of English music written for keyboard instruments. In spite of the scale of this contribution and the fact that the quality of his work is recognised today by many musicians, Byrd certainly does not have the place that he deserves in the pantheon of composers. The programme recorded includes extracts from his various books.

Jean-Luc Ho developed a passion for old keyboard instruments when he was still very young. He began learning the harpsichord at the age of eight, then the organ followed by the clavichord. He won prizes at the Paris Conservatoire-CNSMDP in 2006 (First Prizes, for harpsichord with Olivier Baumont, and for basso continuo with Blandine Rannou) and the teaching of Blandine Verlet had a huge impact upon him. As a result of his interest in historical techniques and instruments, he enjoys a special relationship with many of the world’s top concert halls. He is also often invited to perform recitals at venues such as museums with collections of period instruments.

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Quentin Blumenroeder - Saint-Amant de Boixe (Charente) d'apres Koblenz (1511) en l'église Saint-Laurent d'Alkmaar (The Netherlands)