Search - Hume, Figueras, Hillier :: Poeticall Musicke

The Melancholic Airs of An Old English Mercenary

Octavius | United States | 10/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tobias Hume is one of many composers of the late 16th/early 17th century who has been on the brink of oblivion. This particular collection of his beautiful works for viola da gamba and voice brings him back from the shadows with a graceful direction by fabled violist, Jordi Savall.



Captain Tobias Hume was a contemporary of Shakespeare and an English mercenary whom historians believe performed in the Old Globe on several occasions as per the comments of Shakespeare referring to a captain playing the viola in the theater's band. Hume served a great portion of his life as a soldier and found himself penniless in his old age. His luck ran out as he progressed in years and he lived his remaining life in a poor house in London. Hume made many desperate pleas to the queen almost groveling for a position as court musician but was ignored. His works are quite original and have the distinct sound of a military man. Perhaps more present in his works than anything else are his rather extended notes played generally on the lower octave ranges of his instrument. The music brings out a melancholy of Fate and human frailty. His hymns with accompaniments such as 'Alas Poor Men' is one such example. Some of his other songs such as 'Tobacco' are rather amusing from today's perspective but, at that time, tobacco was the newly discovered craze of the New World. Salty sailors or hardened soldiers like Hume enjoyed smoking it while the upper class would indulge in snuff instead. English classical music is somewhat the dungeon of classical styles in which Rennaissance music remained current well into the 17th century until Purcell. English Early Baroque viola pieces are usually where one will find some of the most beautiful works of the period for viola da gamba as well in addition to French Baroque. Hume was an a very inventive and rather improvisational composer whose viola pieces are some of the most profound and moving in the viola repetoire. An album of Hume's viola works performed by Savall is also available. All of the pieces here on this album are a delight to the ear. This one performance is top knotch and the recording captures all the notes with great clarity.



Apart from there being few musicians who actually play Hume, there are also very few who are masters of the viola da gamba which became a somewhat obsolete instrument by the late 18th century and surpassed by the easier to play but more limited cello. Jordi Savall is singularly the best viola performer alive and has has been acclaimed for his direction of various performances for French Baroque. This is a great album!



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