Search - Tobias Hume, Jean de Sainte-Colombe, Christopher Simpson :: Solo Viola da Gamba

Critic's favorite!

Tom Smithens | Chicago, IL USA | 10/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

""John Dornenburg proves absolutely worthy of company with Savall, with his consistently articulate and elegant performances, enlivened by a tone quality and expressive range that's as close to the human voice as a viol can achieve...a highly skilled, musically mature player...Dornenburg does all the right things here, letting his instrument sing and speak with a certain tasteful flair that both respects and indulges the viol's full range. This is a superbly performed and artfully recorded recital."

Classics Today"

A remarkable recital

Schmendrick | Chicago, IL USA | 12/12/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Listening to this recital, it strikes me that some instruments just speak to you more deeply than others - for me, the viola da gamba has the most intimate, evocative voice. I consequently own alot of gamba CDs, perhaps 30 or 40, but only recently purchased this recital. Perhaps it's too early to be writing this review, since I've only listened to it 5 times or so, but I believe it is probably the single most beautiful CD of its type that I've ever heard. The program strikes me as ideal, the playing is really remarkable, eloquent without any hint of unnecessary showiness, and the recording is exceptionally "present". I am listening to it as I write this, and a pit keeps repeatedly forming and dissolving in my stomach in response to the sublime real and evoked harmonies. If I were marooned on a desert island with this CD, I wouldn't even notice it was a desert."

Awesome string music.

C.L. | 07/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is an unusual string instrument and the recording is awesome.

The delivery was excellent and I am very happy all the way around."