Phantasies

Rather unexpectedly winner of a Gramophone award for best disk a couple of years ago, Orlando Gibbons Consorts For Viols by the ensemble Phantasm is a lovely record. Having said that, I don't have much to write about it that doesn't involve parroting back bits of the booklet notes. The pieces include Fantasies, In Monines, Anthems and Dances and Divisions and all are excellent examples of early 17th century courtly music. One interesting point worth repeating from the notes is that Glenn Gould listed Gibbons as his favourite composer rather than what in his case would be the obvious Bach. Phantasm are a four piece viol group and are augmented by two guest musicians on some of the tracks. Basically, this is another refutation of the infamous statement that England is ( was ) a land without music. Gibbons was organist in the Chapel Royal and one of a list of notables who managed to make their mark thorugh the 16th and into the 18th century. Despite this fairly brief entry, I would encourage people to try this disk out.