An End Or A Beginning ?

A disk of 17th century chamber music by Matthew Locke called The Broken Consort in a performance by The Parley of Instruments directed by Peter Holman. Locke became chief composer for the Restoration court of Charles II by which time court composers were expected to provide entertainment over and above sacred music. It is possible to imagine this music burbling gently in the background as worthies eat or converse about matters of state but it is also music which repays careful listening in a modern context, whether live or on disk. Locke writes these fantasias with the novel use of a slow introduction, followed by an air and a dance movement. Works in miniature, the six Broken Consort suites here are augmented by performances of four suites of Duos for Bass Viols and a Fantasia and Courant. The Parley of Instruments here consists of two Renaissance violins, two bass viols, three theorbos and Holman himself on chamber organ. Unfortunately for Locke, his music was too sophisticated for the taste of Charles II who preferred music he could beat time to in a militaristic manner. Locke's music is sometimes thought of as a not fully formed version of the idiom later perfected by Purcell, whereas it might be kinder to look back and consider it as a culmination of the style begun by Byrd a century before.