フェルミのパラドックス - リュートとヴィオラ・ダ・ガンバのための作品集

2020年1月、アンサンブル・ガリレイのメンバーの一人、ヴィオラ・ダ・ガンバ奏者のサリックは、リュート奏者マクファーレンに「4月になったら皆でコンサートをしましょう」と電話で持ちかけました。2人は比較的近所に住んでいたためすぐさまリハーサルを始めたのですが、2月になると本格的に新型コロナウイルス(COVID-19)感染症が猛威を振るい始めたため、世界中に散らばるアンサンブル・ガリレイの奏者たちを集めるのは困難になってしまいました。そのためコンサートをあきらめ、2人だけで6月にレコーディングをすることにしたといいます。しかし、実際の2人には録音するための共通するレパートリーがあまり多くなく、レコーディング計画は頓挫するかに見えました。そこで、マクファーレンは様々な新たな曲を創り上げた他、二人がお気に入りの曲をこのアルバムのために編曲、通常の""アンサンブル・ガリレイ""のアルバムのような、フィドルやリコーダーが参加することのない、このリュートとガンバのみによる古楽と伝統音楽が融合するユニークなアルバムが完成したということです。

*1990年に設立されたアンサンブル・ガリレイは、クラシックとケルトの両方のバックグラウンドを持つプレーヤーのアンサンブルであり、アイルランドとスコットランドの旋律とダンスチューン、中世の音楽、オリジナルの楽曲を演奏、高い人気を誇ります。
ナクソス・ジャパン

This recording, writes viola da gamba player Carolyn Surrick in the notes, exists because of this moment in time. The locked-down, minimalist, intense, and miraculous spring of 2020, which took so much from so many, allowed for this project to come to life with its unexpected creativity, enduring faith, and deep, deep gratitude. Surrick and lutenist Ronn McFarlane found themselves at musical loose ends, without gigs, and decided to play together, and then to record in a free-spirited way, taking up an instrumental pairing, lute and viola da gamba, that occurs only occasionally in Baroque and Renaissance literature. They augment Dowlands Adew for Master Oliver Cromwell (John Dowland) with newly composed works by McFarlane and with arrangements by both players. These are delightfully varied, taking up such works as The Allman Brothers Little Martha (originally an acoustic guitar solo by Duane Allman, so not as odd as it sounds), Amazing Grace, and Gounods Ave Maria. Some of the selections veer toward the Celtic folk side, including an intriguing version of Blackwater Slide modeled on one by Scottish musician Bert Jansch. Sono Luminus sound is, well, luminous, a pleasure throughout. Falling into a class of pandemic-time recordings where musicians rediscovered the enjoyment of home music-making, this is an unusually satisfying example of the genre. ~ James Manheim

This recording, writes viola da gamba player Carolyn Surrick in the notes, exists because of this moment in time. The locked-down, minimalist, intense, and miraculous spring of 2020, which took so much from so many, allowed for this project to come to life with its unexpected creativity, enduring faith, and deep, deep gratitude. Surrick and lutenist Ronn McFarlane found themselves at musical loose ends, without gigs, and decided to play together, and then to record in a free-spirited way, taking up an instrumental pairing, lute and viola da gamba, that occurs only occasionally in Baroque and Renaissance literature. They augment Dowlands Adew for Master Oliver Cromwell (John Dowland) with newly composed works by McFarlane and with arrangements by both players. These are delightfully varied, taking up such works as The Allman Brothers Little Martha (originally an acoustic guitar solo by Duane Allman, so not as odd as it sounds), Amazing Grace, and Gounods Ave Maria. Some of the selections veer toward the Celtic folk side, including an intriguing version of Blackwater Slide modeled on one by Scottish musician Bert Jansch. Sono Luminus sound is, well, luminous, a pleasure throughout. Falling into a class of pandemic-time recordings where musicians rediscovered the enjoyment of home music-making, this is an unusually satisfying example of the genre.