Palladian Ensemble : An excess of Pleasure & the Winged Lion

An excess Of Pleasure & The Winged Lion
Palladian Ensemble:
Pamela Thorby : Recorders
Rachel Podger : Violin
Joanna Levin : Viola da gamba, cello , violone
William Carter : Theorbo, guitar

Gramophone 7/1993, Iain Fenlon

This enterprising selection of largely unfamiliar works opens with Marco Uccellini's Aria sopra ''La Bergamasca'', an immediately attractive and spirited set of variations on a repeated bass pattern and a highly suitable opener for a carefully-chosen and surprisingly varied sequence. Indeed, from its origins in Italy at the beginning of the century, the combination of two melody instruments above a supporting basso continuo developed to become, in the shape of the trio sonata, one of the central forms of the baroque. All the composers on this record worked at one time in England, thus giving a rather tangential perspective on that development, but it is precisely such curiosities as Geminiani's delightful Scots Airs, despatched here with a breathtaking command of the intricate and demanding passagework, that give this selection its charm. In terms of style there could hardly be a greater contrast between this and Matthew Locke's eccentric and at times hauntingly melancholic Broken Consort in D, while Biagio Marini's Sonata breathes the entirely different air of Italian academicism. A considerable part of the success of this record lies in the ingenuity and knowledge with which the pieces have been chosen, and the unsuspected and at times quite entrancing corners of the early baroque that they reveal, from the seemingly effortless counterpoint of Purcell's Two in one upon a Ground to the almost shocking modernity of the concluding Bizzarie by Matteis. The Palladian Ensemble is just two years old, but they have already attracted considerable critical acclaim for their stylish and committed performances. Here they play with verve and enthusiasm, but that is not to imply lack of either polish and subtlety; at times virtuosic, at others gently affective, this is playing of a high order in terms of both technique and imaginative power.'

BBC music magazine : George Pratt

Performance : *****

Sound : *****

These four players, of recorders, violin, various string basses and theorbo/guitar, met as students, have won two Young Artists' awards and now present a stunning debut recording. Don't be put off by lesser known composers – Uccellini, Matteis, Marini – among Locke, Blow and Purcell, or by the forbiddingly formal pose on the sleeve. This is sparkling playing with the sense of uninhibited joy which only technical mastery and unrestrained imagination can generate. There's a strong folk influence – one of their composers, Geminiani, knew the Irish folk fiddler O'Carolan – and they play an air on the bergamasque A pretty hard ground after the Scotch humour, and Scots airs set by Geminiani himself with positively folk-like exuberance. Some of the disc, though, is art music of the highest order, with an exquisite broken-consort dance suite by Locke, a deliciously languid slow air in a sonata by Blow, and Purcell's effortlessly fluent Two in one upon a ground. Repeated ('ground') basses serve to unify the whole programme, each variation capping the virtuosity of the last. The effect, from such minimal resources, is breathtaking – 'moving affections and exciting passions with an excess of pleasure' indeed.

Diapason : Gaëtan Naulleau - 01 November 2008

4½ Stars

In four double-albums which reiterate the essence of its discography, Linn pays homage to the most exciting unit and most singular appeared on the British scene baroque during the years 1990. Exciting by its youth, its flexible brilliance, its imagination. And singular by its formation, joined together randomly contest where four students of Guildhall presented themselves: Pamela Thorby with the recorder, Rachel Podger with the violin, William Casing with the théorbe (sometimes with the guitar) and Joanna Levine with the violoncello (replaced in 1995 by the violate of Susanne Heinrich), Especially not of harpsichord, no instrument which does not pose foot with ground. And of the sound recordings superlative of the label Scottish hifist. The acknowledged project of our four funambulists was to find with the wire of time and work same complicity as a "traditional" string quartet, and it is well their common direction of the movement, their swing, which captivate as of the first album ("Year Excesses off Pleasure" 1992), Various the bizzarie will sopra the vecchia sarabanda ignited by Podger are an euphoriant liquor, of which your servant serves a portion (or two) in the event of depresses. Other ostinato of Matteis, Bizzarie Al imor scozzeze betrays a posteriori our new fashion of the chaconnes to sauce with the crescendos on bed of cords pinches and psaltérion, which drowns the side of meat instead of the exalter as true virtuosos like here Thorby and Podger. The album returns to us with the Venetian anthology which followed it in 1993, "The Winged Lion", less tasty essence but (Flax CKD 321, gold Diapason). Conceived, like "Year Excesses off Pleasure", around English and Italian parts of second the the XVII century half, and of some arrangements of traditional songs, "A Choice Collection" (1995) and "Held by The Ears" (2000) are naturally joined together, and naturally irresistible (ah! , faint graces of Tired The off Peatie' S Millet…) (Flax CKD 324, gold Tuning fork). Logical coupling for the two French albums, to which one would have preferred excel it "Trio for Four" of 1997. The sun of "Sun King' S Paradise" (Rebel, the Monk, Couperin, Marais) is shining too gently to dig the reliefs, and the challenge that raised into 2003 new Palladian (Rodolfo Richter replacing Podger), to reinvent on their scale the Elements of Rebel, is not which half has convincing (Flax CKD 323). The first of the two Bach discs proposed into 1994 perilous arrangements of four Sonatas in trio for organ: formidable exercise of ease, ludic eloquence. And always this breath which makes rebound the lines far in front. The album of 2005, carried out little time before the dissolution of the unit, offered the two other sonatas for organ, the BWV 1021 for violin, Trio BWV 1039 and of the arranged chorals. Admirable realization, and yet it misses one nothing determination with phrased, of character… in short, of Rachel Podger, who in spite of the democratic spirit asserted by Palladian was his true and necessary leader (Flax CKD 322).

More info about Palladian Ensemble : Here

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