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Reviewer: Barry
Brenesal
John Ward was an attorney by
profession in England during the first half of the 17th century, and a very
successful one. Beyond that, little is known of him, save what he wrote in
the dedication of his only published score, The First Set of English
Madrigals to 3, 4, 5, and 6 parts apt both for Viols and Voyces. There, he
thanked the wealthy, politically astute Sir Henry Fanshawe, “the Honorable
Gentleman, and my very good Maister,” in whose employ he spent many years.
It was apparently Fanshawe who defended Ward’s works from critical attack,
as the composer claimed they had “fed time with fulnesse, and bred many
Censors, more curious than judiciall.” Ward’s subject matter was serious,
even severe—much against the prevailing spirit of the period—and his music
eschewed for the most part the chromaticism that had lately come into
fashion in Italy as an expressive device, and spread to England from there.
The consort music on this
album—20 fantasias, and three In nomines—wasn’t published during Ward’s
lifetime. Instead, it circulated in manuscript. Like the madrigals, however,
it is largely free of the wit and fancy common to much secular music of the
period, including the fantasias of Gibbons. Ward emphasizes somber moods and
canonical procedures in long, flowing, metrically regular lines.
Contributing to a sense of gradually unfolding melody is the composer’s
frequent recourse to postponing cadences as long as possible through
contrapuntal, harmonic, and rhythmic manipulation. When exceptions to
lyrical predominance occur, as in the shorter, dance-like phrases that
define the Fantasias No. 5 a 5 and No. 8 a 5, Ward is still likely to add
lengthy, contrasting sections in his regular manner. I hope this doesn’t
create an impression of aural monotony in his music, for that’s not the
case. The fantasias are fortunate to possess in abundance the usual virtues
of their period and place: thematic sweetness, seemingly effortless
counterpoint, and a gift for graceful rhythmic variety.
Phantasm has been warmly
received in these pages repeatedly in the past. Brian Robins noted of their
release of consort material by Byrd and Mico (Fanfare 21:5), “Whereas
Fretwork adopted a considered poised interpretative style, Phantasm is
considerably more expressive and excitable, bowing more deeply into the
strings.” I think this expresses well a salient attribute of Phantasm’s
recorded performances. The combination of the consort’s attention to
rhythmic detail and textural breadth (that bowing!) gives Ward’s fantasias
an animation that only enhances their attractiveness, without palliating
their grave line. It’s fortunate that the quality of these performances is outstanding, as there’s currently no direct competition to this release that aims at presenting all the composer’s consort music for five and six viols. The Rose Consort offers a selection on cpo 999 928, along with several of Ward’s “ayres” for two bass viols and organ, but I admit to finding their sound rather wiry if spirited, and not easily enjoyable as a long-term listening experience. Chalk up another success for Phantasm, then. They do a real service for Ward’s consort music on this album, and it’s well worth the price. | |
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