Images of Melancholy

Music by John Dowland, Anthony Holborne, Giles Farnaby and Andrew Wilson-Dickson with readings from Corpus Hermeticum

The English Fantasy Consort of Viols
Fiona Huggett - treble viol
Angela Voss - treble & tenor viols
Pamela Cresswell - tenor viol
Rosemary Thorndycraft - bass viol
Imogen Seth-Smith - bass viol

with
Lynda Sayce - lute, Andrew Wilson-Dickson - organ,
John Line - reader

Introduction, Biographies, Track details, Audio files, Reviews

The English Fantasy Consort of Viols
The English Fantasy Consort of Viols was formed in 1993. Its members are all professional performers in the field of Renaissance and Baroque music, specialising in both the viol and violin families. Their recording of Thomas Lupo Consort Music for ASV (1996) was highly acclaimed; reviewers commenting that "the tracks are remarkable for the ensemble's purity of tone and intonation" and "the group plays with a delightful sweetness and impeccable ensemble" (Classic CD).

Lynda Sayce
Lynda Sayce read Music at Oxford University then studied lute with Jakob Lindberg at the Royal College of Music. She performs regularly with many leading ensembles, including Charivari Agréable, the New London Consort and the King's Consort, and has recorded extensively for radio, television and many record labels. She is currently writing a book on the history of the theorbo, and is the author of several articles in the Revised New Grove Dictionary of Music and other music and art periodicals.

Andrew Wilson-Dickson
Andrew Wilson-Dickson trained as a pianist and organist (with John Lill and Nicholas Danby) at the Universities of Cambridge and York while maintaining a strong interest in composition. His fascination with the sound world of early instruments developed in the 70s and has created much wine suitable for these old bottles, particularly music for viols: consorts, solos, accompanied works, even opera scores. He is Head of Early Music at the Welsh College of Music and Drama.

The Fantasia 'Lachrimae' is one of series of consort pieces for viols for 4, 5, and 6 parts written in the mid-70s. Its modality and contrapuntal inclinations (including palindromes and change-ringing patterns) are typical of the composer's preoccupations at that time.

John Line
John Line, known for his many television appearances, has been an actor since the early fifties. Recently he played in Robeson at the Young Vic and recorded The Tempest in recital at the Barbican for Radio 3.