Move Records Australian classical & art music, est. 1968
Front cover art for The Echo of Opheus

The Echo of Opheus

Vihuela music of Renaissance Spain. On vihuela, the ‘Spanish lute’, John Griffiths offers an intimate programme of fantasies, variations, intabulations and dances by the great sixteenth-century Spanish masters, framed by the Orpheus legend.

  • CatalogueMD 3089
  • Released1995
  • Playing time74 minutes 15 seconds
  • Recorded at Move Records Studio

Listen & tracks

2 of 28 tracks have a preview · 8 works · 74:15

  1. Los seys libros del DelphínLuis de Narváez 5 movements11:35
    1. 1 Quatro diferencias sobre Guárdame las vacas 1:54
    2. 2 Fantasía del primer tono por Gsolreut, No. 13 1:48
    3. 3 Fantasía del quarto tono, No. 10 2:14
    4. 4 Fantasía del quinto tono, No. 11 2:23
    5. 5 Conde claros del sesto tono [22 variations] 3:16
  2. El ParnassoEsteban Daza 4 movements9:10
    1. 6 Fantasia por el tercero tono, No. 3 2:52
    2. 7 Gritos daba la morenica 1:39
    3. 8 Fantasia de passos largos para desemvoluer las manos, No. 21 2:25
    4. 9 Fantasia por el sexto tono, No. 17 2:14
  3. Silva de sirenasEnríquez de Valderrábano 5 movements13:27
    1. 10 Siete diferencias fáciles sobre Guardame las vacas 4:01
    2. 11 Fantasía suelta del quarto tono, No. 1 2:08
    3. 12 Fantasía sobre un pleni de contrapunto, No. 10 3:00
    4. 13 De dónde venís, amore? [Vásquez] 2:12
    5. 14 Soneto lombardo a manera de dança 2:06
  4. El MaestroLuis Milán 4 movements12:16
    1. 15 Fantasía por el primer tono, No. 1 2:10
    2. 16 Fantasía del cuarto tono, No. 8 2:59
    3. 17 Fantasía del octavo tono que remeda a las pauanas que tañen en Ytalia, No. 22 3:41
    4. 18 Fantasía de consonancias y redobles del primero y segundo tono, No. 11 3:26
  5. Tres libros de MúsicaAlonso Mudarra 4 movements9:43
    1. 19 Pauana de alexandre; Gallarda 3:10
    2. 20 Pleni de la misa faysan regres de Josquin 2:29
    3. 21 Fantasía de passos largos para desenbolver las manos, No. 1 1:44
    4. 22 Fantasía que contrahaze la harpa en la manera de luduuico, No. 10 2:20
  6. Orphénica LyraMiguel de Fuenllana 4 movements9:21
    1. 23 Duo de Fuenllana 2:33
    2. 24 Duélete de mí, señora [Juan Vásquez] 2:49
    3. 25 Fantasía de redobles, No. 51 1:35
    4. 26 Tant que vivray [Claudin de Sermisy] 2:24
  7. 27 Pavana de España Anonymous 3:40
  8. 28 Folias Anonymous 5:03

To 16th-century Spanish musicians the vihuela was the spiritual reincarnation of the ancient lyre and an evocation of Orpheus, its greatest legendary exponent.

The programme draws on the seven printed vihuela books of the sixteenth century. Fantasias, variations, intabulations and dances by Luis de Narváez, Esteban Daza, Enríquez de Valderrábano, Luis Milán, Alonso Mudarra and Miguel de Fuenllana lead to two anonymous late pieces.

Reviews

This outstanding early music recording is the finest Australia has yet produced.

brilliant ... spellbinding pieces

In the skilled hands of Griffiths, the 12-string instrument produces exquisite sounds.

Artists

Photograph of John Griffiths

John Griffiths

vihuela

John Griffiths is a Melbourne-born vihuelist, lutenist and musicologist whose research and performance have made him a leading authority on the sixteenth-century Spanish vihuela and its music.

Photograph of Miguel de Fuenllana

Miguel de Fuenllana

composer

Miguel de Fuenllana (c.1500–1579) was a Spanish Renaissance vihuelist and composer, blind from birth. His Seville publication of 1554, Orphénica Lyra, remains a cornerstone of the vihuela repertoire.

No photograph: Esteban Daza

Esteban Daza

composer

No photograph: Luis Milán

Luis Milán

composer

No photograph: Alonso Mudarra

Alonso Mudarra

composer

Alonso Mudarra (c. 1510–1580) was a Spanish Renaissance composer and vihuelist. His 1546 Seville print Tres libros de musica en cifras para vihuela holds the earliest surviving music for the four-course guitar.

No photograph: Luis de Narváez

Luis de Narváez

composer

No photograph: Enríquez de Valderrábano

Enríquez de Valderrábano

composer

Spanish Renaissance vihuelist and composer whose 1547 Silva de sirenas gathers fantasias, diferencias, sonetos and song settings ordered by difficulty, including works for one or two vihuelas, with voice, and transcriptions from Josquin, Morales and others.

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Compact disc

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Performers

Technical credits

  • Recording Engineer Martin Wright
  • Editing Engineer Martin Wright
    Vaughan McAlley
  • Venue Move Records Studio
  • Credit Howard Birnstihl
    Lourdes Uncilla-Moreno

Details

List price
$25.00 AUD
Total playing time
74 minutes 15 seconds
Release date
Categories
Classical, Early music
Musical work copyright
© 1995 Move Records
Sound recording copyright
℗ 1995 Move Records
Catalogue
MD 3089
EAN
9314574308921

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