Bach stays wrapped up: The Art of Fugue with Fretwork

By Paul Kilbey, 25 February 2013

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Reviewed at Kings Place: Hall One, London on 20 February 2013

Bach, Die Kunst der Fuge (The Art of Fugue), BWV1080

Fretwork

Liam Byrne, Viol

Asako Morikawa, Viol

Reiko Ichise, Viol

Richard Tunnicliffe, Viol

Richard Boothby, Viol

Take Five: Fretwork in Sheffield

Phil Parker, 3rd February

Fretwork bring the expected and the startlingly unexpected to Sheffield in a revealing evening of music for viol consort.

****1

Tenderness and passion from Stile Antico and Fretwork

Nick Boston, 15th August

Ancient and modern Shakespeare settings, and music from Shakespeare's contemporaries given tender and passionate readings in a varied programme from Fretwork and Stile Antico.

*****

Drake's voyage explored by Orlando Gough

Imogen Phoebe Webb, 14th June

An exceptional performance of Orlando Gough's The World Encompassed by six-strong viol ensemble, Fretwork.

****1

Proms Chamber Music 8: Dowland's seductive melancholy with Ian Bostridge and Fretwork

Frances Wilson, 2nd September

Amidst the furore of celebrations for the anniversaries of Verdi and Wagner, the final Chamber Prom of this season gave pause to savour the music of the great English Renaissance lutenist, singer and composer John Dowland, whose 450th birthday also falls this year.

****1

New wine in old bottles: Fretwork at the Royal College of Music

Emily Owen, 13th November

Keeping up their tradition of mixing contemporary repertoire and new commissions with early music, Fretwork presented an eclectic mix of Purcell Fantasias and a variety of modern works written or arranged for viol consort and soprano in tonight’s concert, part of the RCM’s annual viol festival.

**111

An evening with Gibbons: The Hilliard Ensemble and Fretwork at the Wigmore Hall

Emily Owen, 2nd October

Seeing both these ensembles live has been a dream of mine for a few years now, having been brought up with my father’s love of the Hilliard Ensemble’s collaborative recordings with jazz saxophonist Jan Gabarek. And what better place to be transported back in time with these early music experts than the Wigmore Hall.

***11

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Paul Kilbey

Paul was Reviews Editor at Bachtrack from 2012 to February 2014. He has written on music and culture for publications including Culture Wars, the Huffington Post, the Independent and the Guardian. He holds BA and MPhil degrees in music from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and is particularly passionate about contemporary music of all types. His website is here.