Although the unconverted Jews had been banished from the Kingdom since 1290, England's musical life between 1550
and 1650 was virtually monopolised by the crypto-Jewish dynasties of the Bassano and Lupo families of composers
and performers.Adding a contemporary echo, the programme includes the first recording of Birds on Fire by Orlando
Gough (born 1953). One of UK's most important composers for ballet, dance and theatre projects, here Gough found
his inspiration in the work of klezmer musicians and in part based his piece on traditional tunes known as 'Kandel's
Hora' and 'Odessa Bulgarish'. Performing on Renaissance and Elizabethan instruments, the members of Fretwork are
joined by cantor Jeremy Avis for a pair of Hebrew liturgical settings penned by Salvatore Rossi (d. 1630).
Orlando Gough (b.1953) was a founder member of the bands The Lost Jockey and Man Jumping. He writes music
mostly for the theatre - operas, plays, dance pieces, music-theatre and directs The Shout, an extraordinary choir of
diverse soloists.
“Always the unusual from the viol consort Fretwork. Not content with assembling a programme featuring covertly Jewish composers at the Tudor and Stuart courts, they thread through the tracks 24 klezmer-influenced minutes by the contemporary composer Orlando Gough.
They’re pleasant, but for music with real meat you need the six selections by Thomas Lupo – sophisticated consort pieces teased out by Fretwork’s agile fingers.” The Times, 27th June 2008 ****
“compelling and convincing, it's to the credit of Fretwork that they chose to bring this previously lost bit of 16th-century music history into the light. Fretwork is particularly adept at this sort of thing,
leaving us towonder and eagerly await their next project.” Classics Today 10/10
“Birds on Fire… is by Orlando Gough (b1953), a British composer… The music is hauntingly coloured by reference to klezmer tunes, while the second movement grows over a hypnotic ostinato. A memorable disc.” BBC Music Magazine, Proms 2008 *****
“Orlando Gough, best known for his theatre music, composed Birds on Fire in 1997. This is demanding, wonderfully offbeat music inspired by Ashkenazi Klezmers… which Fretwork brings off with a panache that astonishes and delights.” Gramophone Magazine, September 2008
Gramophone Magazine
BBC Music Magazine