The explosion of interest in early music has just been phenomenal as people are re-discovering music of the Baroque and earlier times. Coupled with performers who dedicate themselves to uncovering the essence of the music they play, using period instruments, this music comes alive with a fresh perspective.
Reuniting after studying at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, Julia Fredersdorff (Baroque violin), Laura Vaughan (viola da gamba and Lirone) and Donald Nicolson (harpsichord and organ) joined forces to create Latitude 37 (a reference to the latitudinal position which links Melbourne to New Zealand).
On this debut recording, the ensemble is joined by guest artists Simon Martyn-Ellis (theorbo and Baroque guitar), Guy du Biet (percussion), Siobhan Stagg (soprano) and Simon Rickard (rackett).
Together, they interact in a highly coherent manner, underlined at times by great freedom of expression, coming via improvised lines and counterpoint. Selections of dances are mixed together with more reflective pieces making for a highly diverse set, displaying the group’s ability to communicate a range of styles, techniques and emotions. The genres found here include sonatas, canzona, toccatas, and passacaglia. They are all short, lyrical and harmonically engaging. The instrumental work is stylistically informed with impressive decorations and flourishes.
Alongside more well-known composers found on this recording such as Caccini, Frescobaldi, and Palestrina are less familiar ones such as Ortiz, Piccinni, Salaverde, Fontana, Marini, Merulo, Caroso, Castello and Kapsberger.
This is another wonderful new discovery of rich Australian talent in the area of early music.