Matthew Locke: The Little Consort Fretwork

• Matthew Locke (1621 - 1677): Suite No. 1 in G Minor:
• 1 Locke: Suite No. 1 in G Minor: I. Pavan 03:07
• 2 Locke: Suite No. 1 in G Minor: II Ayre 01:18
• 3 Locke: Suite No. 1 in G Minor: III. Courante 01:10
• 4 Locke: Suite No. 1 in G Minor: IV. Saraband 00:59
• Suite No. 6 in F Major:
• 5 Locke: Suite No. 6 in F Major: I. Pavan 03:04
• 6 Locke: Suite No. 6 in F Major: II. Ayre 01:03
• 7 Locke: Suite No. 6 in F Major: III. Courante 01:22
• 8 Locke: Suite No. 6 in F Major: IV. Saraband 00:37
• Suite No. 2 in C Minor:
• 9 Locke: Suite No. 2 in C Minor: I. Pavan 03:18
• 10 Locke: Suite No. 2 in C Minor: II. Ayre 01:13
• 11 Locke: Suite No. 2 in C Minor: III. Courante 01:13
• 12 Locke: Suite No. 2 in C Minor: IV. Saraband 00:58
• Suite No. 7 in G Minor:
• 13 Locke: Suite No. 7 in G Minor: I. Pavan 03:39
• 14 Locke: Suite No. 7 in G Minor: II. Ayre 00:56
• 15 Locke: Suite No. 7 in G Minor: III. Courante 01:19
• 16 Locke: Suite No. 7 in G Minor: IV. Saraband 00:49
• Suite No. 3 in D Minor:
• 17 Locke: Suite No. 3 in D Minor: I. Pavan 03:11
• 18 Locke: Suite No. 3 in D Minor: II. Ayre 01:10
• 19 Locke: Suite No. 3 in D Minor: III. Courante 00:51
• 20 Locke: Suite No. 3 in D Minor: IV. Saraband 00:44
• Suite No. 8 in A Minor:
• 21 Locke: Suite No. 8 in A Minor: I. Pavan 03:53
• 22 Locke: Suite No. 8 in A Minor: II. Ayre 01:04
• 23 Locke: Suite No. 8 in A Minor: III. Courante 01:11
• 24 Locke: Suite No. 8 in A Minor: IV. Saraband 00:52
• Suite No. 4 in B-Flat:
• 25 Locke: Suite No. 4 in B-Flat: I. Pavan 03:52
• 26 Locke: Suite No. 4 in B-Flat: II Ayre 01:24
• 27 Locke: Suite No. 4 in B-Flat: III Courante 01:01
• 28 Locke: Suite No. 4 in B-Flat: IV Saraband 00:46
• 29 Locke: Suite No. 9 in B-Flat: I. Pavan 03:52
• 30 Locke: Suite No. 9 in B-Flat: II. Ayre 01:38
• 31 Locke: Suite No. 9 in B-Flat: III. Courante 01:12
• 32 Locke: Suite No. 9 in B-Flat: IV. Saraband 00:38
• Suite No. 5 in E Minor:
• 33 Locke: Suite No. 5 in E Minor: I. Pavan 03:55
• 34 Locke: Suite No. 5 in E Minor: II. Ayre 01:10
• 35 Locke: Suite No. 5 in E Minor: III. Courante 01:19
• 36 Locke: Suite No. 5 in E Minor: IV. Saraband 00:34
• Suite No. 10 in D Minor:
• 37 Locke: Suite No. 10 in D Minor: I. Pavan 03:58
• 38 Locke: Suite No. 10 in D Minor: II. Ayre 01:15
• 39 Locke: Suite No. 10 in D Minor: III. Courante 01:07
• 40 Locke: Suite No. 10 in D Minor: IV. Saraband 00:35
• Total Runtime 01:07:17

Info for Matthew Locke: The Little Consort

In November 2022 Fretwork return for the second installment of their cycle of works by Matthew Locke.

Matthew Locke was born 400 years ago in 1622, and while he is often ranked as one of England’s finest composers, he is still unaccountably neglected: his music may not be as immediately appealing as his immediate successor, Henry Purcell, nor as wide-ranging as William Byrd, yet his forceful musical personality and luxuriant technique place him in the first echelon of English composers, with his works described by Richard Boothby of Fretwork as having a “quixotic, capricious restlessness that is constantly challenging the listener to follow his argument … a thrilling musical ride”. Accompanying Fretwork on continuo for this recording are David Miller (archlute and theorbo) and Silas Wollston (harpsichord).

The cover of the album bares an inscription in the walls by the choir stall of Exeter Cathedral, thought to have been carved by the composer during his time as a member of the choir there.

"Written for friends to play, this richly imaginative music is unaccountably rarely performed which makes this satisfying disc from Fretwork so welcome…All the music receives terrific performances from the players” (Planet Hugill)

Fretwork

Fretwork
Few other ensembles can match the range of Fretwork’s repertory, spanning as it does the first printed music of 1501 in Venice, to music commissioned by the group this year. Their recordings of arrangements of J. S. Bach have won particular praise, but they have recently issued a disc containing music by Grieg, Debussy, Shostakovitch, Warlock & Britten. This extraordinary breadth of music has taken them all over the world in the 25 years since their debut, and their recordings of the classic English viol repertory – Purcell, Gibbons, Lawes & Byrd – have become the benchmark by which others are judged. Their 2009 recording of the Purcell Fantazias won the Gramophone Award for Baroque Chamber Music.

The consistently high standards they have achieved have brought music old and new to audiences hitherto unfamiliar with the inspiring sound-world of the viol.

Booklet for Matthew Locke: The Little Consort