John Jenkins was a long-lived composer with an equally long
working life: some sixty years. He lived through major changes
politically, culturally and musically. Our first certain record
of him has him performing in a masque for Charles I. The aged
Jenkins played the lyra viol for Charles II, who commented that
he did ‘wonders on an inconsiderable instrument’. His long,
prolific career as a composer spanned English musical life from
William Byrd to Henry Purcell. He was a friend of the composer
William Lawes who was killed in battle during the Civil War
though his music pushes fewer boundaries than that of Lawes.
Essentially conservative in style, Jenkins was influenced by
earlier composers such as Ferrabosco (the younger), Coprario
and Gibbons. During the Civil War Jenkins was sheltered by a
series of Royalist households. Finally in the 1650s he became
resident music-master to Lord Dudley North whose son, Roger
North, wrote Jenkins’ biography.
It was during the Commonwealth that Jenkins wrote a considerable
number - over seventy - suites for amateur household players.
Household music-making represented almost the only entertainment
of that type possible under the regime.
Around 57 pieces by Jenkins for lyra viol consort survive. The
form of this consort, with a violin (or treble viol) on top,
a cello or bass viol on the bottom and the middle filled in
by lyra viol and possibly harpsichord, is essentially a transitional
form. Earlier in the century, the viol consort, with four equally
polyphonic voices, was the norm creating the familiar rather
dense texture. Later it would be two violins and bass with harpsichord
filling in the middle, so the texture would become far less
The lyra viol is not so much an instrument as a way of playing.
The lyra viol was generally a bass viol, played with variant
tunings and with a part notated in tablature. In these consorts
the lyra viol helps fill in the texture in a middle ground between
harpsichord and full polyphony. Most of the principal early
sources for these seem to have been copied at Kirtling, the
home of the Norths.
This disc on the Flora label, by an unnamed group, presents
us with a selection of Jenkins’ ‘Aires for a treble, lyra, base
and harpsechord’. The treble being, generally, the violin though
we should remember that Jenkins’ contemporaries would have equally
used a treble viol. The lyra viol being Jenkins own instrument,
we are allowed to listen to this disc and imagine Jenkins and
his employers playing this music together at Kirtling. Incidentally
the gatehouse at Kirtling still exists and the gardens are occasionally
open under the National Gardens Scheme.
Listening to this disc is something of an exercise in the innocent
ear. Not only do the ensemble not give themselves a name but
there are no liner-notes beyond a single quotation by Roger
North. The works are listed by name only, with no keys, no dates
and no numbers. With a couple of exceptions, I can’t securely
identify the music played. In fact, this doesn’t matter because
what we have is a delightfully civilised and intimate entertainment.
The textures are very rich, with a surprising depth to the sound.
Jenkins’ writing, whilst conservatively civilised, is full of
lively quirks which hold the interest. The ensemble vary between
using a harpsichord and an organ as the keyboard instrument.
Other groups have recorded this type of repertoire using a theorbo.
Any of these is probably acceptable. I do find that adding an
organ makes the texture a little glutinous.
There are three named pieces. The first, The Five Bells,
is one of Jenkins’ pieces which refer not only to bell-ringing
but also to the relatively new English practice of change-ringing.
The piece includes some delightfully bell-like passages though
Jenkins is never slavish. The Echo Coranto utilises
an obvious, but very charming echo effect. The sequence concludes
with the haunting air, The Pleasing Slumber which gives
the CD its name.
This is a lovely disc, only slightly marred by the paucity of
information provided. Simply put it on, relax and listen to
some finely intelligent music-making which evokes nicely the
mid-17th century style of chamber music.