Simone Eckert, the gambist and artistic director of Hamburger Ratsmusik, decided at age eight that she wanted to be a gambist and pursued it despite admonitions.
Performer Biography
The Hamburger Ratsmusik, an ensemble with a 500-year history, was revived in 1991 by gambist Simone Eckert and has since released around 30 CDs, often with world premiere recordings.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Carl Friedrich Abel, while flaunting his brilliant technique, sometimes held it back, stating he made pieces difficult 'whenever I please, according to my disposition and that of my audience.'
Composer Biography
Carl Friedrich Abel, a gambist and composer, was born in Cöthen, where his father played in the court orchestra under Johann Sebastian Bach.
Composer Biography
Carl Friedrich Abel was a professional gambist for at least three generations within his family, deeply rooted in the 'trade' and literature of the viola da gamba.
Historical Context
Carl Friedrich Abel moved to London in 1759, finding 'paradisiacal working conditions in peace and prosperity' in England's capital, which was a cultural metropolis at the time.
