The "division viol" was the preferred instrument for divisions, described by Christopher Simpson as being smaller than a consort bass for better handling, with a quick and sprightly sound like a violin.
Cultural Impact
Christopher Simpson's 1659 book, The Division-Viol, provided guidelines for amateurs and less talented musicians to learn the art of diminution.
Composer Biography
John Jenkins, a prolific English composer with over 800 surviving works, was appointed theorbist in the private music of King Charles II at the age of 68.
Compositional Technique
The term "Division-Musick" was used in the 17th century by Christopher Simpson, a composer and author, to describe an English improvisatory style of diminution.
Composer's Artistic Vision
William Lawes, an English composer, explored the unique sonorities of instruments, used dissonance for emotional effect, and was the first to write for the harp consort.
Performer Biography
Musicke & Mirth, founded by Jane Achtman and Irene Klein, performs on period instruments or their copies and from original scores, focusing on historical performance practice.
Composer Biography
William Lawes, an English composer, died young during the English Civil War while fighting under the King's orders.
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