Jenkins used different musical keys to project contrasting 'humours' or 'affections of mind'; for example, F major for ebullient spirits and C minor for strife and conflict.
Compositional Technique
Jenkins's music explores remote harmonic regions and uses unpredictable phrase lengths, showing a relentless quest for new imitative combinations.
Interpretation
The ensemble Phantasm made a compromise regarding the organ accompaniment, featuring it on just over half of the recording (tracks 1-5 and 14-19).
Performer Biography
Phantasm, an award-winning consort of viols founded in 1994 by Laurence Dreyfus, has won three Gramophone Awards and numerous other prizes.
Recording & Production
This album, featuring John Jenkins's Four-Part Consorts, completes Phantasm's project to record the composer's complete consorts for four to six viols.
Composer Biography
John Jenkins (1592-1678) is noted for his exceptionally smooth and flawless contrapuntal technique among English consort composers.
Historical Context
Viol consorts in 17th-century England often included people from different social ranks, such as professionals, gentlemen, tradesmen, and even servants.
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