Marin Mersenne, a 17th-century polymath, described the viola da gamba's sound as human-like, capable of imitating the voice in its expressions of joy and sorrow.
Performer Biography
Ibrahim Aziz, the performer on this album, was the first student to win Trinity College of Music's Gold Medal on a period instrument in 2005.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in May 2018 at the Church of the Ascension, Plumstead, London, and features a 24-bit, 96kHz hi-resolution recording and mastering.
Interpretation
Ibrahim Aziz transcribed J.S. Bach's Cello Suite No. 2 for the viola da gamba, choosing a key that preserves the original's feel and resonance.
Composer Biography
Carl Friedrich Abel, whose unaccompanied pieces are featured, made a career as a virtuoso gamba player even as the instrument's popularity declined.
Compositional Technique
Carlos Martínez Gil's 'Suite Estiu' (Summer Suite) is an allegory of the five human senses, with each movement representing sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.
Instruments
The viola da gamba, or viol, has a simpler soundbox, more strings (up to seven), a flatter bridge, and a flat back, unlike its violin and cello cousins.
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