The Manchester Gamba Book contains pieces in both Division Viol and Lyra Viol styles, with the Lyra Viol style incorporating elements from lute music like chords and variant tunings.
Compositional Technique
The manuscript is organized by tunings, and this recording includes all pieces in tablature notation from the first three tunings.
Composition History
The history of the Manchester Gamba Book manuscript is obscure until 1909, when it was acquired by music scholar Dr. Henry Watson.
Compositional Technique
The Manchester Gamba Book includes a unique 'Table of Graces' (ornament chart) that provides not just the names and signs for ornaments, but also tablature notation showing how to play them.
Compositional Technique
Gervise Gerrarde's Paven, a piece in the Manchester Gamba Book, is considered the most richly ornamented piece in the entire literature for the instrument and a masterclass in Lyra Viol style ornamentation.
Composition History
About half of the 38 contributors to the Manchester Gamba Book are unknown, but Richarde Sumarte, a prolific contributor, may have been a resident music teacher in the Read household.
Composition History
The Manchester Gamba Book (c.1660) is the largest surviving manuscript of solo viol music, containing 258 pieces in 22 different tunings.
