Music For Virginal
Navona, 2021
8/10
The harpsichord and keyboard wizard Charles Metz brings us an entire record played on a restored Francesco Poggi virginal built in 1590. Similar to a harpsichord and most used in the late Renaissance and early Baroque period, Metz manipulates the pitch of the instrument on this very unique listen.
Metz starts the record with the warm and melodic “Pavan”, and the tracks move swiftly from one to the next with the playful “Paul’s Wharf”, as well as the more forceful and extremely detailed “Medley”.
The middle tracks offer us the acrobatic picking of “Susanne Un Jour”, while the lightning quick dynamics of “Galiarda” mesmerizes us immediately. “Lachrymae Pavan”, a particularly strong track, then moves with an emotive spirit, as Metz makes the most out of every note played.
Close to the end, “Passamezzo Pavan” shows us so much beauty in his timeless quality, and “Coranto” exits the listen upbeat and energetic with adventurous and fascinating talent present.
Truly an atypical record, Metz does a great job of spotlighting the consonance and dissonance of the glorious harmonies, where the bulk of the songs originate from the late 16th century composer William Tisdale, as he makes music that hundreds of years old very appealing.
Travels well with: Elaine Freeman- La Speranza; Mark John McEncroe- Musical Images For Piano