Fretwork (band)
Fretwork is a British consort of viols, established in 1985. It specialises in English music for viol consort from approximately the time of William Byrd to that of Henry Purcell, but also performs Renaissance and contemporary repertoire.
History
The group was formed in 1985 and received financial support from the Arts Council of Great Britain. Its first performance was in the Wigmore Hall in 1986. In 1999 the group consisted of Richard Boothby, Richard Campbell, Wendy Gillespie, Julia Hodgson, William Hunt and Susanna Pell. In 2023 the members were listed on the website as Emily Ashton, Emilia Benjamin, Richard Boothby, Joanna Levine, Jonathan Rees and Sam Stadlen. Among those who have performed with the group are the singers Catherine Bott, James Bowman and Michael Chance, the instrumentalists Paul Nicholson and Christopher Wilson, and the Red Byrd vocal ensemble.
The group has published a number of editions of music for consort of viols and also a book by David Pinto on the consort and dance music of William Lawes.
Recognition
Recordings
In Nomine, 1987 Heart's Ease, 1988 Armada, 1988 Cries and Fancies by Orlando Gibbons, 1989 Night's Black Bird by John Dowland and William Byrd, 1989 Goe nightly cares by John Dowland and William Byrd, 1990 Lachrimae by John Dowland, 1990 For ye Violls by William Lawes, 1991 Music for Viols, 1992 A Play of Passion, 1992 The English Viol, 1994 William Byrd: The Complete Consort Music by William Byrd, 1994 Henry Purcell: The Fantazias and In Nomines by Henry Purcell, 1995 Concord is conquer'd by William Lawes, 1995 Matthew Locke: Consort of Fower Parts by Matthew Locke, 1996 The Mirrour and Wonder of his Age by John Jenkins, 1996 Sit Fast, 1997 Celestiall Witchcraft, 1999 Missa 'Mater Christi sanctissima' by John Taverner, 2000 The Hidden Face by John Tavener and John Taverner, 2001 Harmonice Musices Odhecaton compiled by Ottaviano Petrucci, 2001 The Art of Fugue by J.S. Bach, 2002 Above the Starrs by Thomas Tomkins, 2003 Im Maien by Ludwig Senfl, 2004 Consort Songs by William Byrd, 2004 Bach: Alio Modo by Johann Sebastian Bach, 2005 Agricola: Chansons by Alexander Agricola & Fabrice Fitch, 2006 Birds on Fire: Jewish Music for Viols, music by Thomas Lupo, Orlando Gough etc., 2008 English Music for Viols, 2008 Purcell Complete Fantazias The fantazias & In Nomines by Henry Purcell of 1680, 2009 The Silken Tent, music by Alexander Goehr, William Byrd, Michael Nyman, Henry Purcell, Claude Debussy etc., 2009J. S. Bach: The Goldberg Variations, arranged for six viols by Richard Boothby, 2011The World Encompassed music by Orlando Gough, Robert Parsons, Robert White with Simon Callow, narrator, 2017Consort Anthems by Orlando Gibbons, with the Magdalena Consort & His Majesties Cornets & Sackbuts, 2017John Jenkins Complete four-part consort music, 2018If - Music by Michael Nyman & Henry Purcell with Iestyn Davies, 2019In Nomine II - In Nomines by Nico Muhly, Parsons, Ferrabosco and others, 2019In Chains of Gold Volume Two, 2020An Elizabethan Christmas with Helen Charlston. Music by Byrd, Weelkes, Holborn and others, 2021Lamento - German music for alto and viols with Iestyn Davies, 2021Matthew Locke - The Flatt Consort, 2022Fantasia - The consort music of Thomas Lupo, 2022Matthew Locke - The Little Consort, 2022Tom & Will - music by William Byrd and Thomas Weelkes with The Kings Singers, 2023