Chambure Vihuela Quartet CD: Canto y Danza

[Rob MacKillop]

I've just had a listen to the first CD [Canto y Danza] by the Chambure Vihuela Quartet:

Ed Martin (soprano vihuela in C), Phillip Rukavina (alto vihuela in Bb), Rocky Mjos (tenor vihuela in G) and Tyler Kaiser (baritone vihuela in F), who are joined by soprano singer, Carrie Henneman Shaw. The four instruments were made by Dan Larson, and the disc comes with booklet notes by John Griffiths.

 

Well, the disc is excellent, so congratulations all round. Tyler Kaiser, a composer of some standing, did the quartet arrangements, fleshing out vocal and instrumental parts with suitable period-specific embellishments. It all sounds quite natural, I must say. 

 

It is wonderful to hear familiar pieces in unfamiliar settings. I've performed quite a few of the songs before, either with a singer and/or a trio of Renaissance viols. The music is very adaptable and always connects on an emotional level. The four vihuelas are all 'matched' - I'm not sure what that involves, presumably the same woods, based on the same drawing, but with different string lengths. The sound is gorgeous, and I often forgot I was hearing four separate instruments. Carrie's singing is uniformly beautiful, but sometimes I felt a little more character could have been used to help engage me in the emotion behind the heart-rending lyrics. But from the 'Cycloptic' perspective of a vihuela player, she doesn't distract! In fact, she sounds like one of the gang, and to me that seems A Good Thing.

 

You can hear samples at the group's website: http://www.chamburequartet.com/ 

 

I'll be playing it many times over. Well done, all, especially our members, Rocky and Ed!

[Rocky Mjos]

Thank you, Rob. We are getting some nice feedback.

 

People can listen to samples (and read a bit of John Griffith's album notes) on the Quartet's webpage as you mentioned:

http://www.chamburequartet.com/recordings/

Or on CDBaby (where individual tracks can be purchased):

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/chamburevihuelaquartetwi

 

Information on the instruments used can be found at these links:

http://gamutmusic.squarespace.com/a-set-of-matching-vihuelas/

http://gamutmusic.squarespace.com/chambure-vihuela/

-- R

[Edward Martin]

Thank you so much, Rob!  i am thrilled that you like the recording.

 

Ed