Arts-Scène Diffusion

Jean-Luc Ho

HARPSICHORD & ORGAN

Happy Byrd Day !

Happy Byrd Day !

400 years of William Byrd (1622-2022), Renaissance keyboard master

 

After dedicating a critically acclaimed recording to him in 2014, Jean-Luc Ho invites us to celebrate with him the great William Byrd on the occasion of the 4th centenary of his birth. On organ or harpsichord, he explores in this programme all the poetry of the works of this composer - still too little known - who was able to develop and refine a virtuosity of writing for keyboard that was sometimes staggering.

A programme that brings together several instruments (organ, harpsichord) can also be performed as a duo with the complicity of Léon Berben (Diapason d'or for his Byrd Clarifica me disc). A top-class duo for a sumptuous anniversary!

 

William Byrd, Walsingham

William Byrd, Walsingham


Jean-Luc Ho, organ & harpsichord

 
Encelade, 2015

Jean-Luc Ho’s latest opus, Walsingham, is dedicated to William Byrd’s works for keyboard instruments. It follows two records devoted to Albinoni’s violin sonatas, accompanied by Guillaume Rebinguet-Sudre and Claire Gratton (ECL 1302), and to Bach and Couperin’s pieces for harpsichord  (ECL1101), which were released, in 2014 and 2012 respectively, by L’Encelade, a label which was set up to release baroque music in 2010.

Remaining true to his interest in authentic techniques, Jean-Luc Ho plays a harpsichord using meantone tuning inspired by the Renaissance model in order to get as close as possible to the sound world of the period; a Quentin Blumenroeder organ (2012) after Koblenz (1511) and an Italian Ryo Yoshida harpsichord (2010) after Trasuntino (1531).

William Byrd is a pivotal composer, linking the Renaissance and baroque styles, and one of the most important representatives of the English school of music for keyboard instruments. He studied with Tallis, was appointed a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal in 1572 and Elizabeth I granted him (together with his master) numerous musical privileges starting in 1575. He made a name for himself through his numerous pieces for keyboard which were published in various collections such as My Ladye Nevells Booke (1591), the Weelkes manuscript (circa 1600), the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (circa 1609-circa 1619), Parthenia (1612-13) and Will Forster’s Virginal Book (1624) totalling more than a hundred and forty pieces which make up a key component of English music written for keyboard instruments. In spite of the scale of this contribution and the fact that the quality of his work is recognised today by many musicians, Byrd certainly does not have the place that he deserves in the pantheon of composers.

The programme recorded includes extracts from his various books.

 

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After a series of dates devoted to the Magiciennes Baroques program, mezzo Lucile Richardot & Jean-Luc Ho (on organ this time!) will be in concert at the Temple d'Orléans as part of the Orléans Bach Festival this Wednesday, March 27th at 7:30 pm.

Click here to find out more about the program.

Photo credit: Ana Lucia MONTEZUMA


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