Esaias Reusner der Jüngere: Delitiae testudinis, Vol. 1 Paul Beier

• Esaias Reusner (1636 - 1679):
• 1 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 9 in G Minor: I. Praeludium 02:01
• 2 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 9 in G Minor: II. Paduana 04:58
• 3 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 9 in G Minor: III. Allemanda 02:06
• 4 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 9 in G Minor: IV. Couranta 01:59
• 5 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 9 in G Minor: V. Sarabanda 01:37
• 6 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 9 in G Minor: VI. Gavotta 01:16
• 7 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 9 in G Minor: VII. Gigue 02:25
• 8 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 4 in A Minor: I. Paduana 04:19
• 9 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 4 in A Minor: II. Allemanda 03:13
• 10 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 4 in A Minor: III. Couranta 01:58
• 11 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 4 in A Minor: IV. Sarabanda 02:41
• 12 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 4 in A Minor: V. Gavotte 01:24
• 13 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 4 in A Minor: VI. Gigue 02:51
• 14 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 13 in E-Flat Major: I. Paduana 04:00
• 15 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 13 in E-Flat Major: II. Allemanda 03:11
• 16 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 13 in E-Flat Major: III. Couranta 01:59
• 17 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 13 in E-Flat Major: IV. Sarabanda 03:48
• 18 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 13 in E-Flat Major: V. Gavotte 01:21
• 19 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 13 in E-Flat Major: VI. Gigue 02:27
• 20 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 11 in C Minor: I. Paduana 05:59
• 21 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 11 in C Minor: II. Allemanda 03:05
• 22 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 11 in C Minor: III. Couranta 02:48
• 23 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 11 in C Minor: IV. Sarabanda 02:14
• 24 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 11 in C Minor: V. Gigue 02:11
• 25 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 14 in F Minor: I. Allemanda 04:07
• 26 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 14 in F Minor: II. Couranta 02:00
• 27 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 14 in F Minor: III. Sarabanda 03:56
• 28 Delitiae testudinis Suite No. 14 in F Minor: IV. Gigue 02:37
• Total Runtime 01:18:31

Info for Esaias Reusner der Jüngere: Delitiae testudinis, Vol. 1

„Recordings by solo lutenists have been numerous since the beginning of the 21st century. Cynics would say that in an era of declining government subvention it's cheaper to pay a single lutenist than an orchestra or choir, but it's also true that the lute repertory of the 17th and 18th centuries has historically been undervalued, left to a few specialists, despite the fact that court lutenists were some of the most celebrated and highly paid musicians of the time. This recording deals with a 1667 publication, Delitiae Testudinis (Delights of the Lute), by the little-known Esias Reusner, who was active in the German city of Brieg (now Brzeg, Poland). British-Italian lutenist Paul Beier in his notes points to the lingering effects of the Thirty Years' War in the music of Reusner, who was 12 when the war ended with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Whether that's a bit far on the speculative side is for the listener to determine, but Beier makes two solid points: these dance suites for lute, which were the first publications of music in the French style in Poland after the war's end, are unusually serious works, and they have a dense, polyphonic quality that seems to look back to the Renaissance. This is so even though Reusner was writing for the 11-course Baroque lute, which became standard only in the coming decades. Reusner's suites have the quality of Renaissance motet intabulations to which French ornamentation has been added to the top line, and they're so sober and dense, even in the major-key pieces, that it's easy to forget you're listening to dances. It's quite an impressive effect, and Beier interprets the music with a relaxed confidence. The sound, recorded in a church in the Lombard town of Eupilio, is a bit live, but at least the engineers do not make a fetish of distracting instrument noise.“

Paul Beier, lute

Paul Beier
graduated from the Royal College of Music, London under Diana Poulton. He has performed in Europe, North and South America and Australia as soloist, director of Galatea, member of various groups and as continuo player in orchestral and opera productions. His solo lute repertoire extends from the Italian Cinquecento to the music of Bach and Weiss. Founder and director of Galatea, he has also collaborated with Aglaia, Aurora, La Cetra, Ensemble Concerto, Nova Ars Cantandi, Pacific Baroque, La Risonanza, etc. His CDs have been well received, earning recognition such as “Disque du Mois” of Répertoire, 5 Diapason, 5 stars of Goldberg, “La Scelta” of Amadeus, etc. Since 1981 Mr. Beier has taught lute, continuo and ensemble at the Scuole Civiche di Milano. He is a founding member of the Italian Lute Society, and is a consulting editor of the Lute Society of America Journal.

This album contains no booklet.