Search - Adew Dundee, Baltimore Consort :: Adew Dundee: Early Music of Scotland

Colorful early music with pizazz

J. TIMMERMAN | Lawson, NSW Australia | 06/03/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm always excited when Baltimore Consort release a new album, because I know it will be entertaining and will open up new vistas in musical appreciation. Adew Dundee is their second album of Scottish music (the first being their debut album "On The Banks of Helicon") and it's true to form.The secular music presented here derives from manuscripts of early 17th century collectors like Skene (his Mandora MS) and Robert Gordon of Straloch, as well as 18th century collections such as Pills To Purge Melancholy (1719), Balcarres Lute Book (1692) and Panmure MS (1680). The title track "Adew Dundee" is a fine example of a typical delightful Scottish country air derived from these collections for the album. Then there are courtly songs and dances from the 16th and 17th centuries, many of which have a European influence, particularly from France. There is also a spritely "Scottish Branles" from French composer Estienne du Tertre.Some of the music, like "The Gowans are gay", likely has its origins in even earlier times. A couple of songs, "A New Scotch Song of Catherine Logy" and "Adeu O desie delyt" will be familiar to Baltimore Consort fans as they are alternative versions of those from "On The Banks of Helicon".This is music that was being played prior to a period when Scottish tunes became all the rage in England and were arranged there ad infinitum. Since the manuscripts themselves provide only rudimentary transcriptions of folk tunes, the Baltimore Consort has provided considerable improvisation, something they excel in. Excellent use is made particularly of the bagpipes (as on the lively "Whip my toudie"), combining nicely with viols, rebec, cittern, recorder, flute, lute, mandora and bodhran. As expected, this is a very professionally produced folk and court blend, and although singer Custer LaRue is perhaps not always at her best (hence the 4 stars not 5), overall it is delectable."