For over four decades, Fretwork has stood at the forefront of the viol consort revival, acclaimed worldwide for performances of extraordinary finesse, depth and expressive power. Renowned for redefining what a viol consort can be, Fretwork combines scholarship with fearless musical imagination, bringing both early masterpieces and new music vividly to life.
Their programme Six Centuries, Five Viols is a striking celebration of the viol’s uniquely enduring voice. Spanning six hundred years of music, the programme traces an unbroken lineage from the golden age of Renaissance polyphony, through the richly expressive works of the Baroque, to powerful contemporary compositions written especially for the ensemble. Each piece reflects a different moment in the viol’s long history, revealing how its sound has continually inspired composers across radically changing musical worlds.
Performed by five of the world’s finest viol players, Six Centuries, Five Viols is both an exploration of musical time and a testament to the viol consort’s timeless expressive range. By placing early music alongside living composers’ responses to the instrument, Fretwork creates a programme that feels at once historically illuminating and urgently contemporary – an experience that is as intellectually engaging as it is sonically compelling.
Elegant, searching and deeply communicative, Six Centuries, Five Viols offers audiences a rare opportunity to hear the viol consort not as a historical curiosity, but as a living, evolving ensemble with a voice that continues to resonate across centuries.
Emilia Benjamin, Jonathan Rees, Jo Levine, Lucine Musaelian, Richard Boothby
Photo: © Fretwork