Robin Hood: Elizabethan Ballad Settings

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Paul O'Dette has done more to introduce the lute and its extensive repertoire to modern ears than just about anyone. On Robin Hood, he plays a collection of Elizabethan ballads that were arranged for solo lute in the 16th century. Although the names of the composers of most of these pieces have been lost to us, the music is of a uniformly high quality and stands up very well next to the selections by known composers like William Byrd and Peter Phillips. O'Dette plays the selections on three instruments: the lute, the orpharion (a flat-back, metal-strung cousin to the lute), and the cittern, (a metal-strung instrument that is plucked with a quill rather than the fingers). The metal strings of the orpharion and cittern have a longer sustain than the gut strings of the lute, which gives the pieces played on them a sound similar to that of the modern steel-string guitar. O'Dette is renowned for his scholarship, which he demonstrates in the meticulously annotated liner notes, and for his formidable technique. But as powerful as his head and his hands are, O'Dette never forgets that it's the heart that makes these delightful works music rather than just a series of well-played notes. --Michael Simmons

Amazon.com

Paul O'Dette has done more to introduce the lute and its extensive repertoire to modern ears than just about anyone. On Robin Hood, he plays a collection of Elizabethan ballads that were arranged for solo lute in the 16th century. Although the names of the composers of most of these pieces have been lost to us, the music is of a uniformly high quality and stands up very well next to the selections by known composers like William Byrd and Peter Phillips. O'Dette plays the selections on three instruments: the lute, the orpharion (a flat-back, metal-strung cousin to the lute), and the cittern, (a metal-strung instrument that is plucked with a quill rather than the fingers). The metal strings of the orpharion and cittern have a longer sustain than the gut strings of the lute, which gives the pieces played on them a sound similar to that of the modern steel-string guitar. O'Dette is renowned for his scholarship, which he demonstrates in the meticulously annotated liner notes, and for his formidable technique. But as powerful as his head and his hands are, O'Dette never forgets that it's the heart that makes these delightful works music rather than just a series of well-played notes. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

Elizabethan Ballads set for the lute.......2005-08-13

Paul O'Dette is unquestionably the finest performer on the renaissance lute who is recording these days. This CD is a compilation of 24 assorted ballad settings, from a wide variety of sources.

I like this CD somewhat better than its companion disc "The Royal Lewters", primarily because the highlights of the CD are tracks 13 through 17 featuring music of William Byrd. Along with John Dowland, Byrd represents the top of the food chain for Elizabethan composers, so this CD has some real compositional meat to it. The title track, "Robin Hood", is offered in a setting by one "Mr. Ascue", and it is quite a nice version.

O'Dette also performs 4 tracks on the orpharion, and 4 other tracks on the 4-course cittern. The timbre of these instruments takes some getting used to, but it serves for a nice contrast to the more mellifluous tone of his lute.

I believe that this CD and "The Royal Lewters" are available as a 2-CD set called "Lusty Gallant"; I would recommend the double-disc for a purchase rather than the two individual CDs.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Best Of [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Homage to Edmond Baeyens

False Accusations

Complete Gus Wildi Recordings [Import]

I Know You Destroy!

Keep It Goin On

Gilded Promises

germanbooks88.com Music: 5 Concertos for Violin, Strings & Continuo

Giltrap and Taylor

Jazz Collection [Import]

Greatest Hits [Explicit Lyrics]

En Vivo [Live]

Cumbias Pegaditas de 1/2 Ano

One Day

Inventions from the Blue Line