Orlando Gibbons 400: an English Keyboard Legacy [CD]

Marking 400 years since Orlando Gibbons's death, harpsichordist Friederike Chylek presents a programme of English keyboard music from Orlando Gibbons, William Byrd, and John Bull. The recital shows how Byrd's vocal-inspired counterpoint, Bull's virtuosic keyboard style, and Gibbons's synthesis of both contributed to the development of English keyboard music. This recording presents Gibbons not simply as the 'end of an era,' but as a composer who brought together the ideas of his predecessors while exploring new possibilities for the keyboard. An accessible introduction for listeners discovering English keyboard music and a solid overview for those familiar with the repertoire.