London "Baryton" Boink

9 April 2007
 

A report on the 9 April 2007 London "baryton" boink was posted to the newsgroup by Katy Edgcombe and is reproduced here:

This afternoon AUE was represented at a concert in North London featuring the only three-manual baryton in the known world.

Roland played the viola da gamba, as he is known to do for food, and his friend Jeremy played the baryton, which is a remarkable instrument requiring, as he said, a learned thumb and (as he did not say) a great deal of skill besides. The two Katys were in the audience along with half a dozen other people who all seemed to be experts on West Gallery music or the finer points of construction of viols, or both.

We had very agreeable music by the only composer known to have written duets for baryton and viola da gamba, and by a number of other composers we (K&K) also hadn't heard of.

Cake was consumed, and personalities were dissected (but not, on the whole, torn to shreds). Roland is still not quite sure which Katy is which, but appears kindly disposed to both.

Click here to see the posting and the rest of the thread in the Google archives.

See also Wikipedia's "Baryton" article.


Roland Hutchinson on the left with viola da gamba, and his friend Jeremy Brooker on the right with the baryton
Roland Hutchinson on the left with viola da gamba, and his friend Jeremy Brooker on the right with the baryton


A better view of the baryton, and Jeremy
A better view of the baryton, and Jeremy


Roland with baryton, flanked by Katys (Edgcombe and Jennison)
Roland with baryton, flanked by Katys