Abel: The Drexel Manuscript, 29 Pieces for Viola da Gamba Alejandro Marías

• Carl Friedrich Abel (1723 - 1787): Allegro for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 1 Wko186 A1:
• 1 Abel: Allegro for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 1 Wko186 A1 03:43
• Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 2 Wko187 A1:
• 2 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 2 Wko187 A1 02:49
• Minuet for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No.3 Wko188 A1:
• 3 Abel: Minuet for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No.3 Wko188 A1 02:33
• Adagio for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No.4 Wko189 A1:
• 4 Abel: Adagio for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No.4 Wko189 A1 01:53
• Vivace for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 5 Wko190 A1:
• 5 Abel: Vivace for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 5 Wko190 A1 03:12
• Andante for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 6 Wko191 A10:
• 6 Abel: Andante for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 6 Wko191 A10 04:34
• Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript:
• 7 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript: No. 7 Wko192 A11 03:43
• 8 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript: No. 9 A13 00:33
• 9 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript: No. 10 Wko194 A14 01:56
• 10 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript: No. 11 Wko195 A15 02:40
• 11 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript: No. 8 Wko193 A12 01:29
• Fuga for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 12 Wko196 A16:
• 12 Abel: Fuga for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 12 Wko196 A16 02:32
• Minuet for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 17 Wko200 A11:
• 13 Abel: Minuet for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 17 Wko200 A11 02:54
• Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript:
• 14 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript: No. 16 A10 00:25
• 15 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript: No. 13 Wko197 A17 02:31
• Allegro for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 14 Wko198 A18:
• 16 Abel: Allegro for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 14 Wko198 A18 03:45
• Minuet for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 18 Wko201 A12:
• 17 Abel: Minuet for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 18 Wko201 A12 03:20
• Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript:
• 18 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript: No. 15 Wko199 A19 02:11
• 19 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript: No. 19 Wko202 A13 02:29
• 20 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript: No. 20 Wko203 and 204 A14 03:47
• 21 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript: No. 21 A15 00:41
• 22 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Minor, Drexel Manuscript: No. 22 Wko205 A16 02:24
• 23 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Minor, Drexel Manuscript: No. 23 Wko206 A17 02:20
• Allegro for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Minor, Drexel Manuscript No. 24 Wko207 A18:
• 24 Abel: Allegro for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Minor, Drexel Manuscript No. 24 Wko207 A18 03:07
• Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Minor, Drexel Manuscript No. 25 Wko208 A19:
• 25 Abel: Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Minor, Drexel Manuscript No. 25 Wko208 A19 05:02
• Adagio for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Minor, Drexel Manuscript No. 26 Wko209 A10:
• 26 Abel: Adagio for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Minor, Drexel Manuscript No. 26 Wko209 A10 03:15
• Menuet for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 27 Wko210 A11:
• 27 Abel: Menuet for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 27 Wko210 A11 03:36
• Allegretto for Viola da Gamba Solo in A Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 28 Wko211 A12:
• 28 Abel: Allegretto for Viola da Gamba Solo in A Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 28 Wko211 A12 04:36
• Allegro for Viola da Gamba Solo in A Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 29 Wko212 A13:
• 29 Abel: Allegro for Viola da Gamba Solo in A Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 29 Wko212 A13 01:36
• Total Runtime 01:19:36

Info for Abel: The Drexel Manuscript, 29 Pieces for Viola da Gamba

Carl Friedrich Abel was known in 18th-century London as the greatest gamba player of his day. Having been taught in Leipzig by JS Bach, Abel later worked closely with ‘the London Bach', Johann Christian, and his own music shares a quality of liminal fantasy with that of his friend, poised as they were (in retrospect) on the threshold of the Baroque and Classical eras.

Having moved to London for good in 1759, Abel soon attracted the admiration of the greatest English portraitist of the day, Thomas Gainsborough. The artist painted the composer, and played the gamba himself. It may well be that Abel wrote this collection of quasi-improvised solo works towards the end of his life with Gainsborough in mind. At any rate, the ‘Drexel’ nomenclature arose only once the manuscript of the pieces found its way into the hands of the philanthropist Joseph William Drexel in 1877.

As Alejandro Marías remarks in his booklet essay for this remarkable new recording, the manuscript asks more questions than it supplies answers. ‘Why did he compile them, for whom, why in that order, did he ever play any of these scores, or was it an attempt to capture what inspiration had led him to improvise the night before?’

For Marías, the collection is nonetheless ‘one of the most important works in viola da gamba literature. It represents the last great viola da gamba player's most intimate moments, where he found the formal and stylistic freedom to express his deepest emotions, using his virtuosity to put it at the service of the music and not to make a mere technical display, however difficult some of these pieces may be. Recording it is one of the greatest challenges a viola da gamba player can face.’

This album of the Drexel Manuscript makes a fine sequel to the previous collection of Abel’s music led by Marías on Brilliant Classics, ‘Between Two Worlds’ (97437), which attracted great critical enthusiasm: ‘The gamba playing by Alejandro Marías is superb, with a clear tone and sonorous depth… There is surely more to come, and I for one will look forward to further releases.’ (Fanfare)

Alejandro Marías, viola da gamba

No biography found.

Booklet for Abel: The Drexel Manuscript, 29 Pieces for Viola da Gamba