Album

The Siena Lute Book is the best manuscript source of fifteenth century Italian lute music in existence, and it is kept in the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague. Its creamy white and carefully copied pages yield more than seven score lute compositions, compiled in the last decade of the fifteenth century but belonging to a time about 40 years before. On this Avie album, lutenist Jacob Heringman puts together a winning selection of 26 of these pieces in an order that roughly corresponds to The Siena Lute Book set that he has been touring with for some time.

It should not surprise many that Francesco da Milano is well represented here—he was the dominant Italian lutenist of that era. The other names are not so familiar, and many of the pieces are anonymous, but thankfully Heringman provides detailed and engaging notes about each piece played. Four different lutes are used in the course of this disc, and one of the most fulfilling surprises found here is a pair of spunky and melodious anonymous lute duets, played with Lynda Sayce. Moreover, if the 26 tracks here are not enough for you, the CD contains information as to how one might download three more from the web.

The recording, made at the Church of St. Michael and All Angels in Saint Tew, Oxfordshire, is resonant but not too distant—for much of the disc the listener almost feels inside of the instrument, an ideal perspective for the lute, which is naturally quiet and sometimes difficult to hear even in a live context. Heringman's playing is rhythmic, emotionally articulate, and never loses sight of the arcane dance steps that propel so much of this literature. Avie's The Siena Lute Book is the best lute recital disc that has emerged since Ronn MacFarlane's work for Dorian in the 1990s, and fans of the lute should not want to resist it.

© Uncle Dave Lewis, All Music Guide

CD 1
Francesco Parigi Composer Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 28) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
1	Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 28)	3:32			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 25) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
2	Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 25)	3:34			$0.99
Francesco Canova da Milano Composer Fantasia (Siena Lute Book, 8) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
3	Fantasia (Siena Lute Book, 8)	4:02			$0.99
Francesco Canova da Milano Composer Ricercar (Siena Lute Book, 81) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
4	Ricercar (Siena Lute Book, 81)	1:07			$0.99
Francesco Canova da Milano Composer Ricercar (attrib.) (Siena Lute Book, 79) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
5	Ricercar (attrib.) (Siena Lute Book, 79)	3:03			$0.99
Francesco Canova da Milano Composer Ricercar (Siena Lute Book, 87) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
6	Ricercar (Siena Lute Book, 87)	1:12			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Fantasia for lute (Medici Lute Book, 2) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
7	Fantasia for lute (Medici Lute Book, 2)	3:27			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Passemezo del giorgio, for lute (Medici Lute Book, 9) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
8	Passemezo del giorgio, for lute (Medici Lute Book, 9)	2:27			$0.99
Francesco Canova da Milano Composer Ricercar (Medici Lute Book, 11) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
9	Ricercar (Medici Lute Book, 11)	1:53			$0.99
Fabrizio Dentice Composer Fantasia for lute (attrib.) (Siena Lute Book, 23) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
10	Fantasia for lute (attrib.) (Siena Lute Book, 23)	5:37			$0.99
Perino Fiorentino Composer Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 17) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
11	Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 17)	3:04			$0.99
Fabrizio Dentice Composer Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 33) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
12	Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 33)	2:48			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Spagna detta Lamire Quarto Modo, for 2 lutes (Siena Lute Book, 153) Work Lynda Sayce Lute, Jacob Heringman Lute
13	Spagna detta Lamire Quarto Modo, for 2 lutes (Siena Lute Book, 153)	1:30			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Spagna detta Lamire Secondo Modo, for 2 lutes (Siena Lute Book, 151) Work Lynda Sayce Lute, Jacob Heringman Lute
14	Spagna detta Lamire Secondo Modo, for 2 lutes (Siena Lute Book, 151)	1:20			$0.99
Julio Segni (da Modeno) Composer Ricercar ottavo for lute (Siena Lute Book, 56) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
15	Ricercar ottavo for lute (Siena Lute Book, 56)	2:06			$0.99
Clément Janequin Composer Or sus vous dormés trop (a4) ('L'alouette') Work Jacob Heringman Lute
16	Or sus vous dormés trop (a4) ('L'alouette')	5:35			$0.99
Francesco Canova da Milano Composer Ricercar (Siena Lute Book, 130) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
17	Ricercar (Siena Lute Book, 130)	2:11			$0.99
Pierre Sandrin Composer La Volunté for lute (Siena Lute Book, 108) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
18	La Volunté for lute (Siena Lute Book, 108)	3:26			$0.99
Thomas Crecquillon Composer Pour Ung Plaisir, chanson for 4 voices Work Jacob Heringman Lute
19	Pour Ung Plaisir, chanson for 4 voices	3:25			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 98) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
20	Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 98)	1:47			$0.99
Giulio Severino Composer Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 42) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
21	Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 42)	3:36			$0.99
Francesco Canova da Milano Composer Fantasia (Siena Lute Book, 132) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
22	Fantasia (Siena Lute Book, 132)	2:09			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Balletto for lute (Siena Lute Book, 156) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
23	Balletto for lute (Siena Lute Book, 156)	1:38			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Gagliarda for lute (Siena Lute Book, 154) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
24	Gagliarda for lute (Siena Lute Book, 154)	2:21			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Gagliarda for lute (Siena Lute Book, 155) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
25	Gagliarda for lute (Siena Lute Book, 155)	1:59			$0.99
Fabrizio Dentice Composer Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 73) Work Jacob Heringman Lute
26	Fantasia for lute (Siena Lute Book, 73)	3:01			$0.99