Alejandro Marías - Abel: The Drexel Manuscript, 29 Pieces for Viola da Gamba (2025) [Official Digital Download 24/192]

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)

Tracklist:
01. Abel- Allegro for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 1 Wko186 A1
02. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 2 Wko187 A1
03. Abel- Minuet for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No.3 Wko188 A1
04. Abel- Adagio for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No.4 Wko189 A1
05. Abel- Vivace for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 5 Wko190 A1
06. Abel- Andante for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 6 Wko191 A10
07. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript- No. 7 Wko192 A11
08. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript- No. 9 A13
09. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript- No. 10 Wko194 A14
10. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript- No. 11 Wko195 A15
11. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript- No. 8 Wko193 A12
12. Abel- Fuga for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 12 Wko196 A16
13. Abel- Minuet for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 17 Wko200 A11
14. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript- No. 16 A10
15. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript- No. 13 Wko197 A17
16. Abel- Allegro for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 14 Wko198 A18
17. Abel- Minuet for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 18 Wko201 A12
18. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript- No. 15 Wko199 A19
19. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript- No. 19 Wko202 A13
20. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript- No. 20 Wko203 and 204 A14
21. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript- No. 21 A15
22. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Minor, Drexel Manuscript- No. 22 Wko205 A16
23. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Minor, Drexel Manuscript- No. 23 Wko206 A17
24. Abel- Allegro for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Minor, Drexel Manuscript No. 24 Wko207 A18
25. Abel- Piece for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Minor, Drexel Manuscript No. 25 Wko208 A19
26. Abel- Adagio for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Minor, Drexel Manuscript No. 26 Wko209 A10
27. Abel- Menuet for Viola da Gamba Solo in D Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 27 Wko210 A11
28. Abel- Allegretto for Viola da Gamba Solo in A Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 28 Wko211 A12
29. Abel- Allegro for Viola da Gamba Solo in A Major, Drexel Manuscript No. 29 Wko212 A13


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