Review: Martin Souter

The Friends of the Ashmolean hosted another concert in the Tapestry Gallery by the harpsichordist Martin Souter.

This time, however, Souter played not only the magnificent Kirckman harpsichord of 1772, but also allowed us to hear the recently restored Leversidge virginals of 1670. Both instruments are, in fact, remarkably late examples of their makers' art. The Kirckman is probably one of the last large harpsichords to be made in England before the rapidly developing pianoforte swept the board. The highpoint of the virginals, as a household instrument, had also occurred much earlier than 1670 - Queen Elizabeth I was a notable exponent. Similarly, the best music for both was written much earlier - for the virginals, Souter played works by Elizabeth's court composer William Byrd, and for the Kirckman, some fine pieces by Handel and Domenico Scarlatti, both of whom were born in 1685.

Handel's D minor Harpsichord Suite of 1733 finds him in unusually pensive mood. Souter gave full weight to the intense, almost tragic Sarabande (which is constantly heard in various orchestrated versions whenever film-makers try for an '18th-century' effect, as in Kubrick's Barry Lyndon). I was, however, most surprised when Souter turned to the virginals for a series of pieces written for Byrd's patroness Lady Nevell. A set of virginals consists of a small, plucked instrument similar to the harpsichord, but - I had always thought- much softer. The Leversidge makes a warm, rich sound almost as full as the Kirckman. Souter was, however, able to demonstrate its possibilities first in the courtly 'Lady Nevell' music, and then in some of Byrd's lighter pieces, often based on folk-tunes (Sellingers Rownde was particularly charming). Souter ended this fine concert with a series of Scarlatti sonatas, ideal for the Kirckman. They included the charming E major movement known as 'the Cortge', in which we seem to hear a procession now approaching, now fading away into the distance. A ravishing effect.