Prince's Almain & Other Dances for Lute

《约翰逊音乐集》Johnson's earlier dance music includes galliards and almains，simple pieces largely of melody and bass，with the harmony filled in at cadences.North's playing reflects their function，metrical with only the barest slowing up as the dance sequence ends Other dances，for court Masques，are more balletic。The most striking is the vividly characterised Wiches Dance- a menacing pause，a threatening energetic whirl，and then a return to frightening stillness。In contrast to such extrovert movements are he four Pavans，beautifully crafted in often sustained counterpoint，a challenge to both composer and performer on the ten-course lute。North plays these most thoughtfully。The introspective mood here is intensified by his inventive divisions-elaborated repeats-creating a sense of improvisation in his playing。One of the Pavans exists only in a keyboard arrangement by Giles Farnaby，North has ingeniously reversed the process to re-create the lute original，as he's done with the final track，The Satyre's Dance，from a court Masque by Ben Jonson。As often with plucked instruments，close recording picks up the rasp of calloused finger-tips on strings-the performer's perspective，but quite apt for such initimate music，so superbly played。

A master Lutenist in the music of the instrument's finest composer。

01 The Princes's Almain - Masque - Coranto 4:26
02 Pavan No.1 5:16
03 Galliard，My Lady Mildemays Delight 1:42
04 Pavan No.2 7:24
05 2 Almains 2:42
06 The Noble Man 2:52
07 The Witches' Dance 1:50
08 Pavan No.3 6:54
09 3 Almains 4:43
10 The Fairies' Dance 2:12
11 Fantasia 3:31
12 Galliard 1:38
13 Lady Strang's Almain 1:02
14 Pavan No.4（reconstructed by N North） 3:47
15 The First，Second，and Third Dances in the Prince's Masque 3:49
16 3 Almains 3:16
17 Satyr's Dance（reconstructed by N North） 3:11

Playing Time：60:17