CD Liner Notes
LadyLute EP Series
LadyLute 1 - To be re-released 2023
Ladies of the Lute
The fashion for naming lute pieces in honour of a patron was popular throughout the 16th & 17th centuries. English lutenist John Dowland named many of his pieces after men and women at court, as did French lutenist Jacques Gallot.
With this in mind I have taken the liberty of re-naming the pieces on this CD in honour of women who through their playing or patronage are true Ladies of the Lute.
This CD is dedicated to Claire Antonini, Julianne Green, Joan Lyons, Sharon Macdonald, Greet Schamp, Jenny Smith and Karen Belbin.
Susan plays an 11 course lute by Michael Lowe 1977.
Recorded 31 May 2011 by Tony Sayer, Mount Nelson.
Photography by Philippe Gonneaud, Paris, France.,
Front cover artwork by Janina Evangelou, Hobart.
CD Layout design by Ronnie O'Neill, Orbit Design, Hobart.
To be re-released 2023
LadyLute 2 - Released 3rd April 2023
The Relaxing Lute
"The lute is a noble instrument...it is used commonly at the going to bed of the Kings of France, and that time is the time of most rest and silence." Burwell Lute Tutor c.1680
In this recording Susan King invites the listener to discover the captivating sound of the d minor 11 course lute, whose relaxing tones are ideally suited to moments of rest and contemplation.
David Kellner published his only book of lute music in his last year of his life at a time when the 11 course lute had been replaced by the 13 course lute. Why? Perhaps he wrote this music as a young man and as he saw the end drawing near, wanted to leave this music of his youth as a gift to the world.
A possible composer of Ayr and the untitled piece we have named "The Journey" is Achatius Casimir Hültz, a 17th C lute player from Nuremberg. Known for his beautiful melodies, these pieces are from a manuscript in Melbourne University Library.
Karlin Greenstreet Love (Australia) and Matthew Leigh Embleton (UK) are two modern composers who have written extensively for lute. Karlin with her background in classical, jazz, klezmer and folk and Matthew with his background in ambient and electronic composition, show that the lute is alive and well in the 21st century.
Susan plays and 11 course lute by Lörinczi György 2017
Recorded and mixed by A.King, Hobart, Tasmania.
Recorded at St George's Anglican Church Battery Point, Tasmania. 19/01/2022.
Photography by Peter Mathews, Hobart, Tasmania.
Front cover artwork by Janina Evangelou, Hobart, Tasmania
CD Layout design by Ronnie O'Neill, Orbit Design, Hobart
This CD is dedicated to my sister Anne
To be released 3 April 2023
LadyLute 3 - To be released 2023
Currently Untitled
Recorded September 2022.
Sometime between 1675 and 1720 an unknown person in northern Germany began copying lute music into a book. Two hundred years later, this book was purchased at auction by one of Australia's foremost patrons of the arts, Louise Hansen-Dyer, thus creating a special connection across time and space between the unknown scribe and music lovers here in Australia.
This CD is dedicated to LHD