Ballo della Battalia, Mika Suihkonen: La Gamba

Mika Suihkonen viola da gamba

Ballo della Battalia

Rhythmically and lightly on the viola da gamba

The new album La Gamba offers works by four rhythm musicians of his time who lived in the 16th-17th centuries: Diego Ortiz (c. 1510-1570), Christopher Simpson (c. 1605-1669), Marin Marais (1656-1728) and Antoine Forqueray (c. 1671-1745). The album features Diego Ortiz's ricercars from the textbook Trattado de Glosas (Treatise on Decorations) in a Latin atmosphere. In between the ricercars, Simpson's four preludes and grounds from the gamba playing guide The Division Viol are heard. Among the "study material" from the masters of improvisation and decoration, Suihkonen intersperses two famous works by the masters of gamba music, Marin Marais's Españalainen folia and Antoine Forqueray's Chaconne. The gambist Mika Suihkonen and Ballo della Battalia provide excellent playing. Battalia, who specialise in early music, has established itself in the Finnish music scene and has also been successful abroad. Battalia is accompanied on the album by world-renowned early music guru Andrew Lawrence-King.

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Suihkonen improvises wildly

Mika Suihkonen and his musician friends arrange a joyful listening and learning session for the listener.

The dance-based recercadas by the Spaniard Diego Ortiz (c. 1510-70) are exciting in their rhythmic variation and renewing melody. The grounds by the Englishman Christopher Simpson (c. 1602-69) are a celebration of the gambi's agility. Also included is Marin Marais' Folies d'Espagne, where "Lampaanpolska" becomes a masterful display of 32 incredibly accumulating variations. The musicians of Ballo della Battalia with their guitars, lutes, harps and harpsichords create changing backgrounds, sometimes covering the soloist. Mika Suihkonen's delightfully rough, equally fast-paced and tender playing caresses the ears and soul.

Veijo Murtomäki / Helsingin Sanomat

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"You will want this delightful program on your shelf, and it will be worth listening to over and over again. [...] Ortiz's music brings a pronounced Latino flavor to the program and makes for a lot of enjoyable listening. A great many "strumming" instruments are used: guitar, harp, and theorbo, as well as harpsichord. All of this contributes energy and makes the music very listenable."

CRAWFORD / American Record Guide March/April 2012