Notes
RICHARD HARVEY
Richard Harvey, who is 21, has been playing the recorder since he was four, having originally the instrument from his father. At the age of 16 he joined the Music Reservata with whom he played regularly both here and abroad, for three years. During this time he studied clarinet, piano and viol at the Royal College of Music, continuing his study of the recorder independently.
While at the College, Richard developed an active interest in rock music; this was later to became a professional involvement in Gryphon, a group which has succeeded in creating a distinctive contemporary sound through the blending of medieval instruments, such as the recorder and krumhorn, with the amplified instruments of modern popular music.
This record is an introduction to the recorder and its music by a rock musician whose training has been classical. In the coming months Richard Harvey will be making further recordings of contemporary and classical works for the recorder.
THE INSTRUMENTS
The recorders I played in the performances on this album are accurate copies of the famous eighteenth century Rottenburgh instruments. made by Moeck of West Germany.
The harpsichords are also accurate reproductions made by John Horniblow of Reading, one being a double manual instrument of English design, and the other (played only in the Vivaldi concerto) an Italian design single manual instrument.
All the stringed instruments used, date back to the Baroque period. The violone, however, is of earlier origin. (The violone is the predecessor of the double bass. It is the contrabass version of the viola da gamba, the bowed instrument use extensively in Renaissance Music).
I would like to offer my sincerest thanks to Lawrence Aston, Adam Skeaping and Andrew Parrott without whose very kind assistance the compilation of this album would not have been possible.
Richard Harvey
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