Orlando Gibbons - The Woods So Wild - John Toll - The Daily Mail

Orlando Gibbons (1583 - 1625) died much too soon, but not before he had composed much glorious music. Sadly, the fine artist who made these recordings in 1999 and 2000, John Toll, also died beofre his time, succumbing to illness last year: and the disc is now a memorial to him. His playing on both organ and harpsichord is full of life, reflecting the dance nature of much of the music and reminding us that Gibbons was known as a great keyboard virtuoso. The piece that gives the disc its title, The Woods So Wild, has never been better played and the various Fantasias, pavans, Galliards and Preluded are all beautifully turned. The recordings are superb and you can clearly appreciate the difference between the two parts of the organ (at Addington Hall, Cheshire) which Toll uses for different pieces.