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Albert de Rippe Fantasies & Chansons
– reviews –

"More intimate still is a recital of music by the celebrated lutenist Albert de Rippe (born Alberto da Ripa, son of a noble Mantuan family) who also served French kings - most notably Fran*ois I from 1528 to his death in 1547 and then, until his own death in 1551, Henri II - during which time de Rippe laid the foundation for such French lutenist-composers as Adrian Le Roy, Denis Gaultier, and Charles Mouton. The playing by young Swedish lutenist Peter Söderberg of a program of fantasias by de Rippe, with their bold tonalities and brilliant passage-work, and music by contemporaries including Janequin and Festa is extraordinarily alive not only to the sounds of his plucked instruments (6-course lutes in G and A by Lars Jönsson) but to the commanding silences they leave in their wake. The sound seems woven from silver and gold, and the presentation by the young Swedish company Alice Musik is a treasure all its own, from the outstanding liner notes to the glorious typography and the handsome cloth binding."
Laurence Vittes
From Southern California Early Music Society (SCEMS) News


"Söderberg is a tasteful, introspective player, neat and tidy, with great technical competence. […] Anyone with a love for the 16th-century repertoire should consider this an essential purchase. Söderberg is a highly competent interpreter of Albert and this is a good taster for his music. The task of rediscovering one of the lute’s greatest composers has only just begun"

William Mills
Lute Society Magazine No. 50 (June 1999)


"…Sehr schön sind O passi sparsi von Constanzo Festa oder die Chanson Martin menoit von Jannequin. Söderberg spielt eher "verhalten" und konservativ, intro- und weniger extrovertiert. Aber diese Musik, denke ich, verlangt einen Spieler, der sie selbstbewußt präsentiert und ich denke auch, dass Peter Söderberg die Möglichkeiten dazu hat. Warten wir ab, was er demnächst abliefert!"
Peter Päffgen
Gitarre & Laute 4/1999


"…the playing throughout is of the highest order."
"… brilliantly accompanied by Peter Söderberg."
Jilly Spencer
Lute Society Journal No. 46 (July 1998)


"This is problably the most successful performance that I have heard of a contemporary piece by early instruments… A blueprint for how such things should be done. I hope this will serve as an inspiration to more players and composers."
Bill Badley
Lute Society Journal No. 46 (July 1998)


"One of the more interesting lute recordings I've heard!"
Hopkinson Smith
[private correspondense]

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