JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Goldberg Variations, arr. for viol consort by Richard Boothby Fretwork

“The Goldberg Variations are a pinnacle of Bach’s art. Conceived for harpsichord, the work has been transcribed for quite different instruments.... Richard Boothby’s version for his own consort of viols, Fretwork, is arguably the most unusual, in that it opts for a soundworld that looks even further back in time. Part of the justification for such a setting must be Bach’s own liking for viola da gamba, already then old-fashioned.... Boothby’s setting is dexterously divided between various combinations of the treble, tenor and bass viols, and he achieved some magical effects, notably (...) in variations of gossamer passagework.” – The Guardian, UK (concert review)