Jenny Eriksson
The Marais Project is directed by Jennifer Eriksson who founded the group in 2000.
Lady Sings the Viol comprises 15 tracks of eclectic music, ranging from C1300 to the 21st century, with the viol the dominant instrument in all tracks. There are five female voices, mostly solo, on many of the tracks.
There are three, at least, which one would describe as traditionally viol music of the 17th century, with only one track by Marin Marais, the leading viol exponent of the late 17th century. Many of the tracks have been arranged by Swedish-born Tommie Andersson who came to Sydney in 1984. Andersson is considered a specialist in lute and early guitar. Other arrangements are by Eriksson who too has a Swedish heritage. A track which particularly caught my attention is by Pers Erik Olsson (1912-1983) and it sounds so 17th century in style and yet has a folk song melody.
A couple of the selections reminded me of the music of Winsome Evans’ Renaissance Players. The disc ends with a rousing version of “Chattanooga Choo Choo”.
This is an interesting and entertaining CD and although being described as the Marais Project is far from what you might expect from that master of viol music, in most cases.
This is the fourth CD in the series, the second was featured as disc of the month on classical music stations.
-Philip Lidbury, Fine Music Magazine, July 2013