Christopher Simpson: The Seasons, The Monthes & Other Divisions Of Time-II – Les Lucioles

Twenty years have passed since the release of The Seasons, The Monthes & other divisions of Time-I (ALPHA1289, also reissued) by the violist Sophie Watillon, who died prematurely a year after the album’s release. Lucile Boulanger and the ensemble she named Les Lucioles have decided to record the second half of this programme – the fantasies from July to December and the two remaining seasons – composed by Christopher Simpson (born c. 1602–1606, died 1669), an English violist and leading music theorist. This album pays tribute to Sophie Watillon: “Her serene and never ostentatious virtuosity, her freshness and her sense of musical warmth made her both one of the most memorable female role models of my childhood and also a profound inspiration to most budding violists,” says Lucile Boulanger. With the expert collaboration of Myriam Rignol, Manon Papasergio, Gabriel Rignol, Elisabeth Geiger and Josh Cheatham, Lucile Boulanger and Les Lucioles bring Simpson’s music back into the spotlight, elevating the viola da gamba to a level of virtuosity that is almost unrivalled.