Reviews from Europe

Their performance was as precise and gracious ... the didactic treatment of counterpoint suddenly turns into musical refinement and loveliness.  The fact that the eloquence of the gamba was not extinguished in the Baroque was proven by these Japanese ladies.

"Viol consort makes up for slow start with vivid Baroque interpretation"     As they showed on the rest of the program, they can be lively and adventurous in repertoire and interpretation. Bach’s Toccata BWV914… Their remarkable ensemble gestures slid seamlessly in midphrase from player to player. They were like sisters completing each other’s sentences. Conceicao’s “Battle” … The consort aptly roughened the sound of this rustic tone poem. Sato’s “Sang Hwa”, Loeb’s “The Cries of Kyoto” and Fantasia “Tohoku” and Hirose’s “Suite for Noble Cats”… These engaging pieces require extended techniques unheard in the viol’s Renaissance and Baroque salad days… are the viol consort’s natural habitat. That’s not too polite.

"East Interprets West"     East did meet West through this Japanese consort's noteworthy ability to select, arrange, and place a personal interpretive stamp upon great works from severaral centuries of the Western musical tradition. 

"Kambe, viol-mates produce natural, effortless music"     These four virtuosi have honed the art of viol playing to the ultimate level of refinement and beauty of sound. … Their playing is exquisite, an efloration of warm resonance, with a firm, precise energy as gentle as the movement of light airs, softly flowing water and the sunny play of light and shadow in a leafy grove. In other word, natural and effortless. 

"Consert blends new,  old harmoniously"     The consort performed...a gentle call to attention, with spotlessly tight ensemble and exquisite intonation.

"Fine Old Strings"     They are not only experts in new music.  The first half of the program included some real standards for viol consort as well as a few old friends in new guises.  On the standard end, the group chose Charpentier's lovely Concert in d minor. …the consort displayed an intimate knowledge of French musical language.  …Purcell's fifth Fantasia, replete with classic Purcellian clashing dissonances.
…Tenor viol player Eriko Ozawa had a lovely moment in the sun in Ludwig Senfl's "Ich stund an einem Morgen".  …Diego Ortiz' Recercada Secunda sobre "Passamezzo Moderno" were remarkably performed by Kaori Hashizume.  …Their strumming, bowing and percussive knocking provided a lively setting for the dance.  Yukimi Kambe shone on the highly ornamented chorale tune "O Man, Bemoan thy Grievous Sin" set by Bach in the Little Organ Book.  Her melody floated beautifully over the organ-like homogeneity of the viol consort sound.  Maki Noguchi's steadily lovely performance of the chorale tune in Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" contributed to the novel and effective performance of this old favorite.
Sunday's selection also featured new favorites…Sang Hwa by young Japanese composer Yoko Sato.  Sato fully exploits the capacity for the viols, including chordal passages, strumming, various other pizzicato techniques and a variety of bowings, all executed by the consort.  …Ryouhei Hirose's Suite for Noble Cats…the members of the YKVC displayed a great sense of fun and freedom, collectively varying their tempo and visibly enjoying themselves. …the group impeccably performed a challenging and pleasurable selection of pieces.

The Yukimi Kambe Viol Consort is the only consort group in performance continually and vigorously throughout Japan.  The outstanding achievement of this consort is that through inviting many composers to write new works for them (in addition to the well-known Renaissance and Baroque pieces) they have actively broadened the possibilities of the viol consort and have made great efforts to increase their audiences.

The performances of the Yukimi Kambe Viol Consort are distinguished by their miraculous harmony brought by a sense of tuning, their excellent ensemble techniques and comprehensive interpretations based on thorough preparation.  Considering the above-mentioned background, no one doubts whether my statement is quite appropriate.

The CD's title, Foglia d'olivo translates as "Olive leaf."   It refers to the fact that Noah sent out a dove to find dry land and it returned to the ark with an olive leaf.  (Genesis 8:11) Mr. Mizuno aims to compose pleasant works both for audiences and performers.

The Kambe Consort provides us with its usual excellent performances of these Mizuno pieces with impeccable ensemble, musical interpretation, and perfectly tuned sonorities.

In casual listening to this recording the overall impression can be that of hearing many cat cries, but the listener is encouraged to listen closely to the innovative harmonies, interesting rhythms, viol/voice sonorities, dramatic moments and great variety of sounds.  This is a welcome collection of accessible modern music for viols!

Echoes from Bronze Bells --- Music by David Loeb. VMM2029.

These pieces were written for the Yukimi Kambe Consort.  It includes many short descriptive pieces.  Among them, "Cries of Kyoto" and the Fantasia "Tohoku", were inspired by Japanese traditional music, especially in their scales.  Another piece, "Indonesian" employs Balinese and Javanese scales.  The last one, a very joyful piece, "Indian" is based on Indian classical music.  In all the pieces, it is commonly observed that Loeb actively introduces a new sound for the gamba consort, and just occasionally borrows the "classical" European consort style.  Thus, there emerges a wonderful, impressionistic, charming miniature of sound.  One can hardly think of it.  Nor can one learn it other than from the attractive and sonorous interpretation in the above-mentioned CD of the Yukimi Kambe Consort.  It is a true development of the consort repertoire, though exclusively for advanced players. Pierre Funck, Viola da Gamba Gesellschaft Switzerland, p.15, Mitteilungen Nr.53, März 2004

The latest recording of the Yukimi Kambe Viol Consort is a real treasure of beautiful music played exquisitely. True, most of the works on the recording are transcriptions of organ and harpsichord works, but even purists on the subject of authenticity are sure to appreciate the subtle inflections viols are able to give to Bach's counterpoint. Yukimi's carefully prepared CD notes explain that viols were brought to Japan by Portuguese missionaries in 1561 to assist in singing masses because there was no organ until about 1580. So Yukimi felt the consort was following historical practice in playing organ music on viols. Additionally, it gave her consort further insights into expressive playing and expanded their repertoire. Of course it goes without saying that Bach himself often re-scored his own pieces to suit various purposes.

Selections on the CD are drawn from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Musical Offering, Art of Fugue, cantatas and chorales. Yukimi considers playing chorales as a starting point for playing viol consorts because the viol historically has imitated the human voice. One of the most stunning pieces on the CD (musically as well as visually--I've seen them perform it !) is the Prelude No.1 from Well-Tempered Clavier. In the Kambe version, each player of the consort plucks one or two notes in the arpeggios, in the manner of hand-bells. The result is stunningly coordinated and expressive--quite harp-like. Florid playing bordering on virtuosic is often present on the CD, notably in much of the treble obbligato playing, and in the bass's finale in the organ toccata. The toccata is also particularly effective on viols because of the bariolage technique, and effect completely lost on organ.

Focus on Japan by Shulamit Kleinerman, pp.37-, Early Music America Winter 2007

The Pan-Pacific Gamba Gathering by Brent Wissick, p.11, 13, VdGSA News,

From New Haven by Marshall Barron, p.3, / From Seattle by Ellen Seibert, p.6,

Yukimi Kambe Viol Consort 2006 Tour by Chester Pearlman, p.3, VdGSA News,

Review: Ja, doch Bach mit Gambenconsort by Martha Bishop, p.9, VdGSA News,

On the List of Music from PRB Productions by Peter Ballinger, p.25 Sept., p.21, Dec.

Conclave 2004 Highlights, - Something New pp.2~3, p.6 by David Dreyfuss, / Kambe Consort 2004 Visits to the USA by Ellen Seibert pp.16~17, VdGSA News, Sep. 2004

Review: Yukimi Kambe Viol Consort by Rebekah Ahrendt, San Francisco Classical

Review: Yukimi Kambe Viol Consort, Foglia d’olivo by Martha Bishop, p.15,

Annual Report of the VdGS-Pacifica Chapter by Lee McRae / Further

Interview with Yukimi Kambe Consort Members and Notice of their

Yukimi Kambe Viol Consort Tour by Lee McRae p.14, VdGSA News, Sep. 2001 / 2002 Kambe Consort Tour by Lee McRae p.4, VdGSA News, Mar. 2001

Celebrate the viol NOW! Conclave 2000!, p.1, VdGSA News, Mar. 2000