Matthew Locke: 2 Suites

These suites by Matthew Locke are quite original, and fill a gap for recorders who want to find something other than late Baroque music.

These suites have been arranged from two of the eight suites in two parts that appear in the autograph score under the heading “for severall Freinds.” The two pieces printed here are nos. 4 and 3 respectively in the source. In some of the other sources the pieces are headed “of 2 parts, treble and bass;” there is a question whether a continuo part was necessarily assumed by the composer – it is likely that the pieces would have been done both with and without a chordal instrument. What is certain is that a sustaining bass instrument is required: both parts have very strong lines.

Locke’s writing is harmonically bold, involving occasional simultaneous false relations, unorthodox intervals and irregular resolution of suspensions, which may take a few play-throughs before they sound convincing; however, it is worth the effort, especially in the slow movements, which are very strong both melodically and harmonically.

By the way, in Locke’s time the saraband had not yet become the slow dance that it was in Bach’s day; the sarabands here require a generally brisk tempo.

(Bernard Thomas)