Alfonso Ferrabosco the younger (c1575-1628) was one of the greatest exponents of and composers for the lyra viol, a fretted bowed instrument slightly smaller than the viola da gamba and fitted with metal sympathetic strings. Today its solo repertoire is almost exclusively performed on the gamba, and so it is here as Richard Boothby delves into Ferrabosco’s 1609 Lessons for 1, 2, and 3 Viols.

Organising almains and galliards (all have a ‘coranto’ shadow) into three suites preceded by preludes, and with the last suite fittingly ending with a weighty pavan coranto pair, Boothby reminds us that Ferrabosco was not only also an accomplished lutenist and singer but a valued collaborator of Ben Jonson and Inigo Jones. These are intimate performances of intimate music, yes; but the writing and the playing are such that chordal and contrapuntal textures, beefy bass lines and flute-like cantabiles just about do the job of an entire consort of viols.

As with his previous solo outings, Boothby often seems simply to luxuriate in the resonance of the instrument, in this case a Jane Julier after Henry Smith. Otherwise, he’s busy infusing the quicker dances with a tension created by earthy down-beats and feather-light détaché strokes or investing the preludes, almains and solitary pavan with a sombre Dowlandesque melancholy. There are also some juicy pizzicato passages redolent of the lute, and while fellow gambist Asako Morikawa joins Boothby on just two tracks, her stylish duetting is a welcome contribution to this enjoyable release.