David Rhodes takes his inspiration from a musical family . He is a luthier in Asheville, NC. His career developed out of years of playing and studying theory and practice of lute music. In his spare time, he enjoys composing and performing on the lute. Debra Anthony, violinist, is a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy. Karen Boyd studied harpsichord at Oberlin Conservatory of Music. she performed late Beethoven works while at West Chester University and collaborated in performances of works by Boulez, Martinu and Robert Moevs during doctoral work at Rutgers. She performs chamber music recitals and serves as choral director and accompanist in Asheville, NC. Dr. John Cobb is an international performer and recording artist. The New York Times has praised his "solid technique." He has been presented by Artist's International on their Distinguished Artists series and has made recordings of 20th century and early piano music on original instruments at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The lutes used in this recording are made by Raymond Nurse, and David Rhodes. The Valderrabanno Fantasia, 1547, is played on a very large 8-course lute in the style of Bologna. The little Elizabethan Jigg is played on a tiny 7 course lute in the Florentine style in apple. The Fantasia by Gio: Battista dalla Gostena, ca. 1580, is heard on a pure white lute made of holly, strung in pure gut. The Corelli is accompanied by a lute by Mr. Nurse in 11 courses in yew wood. The rest is played on a baroque lute . The violin used in this recording is a well-preserved original from the 17th century restored and owned by David Rhodes. The ticket reads: Mathias Albani, Balsani, Tyrol...1697., quite appropriate for Corelli. The piano repertoire speaks for itself. The exceedingly rare Scottish Tuning Fork Piano has many voices. Number 520 was made in Glasgow, Scotland at the turn of the Century. It appears in fine oak casing carrying all of its original hand-tuned carbon steel forks in five octaves with central pitch at A=435 Hz. In 1999, it was purchased by David Rhodes from Dr. Frank Edwinn of Asheville and underwent two years of tedious restoration. In 2000, the piano was loaned to Laurence Libin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, for use in the AMIS meetings held in Asheville with good results. The timbre of this piano can resemble the Glass Armonica, hand bells, a small organ, or a gamelan. At times, these mechanical pianos do also have their unavoidable repertoire of unexpected noises not unlike clicking, thumping, and hammering as occurs in Opus V, Le Tambour Enivre, or simply "the inebriated drummer." The action of this piano consists of an inverted grand action with one sostenuto pedal. 4ths are accurate to the extent of permitting modulation. Fantasia Number 40 of Fra. da Milano and Pierre Solaire are dedicated to the memory of Suzanne Bloch. Petits Songes A WHAT? A Scottish Tuning Fork Piano. That's right, you've never heard one before. How best to describe its sound: it is somewhat reminiscent of a glass harmonica, and at times very like an organ; it can sound like a music box, like a marimba, or like the metallophones in a Javanese gamelan. In other words, it does not sound like any earthly instrument you have heard before; but, so angelic and sweet is its sound, that it has also been named the Dulcitone piano. For the very first time in the compact disc Petits Songes, this rare instrument has been classically recorded in solo works and in ensemble with the Baroque lute, performed by award winning lutenist David Rhodes. Other premiers on this disc include a very special 17th century violin in duet with the lute, which exposes the spirit within a Corelli violin sonata. Perhaps the most entertaining inclusion here is the story "Pierrot Solaire" written by Rhodes as music for a children's puppet theater production using lute and the Tuning Fork Piano in enssemble. As you read the beautiful and informative liner notes, sit back and get ready to experience five centuries of music as a kaleidoscope of sound. Whether you are a world music lover, a guitarist, music historian, keyboard player, a parent, or a small child, you will be transported to a fantasy land of your own "Petits Songes" - "Little Dreams". Please, enjoy the journey! Staff