John Renbourn’s first post-Pentangle (or nearly post-Pentangle) solo album, joined briefly by fellow guitarist Dominique Trepeau and featuring further contributions by John James, is one of his most beautiful recordings, and also among his most spare guitar instrumentals.
Some of the material is drawn from lute and harp sources, and it is ear-opening to hear some of the more familiar pieces among the latter (such as “O’Carolan’s Concerto”) transcribed for guitar, but Renbourn isn’t above adapti...
John Renbourn’s first post-Pentangle (or nearly post-Pentangle) solo album, joined briefly by fellow guitarist Dominique Trepeau and featuring further contributions by John James, is one of his most beautiful recordings, and also among his most spare guitar instrumentals.
Some of the material is drawn from lute and harp sources, and it is ear-opening to hear some of the more familiar pieces among the latter (such as “O’Carolan’s Concerto”) transcribed for guitar, but Renbourn isn’t above adapting themes from television commercials, either. The mood of much — though not all — of Hermit is one of serious introspection, as Renbourn stays generally within a classical guitar mode. He has fun with the material, and the CD booklet also includes musical transcriptions of some of the tunes on the record, for the benefit of Renbourn’s fellow guitarists.
-- allmusic --
LP Track Listing
A1 - The Hermit
A2 - John’s Tune
A3 - Goat Island* (The song is the same as "Little Alice" on outside US Vinyl releases)
A4 - Old Mac Bladgitt
A5 - Faro’s Rag
A6 - Caroline’s Tune
B1 - Three Pieces By O’ Carolan
a The Lamentation Of Owen Roe O’ Neill
b Lord Inchiquin
c Mrs. Power (O’ Carolan’s Concerto)
B2 - The Princess And The Puddings
B3 - Bycicle Tune*
B3 - Pavanna (Anna Bannana)
B4a - A Toye
B4b - Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home
*Only on US LP edition
John Renbourn: Acoustic guitar
John James: Acoustic guitar
Dominique Trepeau: Acoustic guitar
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