Paul Brett sets Izaaak Walton's poems to music

For the very first time, world renown guitarist Paul Brett sets to music and song the classic poems from Izaak Walton's legendary book The Compleat Angler.

Charting a four day fishing trip by two friends, The Compleat Angler: Or The Contemplative Man’s Recreation was published in 1653 and has become a classic, not just as the seminal fisherman’s reference book, but as a portrait of rural England’s virtues in a century of upheaval.

For the first time in History, Pwllheli based,world renown guitarist Paul Brett, has set to song and music on a full CD , many of the timeless, classic poems that feature in Izaak Walton's magnificent book "The Compleat Angler". Not only is this book regarded as the Angler's Bible, it also deals in conservation, food, the countryside, friendship and a whole host of other subjects.

Walton first published his book in 1653, it has only ever been out of print once in over 400 years. It is the third most re-published book in British History with only The Bible and The Common Prayer book published more. Paul Brett has brought to life this classic piece of post Jacobean pastoral narrative and forged an album of exquisite beauty. He plays his 18 string guitar throughout and sings these timeless works with accompaniment by String Quartet and Wind section, intuitively arranged by Carla Zappala.

The CD opens with a sprightly reading of John Chalkhill’s "O, the Gallant Fisher’s Life" and includes George Herbert’s "Virtue" (driven on a throbbing bassline pulse), Henry Wotton’s hymn to "Spring", a darkly swirling setting of Michael Drayton’s watery journey "Of Rivers" and an elegantly airy arrangement of Francis Davison’s "In Praise of a Beggar’s Life" that embraces the poem’s pastoral naiveté without any note of modern day irony. Drayton's masterpiece "The Salmon Leap" also is beautifully presented with the proud salmon's yearly struggle to ascend the River Teifi.

There are two instrumentals. Titled from the book’s final words, "Study To Be Quiet" is a superb nimble interplay between strings and guitar that makes you wonder why Brett doesn’t enjoy the same high profile as John Williams while "The Compleat Angler" itself is another remarkable display of double neck - guitar virtuosity.

Courtly folk ballads "Corridon’s Song", "The Angler’s Wish" and jaunty folk dance closer "The Angler’s Song" both draw on Walton’s own writings. In his interpretation of Christopher Marlowe’s world famous poem "The Passionate Shepherd To His Love" (better known perhaps by opening line ‘Come live with me and be my love’.

Brett’s has invested a twinkling lust, far removed from the usual images of chaste swains and virginal nymphs. It’s a tremendous piece of work that will appeal to listeners across a wide spectrum of musical genres.

For more information visit : www.paulbrettguitarist.com