The Early Music Show - Profile of Hopkinson Smith

Catherine Bott meets the American lutenist Hopkinson Smith and introduces highlights from a concert he gave at the National Centre for Early Music in York. Following early studies with the Catalan guitarist Emilio Pujol, Hopkinson Smith found himself in the 1970s, taking a particular interest in early music, and with Jordi Savall he founded the celebrated group Hesperion XX. Since then he has been in much demand around the world both as a soloist and an ensemble player on the vihuela, Renaissance lute, theorbo, and Renaissance and baroque guitars. He has made over 20 solo recordings. Catherine Bott caught up with him in York and together they discussed his early career and his philosophy of music making. The programme also features highlights from a recital that he gave of 16th Century music by Luis Milan and Francesco da Milano.