“Being a Windham Hill fan, it certainly takes me back to those days, where a simple guitar album, played with endearing quality and attention to detail, has become a delight”.
MICK WORDLEY
FINGERSTYLE GUITARIST
latest recordings
The SCOTTISH LUTE PROJECT
Rafael Arden’s Scottish Lute Project is a deeply personal exploration of the haunting beauty of Scottish Renaissance music.
Inspired by the 17th-century Rowallan and Straloch manuscripts, the project brings forgotten melodies back to life through performances rich in intimacy, atmosphere and emotional depth.
Combining historical understanding with instinctive musicality, Rafael’s interpretations reveal the timeless humanity within these ancient works — creating performances that feel less like historical reconstruction and more like living conversations across time.
Special thanks to renowned lutenist and scholar Elizabeth Pallett for her invaluable guidance and support throughout this project.
RAFAEL ARDEN
Rafael Arden has devoted a lifetime to the study of music, with academic and practical investigations spanning more than a thousand years of musical history — from the medieval world through to contemporary performance and composition. His work reflects decades of intensive independent study across Renaissance music, Scottish repertoire, classical traditions, Celtic music, folk forms and modern musical practice.
Over many years, Rafael has undertaken extensive research into early European music, with particular focus on the Scottish lute manuscripts, Renaissance interpretation, historical performance practice and the cultural history surrounding early instruments and repertoire. His studies have explored ornamentation, improvisation, historical tuning systems, stylistic interpretation and the relationship between music, architecture, atmosphere and emotional expression.
Alongside his academic pursuits, Rafael has worked extensively as a performer, composer, teacher and producer, developing a broad and deeply informed understanding of music across both historical and contemporary traditions. His work draws together scholarship, artistic intuition and decades of practical musical experience.
Rafael’s continuing research and creative projects centre on the rediscovery and reinterpretation of early music traditions for modern audiences. Through recording, performance and ongoing study, he continues to explore the emotional and intellectual depth of historical music while contributing to a wider understanding of its place within contemporary artistic culture.
tasmanian tour
