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Kapsberger, Piccinini 14 Silver Strings Toccatas, Partitas and Dances Matthew Wadsworth Theorbo

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Kapsberger, Piccinini 14 Silver Strings Toccatas, Partitas and Dances Matthew Wadsworth Theorbo Deux-Elles Kapsberger, Piccinini 14 Silver Strings Toccatas, Partitas and Dances Matthew Wadsworth theorbo Gary Cooper harpsichord, organ Mark Levy viola da gamba, lirone, violone 14 Silver Strings exponents of melodic instruments such as the Piccinini’s writing for this instrument is much Kapsberger was the first to publish a book of Toccatas, Partitas and Dances violin, cornetto or recorder, with their virtuosic more harmonic than that in his lute pieces. His works for theorbo, Libro Primo d’Intavolatura di and dramatic expressive powers, and those who melodic flair is still apparent, however. In the Chitarrone (Venice 1604). He then went on to practiced the newly established art of basso Toccatas, he explores the chitarrone’s expressive publish a book of lute pieces in Rome in 1611, “With new inventions, airs and ornaments the continuo. possibilities with all manner of idiomatic and wrote a treatise on the performance and importance no longer lies in the artifice of musical phrases, harmonies and chromaticism. playing techniques of his own music entitled Il counterpoint as before, but in the great variety of One of the instruments belonging to this latter Kapsberger della Musica, which is sadly lost. embellishments and the accompaniment of different group was the chitarrone, or theorbo. Its bass- In his wonderfully detailed preface, Piccinini Along with several books of songs and other instruments in the symphonies.” rich sonority was exploited by composers such talks much about contemporary playing vocal and dramatic music, a second book for Vincenzo Giustiniani as Caccini and Merula in the accompaniment technique, encouraging the use of the chitarrone followed in 1616, which also has Discorso Sopra La Musica, 1628 of song. Remembering that at this time ornamentation, vibrato, rubato and frequent not survived. More happily, his third book of instrumental construction and playing changes in tone colour and affect. He also writes 1626 unexpectedly came to light at the end of technique were developing hand in hand with of his intention to publish a continuo part for 2001; like his Libro Quarto d’Intavolatura di musical composition, it comes as no surprise to the pieces in a separate volume - this has not Chitarrone of 1640, this contains several pieces Beauty of harmony, balance and faithfulness to find that solo music began to emerge for this survived, if indeed it was published at all. for the unusual combination of theorbo and structure were the basic foundations of newly perfected instrument. basso continuo. Renaissance composition and performance of During his time in Rome, Piccinini would have music. Around the beginning of the 17th Alessandro Piccinini was one such innovator. come into contact with the other great exponent Kapsberger was an eccentric man. Among the century however, composers began to tire of He was born into a musical family in 1566 in of the chitarrone, Johann Hieronymus, alias affects he pioneered in his theorbo music are these constraints, even of the undeniable Bologna, his father and two brothers all being Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger. The son of a strascini, long virtuosic slurred passages, perfection of the polyphonic style, and yearned lutenists. Between 1582 and 1598, they were German nobleman, he was born in Venice campanella, cross-string, harp-like figurations, for their opposites. They deliberately upset the employed at the d’Este Court in Ferrara. Upon around 1580 and in later years was affectionately trills, groppi, mordents and various types of perfect balance and developed a taste for the death of Duke Alfonso II, Alessandro moved named ‘El Tedesco della Tiorba’, the German arpeggios. His obsession with the unusual, personal expression. to Rome, staying until 1611 when he moved Gentleman of the Theorbo. Contemporary systematic avoidance of clichés and fondness for back to Bologna where he remained until his accounts show that he soon acquired an inventing new devices are all qualities praised In Europe, Italy was the most fertile ground for death in 1638. In Bologna in 1623, he published estimable reputation as a performer and by his contemporaries, yet in our own time, this the growth of these new theories and his Intavolatura di Liuto e Chitarrone, Libro Primo, composer and was held to be the finest continuo very originality has led to his reputation being philosophies. Composers found themselves a volume containing many fine works for lute player in his field. Anastasius Kircher in his discredited. It is true to say that Kapsberger’s immersed in an atmosphere of seemingly and chitarrone. With the chitarrone’s unique re- Musurgia Universalis (1640) uses examples of his works generally do not conform to the limitless experimentation and freedom. Echoing entrant tuning, (the top 2 strings being an octave to illustrate the Stylus Dramaticus, and Doni commonly held principles of good composition. the development of chiaroscuro in the visual lower than expected), contrapuntal playing on writes in 1626 that Kapsberger is “the finest The works in Libro Quarto are loose in form and arts, musicians were split into two groups: the instrument is somewhat impractical – master of the theorbo in Rome.” structure, with freely associated ideas. Melodic - 1 - - 2 - writing was clearly not his principal concern and 14 Silver Strings le cornet à bouquin ou la flûte à bec, aux dons vraiment pratique – la musique que Piccinini his rhythms seem somewhat wayward and Toccatas, Partitas and Dances virtuoses et dramatiques pour l’expression, et écrivit pour cet instrument est beaucoup plus confusing in places, betraying their improvised ceux qui pratiquaient l’art récemment établi harmonique que celle de ses morceaux pour origins. de la basse continue. luth. Son style mélodique, cependant, est «Avec l’émergence d’inventions, d’airs et toujours apparent. Dans les Toccatas, il explore It must be remembered at this point that d’ornements nouveaux, ce n’est plus l’artifice du L’un des instruments utilisés par ces derniers les possibilités expressives du chitarrone avec composers of the 17th century did not always contrepoint qui importe, comme c’était le cas jadis, était le chitarrone, ou théorbe. Sa sonorité diverses phrases musicales idiomatiques, feel compelled to write down a definitive mais la grande variété d’embellissements et riche en graves fut exploitée par des harmonies et chromatismes. version of their work to be faithfully reproduced l’accompagnement de différents instruments dans compositeurs comme Caccini et Merula dans by future generations. It is obvious that les symphonies.» l’accompagnement de chants. Quand on pense Dan sa préface merveilleusement détaillée, Kapsberger was an extraordinary improviser and Vincenzo Giustiniani, qu’à cette période, le développement de la Piccinini s’étend sur la technique de jeu these works serve as an intriguing insight into Discorso Sopra La Musica, 1628 construction instrumentale et la technique de contemporaine, et encourage l’usage de the Italian soundscape of the time. jeu allaient de pair avec la composition l’ornementation, du vibrato, du rubato et de C’est sur la beauté de l’harmonie, l’équilibre musicale, l’émergence du solo pour cet changements fréquents de couleur tonale et In placing Piccinini and Kapsberger side by side et la fidélité envers la structure que reposaient instrument perfectionné depuis peu n’était pas d’affect. Il parle également de son intention for this recording, radically different approaches la composition et l’interprétation musicale de surprenante. d’écrire une partie en basse continue pour les to the same instrument are heard. The works la Renaissance. Cependant, au début du morceaux dans un autre volume – s’il a jamais which have survived through the centuries serve XVIIème siècle, les compositeurs commencèrent Alessandro Piccinini faisait partie de ces été publié, il n’en reste aucune trace. Au cours as fitting tributes to both these extraordinary à se lasser de ces contraintes, et même de la innovateurs. Il est né à Bologne en 1566, d’une de son long séjour à Rome, Piccinini entra pioneers. perfection indéniable du style polyphonique, famille de musiciens (son père et ses deux frères probablement en contact avec l’autre grand et ils n’aspiraient qu’à leurs contreparties. Ils étaient tous les trois luthistes). Entre1582 et champion de chitarrone, Johann Hieronymus, © 2003 Matthew Wadsworth bouleversèrent délibérément l’équilibre parfait 1598, ils furent employés à la cour d’Este à alias Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger. Fils d’un et prirent goût à l’expression personnelle. Ferrara. A la mort du Duc Alphonse II, noble allemand, il naquit à Venise vers 1580 Alessandro s’installa à Rome, où il séjourna et on l’appela plus tard affectueusement « El En Europe, l’Italie était la terre la plus fertile jusqu’à 1611 pour retourner à Bologne où il Tedesco della Tiorba », Le Gentilhomme pour le développement de ces théories et demeura jusqu’à sa mort en 1638. En 1623, à Allemand du Théorbe. Des compte-rendus de philosophies nouvelles. Les compositeurs Bologne, il publia Intavolatura di Liuto e l’époque prouvent qu’il se fit bientôt une étaient immergés dans une atmosphère Chitarrone, Libro Primo, un recueil contenant réputation remarquable d’interprète et de d’expérimentation et de liberté qui semblaient beaucoup d’excellentes œuvres pour luth et compositeur et qu’il fut considéré comme le infinies. Faisant écho à l’essor du chiaroscuro chitarrone. Grâce à l’accord « re-entrant » du meilleur joueur de basse continue de son dans les arts visuels, les musiciens étaient chitarrone (les deux cordes du haut étant un domaine. Anastasius Kircher dans son divisés en deux groupes : les défenseurs octave plus bas que ce à quoi on s’attend), le Musurgia Universalis (1640) utilise ses exemples d’instruments mélodiques comme le violon, jeu contrapuntique sur cet instrument n’est pas pour illustrer le Stylus Dramaticus, et Doni - 3 - - 4 - écrivit en 1626 que Kapsberger était « le plus cependant, aujourd’hui, c’est cette originalité 14 Silver Strings Zum einen gab es die Vertreter der melodischen grand maître de théorbe de Rome ».
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