Up through the Renaissance, harps were relatively simple instruments, able to play diatonic scales. In response to more complex music of the early Baroque, an arpa doppia, or double harp was developed. These harps had a second course of strings (tuned differently than the first). This gave the player more notes, with the two courses […]
Baroque music
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Early Baroque gems from Varie Sonate of Giovanni Battista Vitali
For the average person, I think, the term “Italian Baroque” conjures up the music of Vivaldi. But the Italian Baroque really began around 1600, and it took a while for the music — and the instruments — to complete the transition from the Renaissance. What struck me most about this collection of sonatas by Giovanni […]
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Great performances of Ignacio Jerusalem marred by recording
The Chicago Arts Orchestra and Chorus specialize in exploring the music of New Spain. Their first release was “Al Combate: Rediscovered Galant Music from Eighteen-Century Mexico.” It featured works by Ignacio Jerusalem and Santiago Billoni. This release delves deeper into Jerusalem’s repertoire, presenting a mass, a symphony, and some shorter choral works. Ignacio Jerusalem emigrated […]
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Josetxu Obregón’s portrait of Antonio Caldara, cellist
Antonio Caldara was a cellist, but he didn’t write exclusively for the cello. In the early 1700s composers wrote what they were paid to. Caldara’s best remembered for his operas, oratorios, and cantatas. And those are the works that usually get recorded. Josetxu Obregón has put together a program that showcases Caldara’s affinity for his […]
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Alessandro Scarlatti Cantatas and Recorder Sonatas Nice Blend
This release presents a well-thought-out program of music by Alessandro Scarlatti. There are five works: three solo cantatas with two instrumental sonatas. The mix is quite effective — especially as the cantatas have fairly extensive instrumental passages. Soprano Roberta Invernizzi sings with a clean, clear sound. Even her upper register has a warmth I found […]
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Andrea Coen performs Telemann’s Klein Kammermusik — solo
The Kleine Kammermusik of Georg Philipp Telemann was never set in stone. Well, perhaps etched in metal for publishing, but you know what I mean. As Telemann conceived them, these six partitas were simple for a melodic instrument with basso continuo. In 1716, such collections were common for amateur and professional musicians. Telemann’s melodies could be performed […]
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Early Telemann cantatas still show great skill
This release features three Georg Philipp Telemann works for countertenor. More precisely, it presents three early works by Telemman (for countertenor). Not that I could hear much difference. Telemann in his twenties was already a skilled composer. There are no awkward moments in any of these works. And while his style grew in complexity, these pieces benefit […]
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Sensitive performances by Laurence Dean and Andrew Lawrence-King
Musik der Empfindsamkeit was a very specific musical genre. Empfindsamer Stil (sensitive style) was primarily a style written in Germany during the late Baroque. Most 18th Century music (including that of J.S. Bach’s) was written according to the Doctrine of Affections. Each movement should only express one affection, or emotion. By contrast, the empfindsamer Stil strove to a more […]
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Homilius Christmas Cantatas beat the rush
This release had me scratching my head. Why was an album of Advent and Christmas music released in February? Most folks (even me) have our Christmas decorations dismantled and packed away for another year. Of course, these cantatas by Gottfried August Homilius don’t really have a Christmassy sound. Homilius wrote in the empfindsamer style, which supplanted the […]