Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Towards the end of the sixteenth century, at the court of the Gonzagas, the young organist Francesco Rovigo was appreciated to the point of being sent by the Duke Wilhelm to study in Venice at Claudio Merulo, the largest master of his time. After hosting Francesco Rovigo at his court, and despite the insistence of the Gonzagas, the Archduke Charles of Bavaria would not let him return to Mantua and held him granting him a big honorary until his death, in 1590, when he returned to Mantua Rovigo. These events give us the clear idea of the caliber of this musician, for which even Claudio Monteverdi himself expressed words of the highest consideration. The live recording of this concert brings to light what is left of his music in the archives of the Palatine Basilica of Santa Barbara in Mantua, where Rovigo was appointed Kapellmeister and where now he lies buried alongside the great Flemish master Giaches de Wert, his predecessor.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Vincenzo Capirola (1474- after 1548) was one of the most important composers of Italian early 16th century instrumental music. + In the first decades of the century composers begin to write and publish specific instrumental pieces. + Consequently, instrumental music started to emerge from the medieval shadows. + Capirola played a leading role in this flourishing phase of instrumental repertoire. + His writing is strongly original, especially the ricercars, which have stunning compositional breadth.

Classical Music

The long, productive period of activity of the Neapolitan musician Raffaele Calace, because of its timing (1863-1934), fell into an era of great social and political transformations that also had important cultural consequences. A radical cultural renewal concentrated chiefly on a gradual increase of musical interest in instrumental production. These world premiere recordings introduce the listener to Mr. Calace’s Complete Works for Mandolin and Guitar, performed by the duo of Sergio Zigiotti and Fabiano Merlante, who also contribute the booklet text.

Organist and harpsichordist Maria Luisa Baldassari leads us to discover the singular figure of Andrea Antico da Montona, a musician and printer of the early Renaissance. His great ability as an engraver allowed him to compete with no one but Ottaviano Petrucci - the undisputed prince of musical printers - and his soul as a ‘cultural entrepreneur’ led him to the courageous and pioneering operation of proposing the intavolatura (the reduction of Vocal or instrumental polyphonic compositions) for the keyboard, instead of the lute as it was in vogue at the time. For the recording of the “Frottole Intabulate” (the frottola is the most popular Italian folk song in use between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries), Maria Luisa Baldassari takes advantage of performing original period instruments: the spinetta, the spinetta Harpsichord, clavichord, the rare and archaic “clavisimbalum”, and the magnificent 1533 Vincenzo Colombi organ of the Chiesa del SS. Corpo di Cristo in Valvasone (Udine - Italy).

This new release is the second CD of instrumental music of Carlo Antonio Marino. Marino was not only a composer, but also a violin virtuoso who rose to international fame at the beginning of the 18th century. Performing the works on this album is the Carlo Antonio Marino Baroque Ensemble, directed by Natale Arnoldi.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Lidarti: Musica da camera e concerto per clavicembalo

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Sigismondo D'India: Madrigali, Arie e Balletti

Classical Music