Virtuosity in the Early Baroque

 

European ensemble, The Barokers, will immerse themselves in the early part of the 17th century to explore and revive some of the most inventive and flamboyant works of the time

Description

Most early 17th century composers of instrumental music were also acclaimed virtuoso players themselves. The fruitful imagination of Italian composers such as Marini, Ucellini and Castello contributed to the development of an idiomatic style of writing for the violin, making use of virtuosic runs, leaps and forays into high positions, leading to an expanded range of the instrument’s technical and expressive capabilities by the 1650’s. Meanwhile, transformative and revolutionary developments in keyboard music were taking place with the work of Frescobaldi, who published his First Book of Toccatas in 1615. All these innovations quickly spread throughout Europe, influencing musicians and composers such as the Austro-German violinist and composer Johann Heinrich Schmelzer. These transformations and works did strongly influence many major composers of the generations ahead.

Grounds (basso ostinato) were often the medium of choice of these instrumental virtuosi and composers to showcase their mastery of their instrument, as well as their contrapuntal writing skills. “La Folia” is one of the earliest and most arranged chordal patterns used for this purpose. In our own arrangement of the old Spanish tune, The Barokers will take you on a journey through three countries and over a hundred years of music-making. The Barokers are Lucía Veintimilla (violin), Jennifer Tsang (recorder), Isabel Esain (viola da gamba) and Yeon-Jeong Jeong (harpsichord).

Programme
Marco Uccellini (c.1603-1680)
Aria sopra la Bergamasca from Il terzo libro delle sonate, arie et correnti a 2. 3. per sonare con diversi instromenti

Dario Castello (c.1590-1658)
Sonata Quarta for 2 sopranos and continuo from Sonate concertate in stil moderno, libro secondo

Jacob van Eyck (c.1590-1657)
Bravade from Der Fluyten Lust-Hof

La Folia
Arrangement by The Barokers

Frescobaldi (1583-1643)
Tocatta decima from Toccate e partite d’intavolatura di cimbalo, libro primo

Johann Heinrich Schmelzer (c.1620-1680)
Sonata terza from Sonatae unarum fidium

Marini, Biagio, (1597-1665)
Sonata sopra La Monica from Sonate, sinfonie, canzoni…, opera VIII