The Birth of the Violin, contrasting works for the early violin / Le Miroir de Musique

Recommendation

The Birth of the Violin explores the earliest repertoire for the emerging 'vyolon' during the first half of the sixteenth century. On this Ricecar album, both sacred and secular examples are presented, in polyphonic settings of three and four parts, or with the violin appearing as a solo instrument accompanied by lute or renaissance harp. Several pieces include a solo vocal line, beautifully sung in a pure and simple manner by early music specialist Sabine Lutzenberger. Baptiste Romain plays the renaissance violin and directs the Basel based ensemble Le Miroir de Musique, a group specializing in music of the late Middle Ages and Renaissance.

Most of the music here comes from Northern Italy and is based on vocal models; it is polyphonic and highly imitative. Aside from the renaissance violin, Le Miroir de Musique performs on lute, recorder, renaissance guitar and harp, and viola d'arco, an instrument slightly larger than the renaissance violin, which is played upright rather than off the shoulder, in the manner of a viola da gamba. Of course, no vibrato is present at all in these authentic performances of unpretentious musicality and transparent textures.

Including works by Jacob Obrecht, Josquin Desprez, Antoine Brumel and Adriaen Willaert, the album contains music by well known Renaissance masters as well as many lesser known composers including Costanzo Festa, Francesco Bendusi and Filippo da Lurano. It's a very pleasant hour of music, varied, gracefully performed and easy to enjoy. It also sheds light on the simple roots of an instrument that later would inspire composers to write some of the most virtuosic music in history.

Album Overview

Smaller stringed instruments began to be developed during the first half of the 16th century, maturing little by little into the vyollon, a term first employed at the court of Savoy in 1523. It was at this time that violins first began to appear in paintings, one of which is the fresco by Gaudenzio Ferrari that appears on the cover of this CD. The works recorded here put this period into a clear musical context and provide a fine array of contrasting works for these first violins: on one hand, there are not only works from the Franco-Flemish school that had been flourishing in Italy since the middle of the 15th century, but also works from the pure Italian style that was in the process of being reborn. Motets, ricercars, counterpoints, madrigals and dances are all discovered anew and extend our knowledge of period instruments even further. This, after all, is one of Ricercar's principal aims. This recording introduces the Miroir de Musique, an ensemble of young players, the majority of whom studied at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. We are proud to present an exciting programme of works performed by musicians who are able to ally musicology with emotion.

Source: Ricercar

Baptiste Romain, renaissance violin	Baptiste Romain, renaissance violin After studies in violin and composition at the Conservatoire National de Région in Rueil-Malmaison, Baptiste Romain went on to specialize in Medieval and Renaissance music, studying medieval fiddle, ancient bagpipes, and voice. Influenced by jazz and traditional music, he constantly searches for new ideas pertaining to the historically informed performance of early music, and is passionate about improvisation, vocal accompaniment, and the instrumental repertory. www.baptisteromain.com
Le Miroir de Musique	Le Miroir de Musique Le Miroir de Musique is an ensemble specialised in the music of the late middle ages and Renaissance, from the golden age of the troubadours to the humanist movements of the 16th century. Directed by Baptiste Romain, the ensemble is based in Basel (CH) and brings together the most prolific of the new generation of early music performers, many of whom are graduates of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. http://miroirdemusique.com
	Composers: Jacob Obrecht, Josquin Desprez, Johannes Ghiselin Verbonnet, Johannes Regis, Enguerandus Juvenis, Bartolomeo Tromboncino, Costanzo Festa, Antoine Brumel, Francesco Bendusi, Sebastiano Festa, Adriaen Willaert, Filippo da Lurano, Giovanni Bassano

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