Bellerofonte Castaldi: Battaglia d’amore
The Modenese firebrand, lute virtuoso, composer, poet and artist Bellerofonte Castaldi (1580-1649) — the Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen of his day — set his own poems to his own music in a lyrical style that captured the dynamism of the emerging Baroque. Castaldi's dance-songs and madrigals for one, two or more voices — drawn from his monody collection Primo mazzetto (Venice, 1623) and the manuscript Modena 239 (c. 1670) — framed his hopes, dreams and disappointments with fresh and unforgettable melodies. The duos for theorbo and tiorbino, a tiny theorbo that Castaldi himself invented, are contrapuntal showpieces from his Capricci a due stromenti (Modena, 1622), a highly unusual collection of theorbo solos and duos, songs and poetry that he himself engraved and decorated with his own freehand artwork.
Gian Paolo Fagotto, tenor
David Dolata, lute, director
Victor Coelho, lute
Neil Cockburn, harpsichord
Il-Furioso, ensemble
Listen To This Recording:
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Battaglia d’amore (early 17th c.)
- O Clorida
- Saetta pur saetta
- O crudel amor
- Quella che tanto
- Echo, prima parte
- Echo, seconda parte
- Quagliotta canzone
- Hor meno lieti
- Fuor di noia
- Occhi belli
- Lo sdegno
- Canzon quinta detta Bellerofonte (Frescobaldi)
- Felice e contento
- Pieno di bellezze
- Porter
CD Classico :
‘La selezione di queste canzoni, tratte dalla raccolta Primo Mazzetto (Venezia, 1623) è impreziosita da alcune gemme puramente strumentali che mostra dunque l’altro aspetto di Castaldi, ossia quello realtivo alla tiorba, strumento che dominava come pochi nel periodo, e per il quale scrisse pregevoli brani. Nella fattispecie sono presentati alcuni duetti per tiorba e tiorbino, unico esempio di duetti per questi due strumenti. Queste erano le vere “Hits” del secolo e riascoltando questo disco, capiamo bene il perchè.’
—Gabriele Formenti, CD Classico
MusicWeb International :
‘The playing of the lutenists leaves nothing to be desired […]
This disc offers a most interesting and musically captivating portrait of an intriguing early 17th century Italian figure.’
—Johan van Veen, MusicWeb International
Fanfare Magazine :
‘The instrumental works are exquisitely detailed, with the final piece, the battle duet between the theorbo and tiorbino, nothing less than a sort of baroque dueling banjos, replete with marching rhythms, echo effects, and virtuoso moments.
Dolata’s group, Il Furioso, performs this disc with skill and sensitivity. Sopranos Laura Fabris, Janet Youngdahl, and Eugenia Corrieri are all spot on in terms of pitch and blend well, while Gian Paolo Fagotto provides a powerful and secure foil in his pieces. The accompaniment of Victor Coelho and Dolata can be nicely subdued, giving the vocal numbers a troubadour quality, but in their solos they truly shine. For those interested in an alternative world to Monteverdi or the beginnings of the Venetian style, this is an indispensable disc.’
—Bertil van Boer, Fanfare Magazine July/August 2013