Beyond Vivaldi: Lute Concertos

Featuring

Evangelina Mascardi
Riccardo Doni
Estrovagante
Johann Ludwig Krebs
Bernhard Joachim Hagen
Antonio Vivaldi

Jakob Friedrich Kleinknecht
Karl Kohaut

Did you know?

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Composition History

The Lautenkonzert genre was transformed in the early 18th century by the popularity of new Italian concertos, primarily those by Antonio Vivaldi.

Historical Context

While the lute fell out of fashion in France after the 17th century, it remained popular in German-speaking lands, especially in the Habsburg territories of Austria and Bohemia.

Compositional Technique

The term 'concerto' first appeared in the Renaissance to describe intimate chamber music, and this usage continued into 17th-century France.

Historical Context

During the 15th century, the lute was primarily used to accompany the human voice, but it increasingly appeared in combination with other instruments.

Instruments

The difficulty of playing the lute and its limited ability to modulate into remote keys prevented its survival as a concerto instrument beyond the time of Mozart.

Recording & Production

This album features a world premiere recording of a Lute Concerto in C major by Jakob Friedrich Kleinknecht.

Compositional Technique

In Vienna and Prague, a special form of chamber music called the Lautenkonzert developed, where a lute piece was accompanied by a small ensemble, usually a single violin and a bass instrument.