The modern English term 'recorder' likely developed from its use as a portable musical aide-mémoire, due to its light weight and ease of learning new tunes.
Compositional Technique
Baroque composers often used bird imitations to skillfully break strict compositional rules, allowing them to incorporate repeated notes and unusual intervals.
Instruments
The English word 'recorder' provides a clear connection to birds, as the verb 'to record' was often used in texts to refer to birdsong.
Album & Artwork
The album explores the complex connections between the recorder instrument, the human voice, and the avian world, drawing on the symbolism of birds in past centuries.
Historical Context
In Baroque England, the recorder was considered a purely male instrument, and it was frowned upon and even deemed obscene for women to play it.
Cultural Impact
The goldfinch, or 'Il gardellino', was a popular and frequently depicted bird in Italian art due to its splendid plumage, and its Christian symbolism of endurance, fertility, and steadfastness was known to Vivaldi.
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