Concerto Scirocco, led by Swiss-Italian recorder and historical bassoon player Giulia Genini, is named after the stormy hot southern wind, referencing the enveloping sound of its core instruments.
Compositional Technique
The English masque, as shaped by poet Ben Jonson, often began with an 'antimasque'—a "spectacle of strangenesse"—serving as a comic or grotesque prelude to the main masque.
Compositional Technique
Divisions, a popular 17th-century English technique, involve breaking longer notes into shorter ones, allowing musicians to showcase their dexterity and inventiveness.
Historical Context
English courtly masques, grand entertainments held on special occasions like royal weddings, were designed to compete with Florentine intermedii and French ballet de cour.
Compositional Technique
The English fantasia style, exemplified by John Hilton's works, is centered on counterpoint, often combining improvisatory sections with active, dance-like or fanfare-like passages.
Composer's Artistic Vision
For Inigo Jones, an architect who designed costumes and scenery for masques, the visual spectacle embodied harmony, believing that "the same numbers that please the ear please the eye."
Recording & Production
This recording features a rich array of English instrumental music from the mid-16th to the end of the 17th century, spanning styles from sophisticated counterpoint to variations on popular tunes.
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