Orpheus' Lute. Improvisation and Wonder in Humanist Italy

Featuring

Bor Zuljan
Mónica Pustilnik
Joan Ambrosio Dalza
Johannes Ockeghem
Bartolomeo Tromboncino
Marco Dall'Aquila

Francesco da Milano
Antoine Busnois
Vincenzo Capirola
Giovanni Maria da Crema

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Historical Context

Musical improvisation gained value in Europe for the first time with the rise of Humanism in the 15th century, influenced by the rediscovery of Plato's writings.

Compositional Technique

The terms 'ricercar', 'fantasia', and 'tastar de corde' for early 16th-century musical genres reflect their profoundly experimental nature and connection to improvisation.

Historical Context

Johannes Tinctoris, a renowned late 15th-century music theorist, described improvising lutenists like Pietrobono del Chitarrino, who could improvise an extra part with admirable melodic inventions.

Instruments

The lute's association with ancient mythological figures like Orpheus was encouraged by one of its Latin names, 'lyra', while 'testudo' recalled the tortoise shell used to construct the first lyre.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Florentine humanists, particularly Marsilio Ficino's circle, believed that divinity expressed itself directly through inspired poets and musicians.

Recording & Production

This album is a result of the research project "Fantaisie - Le pouvoir de la musique" by Bor Zuljan at the Haute École de musique de Genève.

Compositional Technique

Renaissance musical improvisation was intrinsically linked to written polyphonic music, using the same counterpoint rules as composition, and was carefully prepared through memorized formulas.