Search - Frescobaldi, Antiquo, Hoffmann :: Libro D'Arie Musicalli Per Cantarsi Nel

Girolamo Frescobaldi was the most significant figure in Italian keyboard music. Born in the northern city of Ferrara, he had the patronage of the ruling Este family, who had established the city as a major artistic and cultural centre, actively encouraging the avent-garde. By the end of his life, his influence was wide ranging, and composers as diverse as John Blow, J.S Bach, and Johann Frohberger all learned a lot from the Italian master. He provides a link between Victoria and Palestrina and the high baroque of J.S Bach, Domenico and Alessandro Scarlatti and Vivaldi. Arie musicali is a disarmingly simple title for a large-scale complex work, which encompasses arias, recitatives, settings of sonnets, variations, and strophic arias for one, two and three voices. Tradition and innovation are all mixed together. The subject matter of the settings is predominately love -- happy or unhappy. On places the writing looks forward to the style of Bach's cantatas, and some of the numbers can be considered as mini cantatas. This 2CD set is the first time the complete Arie musicale has been recorded.