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CD recording of Italian virtuoso music for chittarone

This CD aims to widen understanding of the chitarrone, an instrument that was so very important for early monody and the birth of opera. Invented in Italy during the last decades of the 16th century, this type of lute spread across Europe where it became known as theorbo, théorb or theorbe. The CD focuses on the early Italian solo repertoire, featuring three virtuosi; G Kapsperger, A Piccinini and B Castaldi. By juxtaposing music by these very different composers their inventiveness and their individual styles are manifestly revealed.

Performers of the chitarrone (theorbo) today often reduce the string lengths to have an instrument easier both to play and transport. Avoiding these compromises, my recording features a large instrument of authentic proportions strung entirely in gut. It is similar in design to the chitarrone by Magnus Tieffenbrucker (Magno Dieffopruchar), Venice, 1608, catalogue number 26 in the RCM’s Museum of Music. Careful study of composers’ instructions at the beginning of their publications was important for the interpretations. By performing the repertory in concerts in England and abroad, the programme was gradually modified to optimize the final choice of pieces recorded for BIS.

The large size of the instrument, its tuning and stringing brought life to these works. Quick left hand slurs were made easier by the long string length of the stopped strings and the transition from the 6th string to the first long diapason (this 7th string is a tone in lower in pitch but almost twice as long!) makes musical sense. The different arpeggiations of chords, described in detail in the original prints, form an integral part of the musical language.

The CD has worldwide distribution and has received enthusiastic reviews in England and abroad. It can be streamed online through various media and is available on Spotify.