Forma Antiqva, founded in 1998 by the brothers Aarón, Daniel and Pablo Zapico in Asturias, is considered to be the most courageous baroque ensemble in Spain. With variable formations - from the trio of the Zapico brothers (Concerto Zapico) to the baroque orchestra with outstanding performers of the young generation - the Zapicos deal with repertoire of the 17th / 18th centuries and the present in an original and bold way: from Spanish dance music to great works of the late baroque, including legacy revivals by authors such as Vicente Baset.
Si hablamos de Domenico Scarlatti lo primero que nos viene a la cabeza son sus más de quinientas sonatas para clave, plenas de virtuosismo, hondura y elegancia, que siempre han tentado a los clavecinistas más osados. Sin embargo, en la producción de Scarlatti hay otras composiciones igualmente interesantes y exquisitas, y buena muestra de ellas nos ofrece el joven al tiempo que brillante conjunto asturiano Forma Antiqva en su último disco –Sopra Scarlatti– que es una maravilla del principio al fin… y la prueba fehaciente de que los músicos españoles tienen mucho y bueno que decir.
The Spanish baroque ensemble Forma Antiqva rescues forgotten masterpieces. The conductor and artistic director Aarón Zapico opens the musical treasury in the archives of Oviedo Cathedral and presents Spanish masterpieces of the 17th century to the world. Each individual work is a premiere recording, including six vocal pieces by Joaquín Lázaro (1746-1786) — the soprano Jone Martínez brings these love arias about the highest, divine love to life again — and two anonymous instrumental pieces and a violin concerto. Forma Antiqva, conducted by Aarón Zapico, is one of the most outstanding baroque ensembles in Spain. Zapico places special work on the discovery of Spanish baroque music. The maestro unearths gems and performs them with his ensemble as if the ink were still wet on 17th-century sheet music. Very exciting!