la Gamba

Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) is generally characterized nowadays as a “universal genius”, although any attempt to apply this term to a figure from the 15th or 16th centuries is not without its problems. After all, the view that an individual whose creative endeavours came from within himself was a “genius” is a radical innovation of the 17th and 18th centuries. Prior to that date it had not been the originality of the creative endeavour that was decisive for its status as a work of art but the category of imitatio – the artist’s ability to take his cue from models created by older authorities. Only in aemulatio – the artist’s desire to compete with and surpass his rivals – was there any scope for innovation. The present recording is largely centred around the frottola, a musical genre that emerged in Leonardo’s day from Upper Italian courts such as those of the House of Este (no. 10) and that is illustrated by pieces like Il marchese di Salutio (no. 1). The frottola quickly spread to the rest of Europe thanks not least to the printed editions produced by Ottaviano Petrucci. Among the composers who are mentioned by name, Bartolomeo Tromboncino (no. 18) and Marchetto Cara (nos. 5, 8 and 14) are among the frottola’s leading representatives.

Jordi Savall & Hespèrion XXI - Altre Follie, 1500-1750 (2005) {Alia Vox AVSA9844}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 430 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 181 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 17 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2005 Alia Vox | AVSA 9844
Classical / Renaissance / Baroque / Chamber Music

Throughout the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, as the new, centralized power of the absolute state was established in most European nations, royal courts all over Europe became the very heart of cultural and artistic life in their respective countries. They assembled an elite of aristocratic courtiers who were expected to master the principles of poetry, dance and vocal and instrumental music, as much as they were supposed to follow a strict and complex etiquette in all aspects of daily social interaction, adopt a luxurious and ever-changing fashion code, or sustain a refined conversation with a lady.

J. S. Bach - … per la viola da gamba …
Classical, Baroque | 1 CD | EAC | FLAC, CUE, LOG | Scans | 287 MB | Rapidshare
Recorded: 14-17 July 1999, Colnrade Church, Germany | Released: 1999 | Label: DHM/BMG 05472 77515 2 | TT: 65:17
Hille Perl - viola da gamba | Lee Santana - baroque lute | Andrew Lawrence-King - double harp | Veronika Skuplik - violin | Barbara Messmer - viola da gamba

[…] Per la viola da gamba is a solid, entirely satisfying, and authoritative-sounding hour of Bach. In particular, the gamba and lute transformation of Bach's "doubtful" Violin Sonata, BWV 1025, utilizing Sylvius Leopold Weiss' original lute part and transposing the Bach's violin part down an octave, sounds more natural and authentic than the familiar "doubtful" version. The Sonata BWV 1029 is played as a trio with continuo, and this approach lends a concertato effect to the sonata, which works well due to the obviously close relationship between this work and Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3. (Uncle Dave Lewis, All Music Guide)

Jordi Savall - La Folia, 1490-1701 (1998) {Alia Vox AV9805}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 315 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 128 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 26 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1998 Alia Vox | AV 9805
Classical / Renaissance / Baroque / Chamber Music

After years of playing the various Folias by Diego Ortiz, Antonio de Cabezón, Antonio Martín y Coll, Arcangelo Corelli and Marin Marais, it became clear to us that there were certain links between the origin and evolution of the important art of musical improvisation and variation and the viola da gamba, or bass viol, itself. In fact, it is no mere coincidence that, throughout the 16th century, and in places as different as France (Adrian Le Roy, 1551), Italy (Vicenzo Ruffo, 1564) and Germany (Matthäus Waissel, 1573), we find references in the various manuscripts and printed documents to the term “gamba”, used as a synonym for “Folia”.