Topic: Recordings for lute and related instruments

[Mandryka]

Kapsberger's Libro terzo d'intavolatura di chitarone was only made available to the public in 2001, when it was bought by Yale. The toccatas in it have been hardly recorded at all -- but there is one CD which is dedicated to Book 3 -- by Diego Cantalupi



I must confess I am having great difficulty enjoying it, I don't know if it's me, the music, the performances or what.

[Mandryka]

Kapsberger's Libro terzo d'intavolatura di chitarone was only made available to the public in 2001, when it was bought by Yale. The toccatas in it have been hardly recorded at all -- but there is one CD which is dedicated to Book 3 -- by Diego Cantalupi



I must confess I am having great difficulty enjoying it, I don't know if it's me, the music, the performances or what.

And I’ve realised that my problem may be the instrument - a guitar.

[Que]

And I’ve realised that my problem may be the instrument - a guitar.

I noticed it as well, on Spotify. Same problem, lute music on a guitar is not my thing.

[Mandryka]

I noticed it as well, on Spotify. Same problem, lute music on a guitar is not my thing.

It's very hard for me to understand why he chose a guitar. The music in the book is explicitly for chitarone, which I think is a sort of theorbo. I don't think guitar was commonly used for unaccompanied music at the time, I don't believe that Kapsberger wrote out the toccatas in guitar-specific notation.

[Mandryka]

Thinking about Hopkinson Smith’s Bach has sent me listening to one of his teachers, Emilio Pujol. This is a really evocative recital disc - perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon - and I don’t think I’m kidding myself when I say that there’s something of Pujol’s style in Smith’s way of transcribing Bach’s first three cello suites,

[Mandryka]

Grégoire Brayssing worked out of France in the mid 16th century - the time of Gombert and people of that ilk. This is really top drawer music - contrapuntal, melodic, full of rhythmic interest, expressive and played with great commitment by Federico Rossignol on a lovely instrument, and state of the art recording by Brilliant. Lute related instrument recording of the year!




https://static.qobuz.com/goodies/36/000149763.pdf

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Videos of Toyohiko Sato:

https://youtu.be/B8_mNyphBHw

https://youtu.be/sT2e0fHy4hI

[SonicMan46]

Grégoire Brayssing worked out of France in the mid 16th century - the time of Gombert and people of that ilk. This is really top drawer music - contrapuntal, melodic, full of rhythmic interest, expressive and played with great commitment by Federico Rossignol on a lovely instrument, and state of the art recording by Brilliant. Lute related instrument recording of the year!




https://static.qobuz.com/goodies/36/000149763.pdf

Hi Mandryka - I listened to this excellent recording on Spotify not long ago after your previous posts - really enjoyed and likely will purchase - have you read any more info about the instrument, i.e. 'renaissance guitar', assume similar to a viheula - visited the luthier's website HERE but details are scant - Dave

[Mandryka]

Hi Mandryka - I listened to this excellent recording on Spotify not long ago after your previous posts - really enjoyed and likely will purchase - have you read any more info about the instrument, i.e. 'renaissance guitar', assume similar to a viheula - visited the luthier's website HERE but details are scant - Dave

I'm glad you enjoyed it, I know nothing about the guitar I'm afraid.

[SonicMan46]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, I know nothing about the guitar I'm afraid.

Well, just received the CD below - the instrument used is a 'renaissance guitar' made by Gabriel Aguilera in 2020 - link is from his website as is the second pic below; the guitar has 4 courses of strings w/ 3 doubled, i.e. 7 total strings; no detail about the woods used in the construction nor the nature of the strings (assume gut?).  Dave

 

[Que]

Well, just received the CD below - the instrument used is a 'renaissance guitar' made by Gabriel Aguilera in 2020 - link is from his website as is the second pic below; the guitar has 4 courses of strings w/ 3 doubled, i.e. 7 total strings; no detail about the woods used in the construction nor the nature of the strings (assume gut?).  Dave

 

I've been auditioning this recording on Spotify, and liked it very much.   

[SonicMan46]

I've been auditioning this recording on Spotify, and liked it very much.   

Hi Que - I've also listen initially on Spotify and decided to make the purchase - I'm still curious about the instrument's construction, mainly woods used and the nature of the strings - there is a 'contact' on the luthier's website - will send an email.  Dave

[Mandryka]

No, it’s not a whole Cd devoted to Gesualdo’s lute music! But this lutenist is OK I think, going by his Dowland and his Josquin.

What is most interesting to me about this release is how lyrical and chromatic the couple of pieces by Gesualdo are. The booklet says that Gesualdo probably composed on the lute: I’d love to hear some transcriptions of the later music. There’s some nice music by composers I don’t know - Saracini for example. Basically it’s a valuable recording, worth a listen

https://static.qobuz.com/goodies/34/000149743.pdf

[Que]

What is most interesting to me about this release is how lyrical and chromatic the couple of pieces by Gesualdo are. The booklet says that Gesualdo probably composed on the lute: I’d love to hear some transcriptions of the later music. There’s some nice music by composers I don’t know - Saracini for example. Basically it’s a valuable recording, worth a listen

https://static.qobuz.com/goodies/34/000149743.pdf

"Worth a listen" are these days the key words to trigger my Spotify (streaming) mindset...  I'll line it up!

[Mandryka]

"Worth a listen" are these days the key words to trigger my Spotify (streaming) mindset...  I'll line it up!

prepare yourself for the sound. He says he did it deliberately following a recommendation from Piccininni - long fingernails, close to bridge.

[Mandryka]

I will check out Diaz-Latorre soon, but what do you think of Hopkinson Smith in da Milano?
What do you not like about Pianca, is it just the lack of nuance? I usually like his playing in later music.

Just listened to this - from North of the alps. Although the music is much more simplistic it's also much more listenable. There is hope for me in 16th century lute music after all! (I usually like later Style brisé)


Bart Roose playing Neusidler

Finally got round to listening to this - or if I had heard it before I’d forgotten. There are some really substantial pieces of music here - Ein Sehr Kunstreicher Preambel Oder Fantasey and Andernacken Up Dem Rhin. There’s a new Neudsidle CD coming out on Brilliant next month and I’m keen to hear it now.

[Mandryka]

Having got to know Weichenberger through Toyohiko Satoh, this new release from Joachim Held represents a very different approach to the composer.

Here’s my initial reaction.

Held thinks that Weichenberger wrote dances for the feet, you kind of feel that you should clear the furniture away, open a bottle of Sekt and boogie.

Satoh, on the other hand, thinks that Weichenberger wrote dances for the soul. You feel that you should retreat into a contemplation of  the nature of truth, invention and the meaning of life.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Having got to know Weichenberger through Toyohiko Satoh, this new release from Joachim Held represents a very different approach to the composer.

Here’s my initial reaction.

Held thinks that Weichenberger wrote dances for the feet, you kind of feel that you should clear the furniture away, open a bottle of Sekt and boogie.

Satoh, on the other hand, thinks that Weichenberger wrote dances for the soul. You feel that you should retreat into a contemplation of  the nature of truth, invention and the meaning of life.

I enjoyed this recording while I had a mixed feeling about his Bach disc.
Just in case, have you listened to Sato’s Yugen (Ghostly/mysterious) and Alba Musica Kyo?

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lVQtomkXF05uNfmDTYesmQBTkLtE6cjrg

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nSRcDS3101vfZ5QUnkHIPoX7rVfh4UiSk