The Art of the Cornetto

The Art of Song

Seventeenth Century Italian Music

September 12, 2010, 4:00 p.m.

First United Methodist Church

Eugene, Oregon

Ensemble Primo Seicento

Oregon Bach Collegium - Ensemble Primo Seicento

The Art of the Cornetto - The Art of Song

Sonata nona sopra l’aria del Tenor di Napoli Salamone Rossi (c. 1570-1630)* * *

In medio maris Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677)Cor mundum Giovanni Paolo Cima (c. 1570-1630)Erat Petrus Barbara Strozzi

* * *Capriccio a due Andrea Cima (fl. 1606-1627)La Vendetta Barbara StrozziLagrime mie Barbara Strozzi

* * *Canzona la Rizza Giovanni Battista Riccio (fl. 1609-1621)L’ Amante segreto Barbara Strozzi

* * *Regina coeli Giovanni Battista RiccioNascente Maria Barbara StrozziDomine in tua misericordia Giovanni Battista Riccio

* * *Amor dormiglione Barbara StrozziBasta così v’ho inteso Barbara StrozziL’ Astratto Barbara Strozzi

* * *O pretiosum et admirandum convivium Giovanni Battista RiccioGaude Virgo Barbara StrozziNisi Dominus Giovanni Antonio Rigatti (1615-1649)

Ensemble Primo Seicento Anna Seitz, sopranoDoug Sears and Sarah Viens, cornetto Catherine Olson, sopranoJim Rich, dulcian & bass Laura Zaerr, harpMargret Gries, harpsichord & organ

Program notes by Jim Rich

We have a dual focus for this afternoon’s performance: one is the cornetto, that exotichybrid (trumpet-type mouthpiece, recorder-style finger holes) which for the first half ofthe 17th century shared center stage with the upstart violin; the other is the music ofBarbara Strozzi, one of the most remarkable performers/composers of the same period.

Those of you who heard Ensemble Primo Seicento’s Central Lutheran performanceheard the cornetto in both of its roles, one as an obbligato instrument accompanying thevoice, the other as a substitute for the voice. In the former role, the cornetto was oftencalled upon to decorate the ritornelli of vocal works as well as to take the leading role insonatas and canzonas for one or two treble instruments with basso continuo. Composersof the period were often purposefully ambiguous in designating instrumentation, callingthe high instrumental parts “canto”, meaning “soprano” or “treble”. Others specified“cornetto”, some “cornetto overo violino”, and others, toward the end of the period,“violino”, recognising the increasing rarity of musicians proficient on the instrument. Of course, by the second half of the century, violin parts took on a character specificonly to that instrument with parts in range and technique exceeding the possiblities of thecornetto, or indeed, any wind or brass instrument. The Rigatti Nisi Dominus calls for twoviolins, but the music was in no way idiomatic for that instrument and the substitution ofcornetti is in no way a distortion. Barbara Strozzi, characterized by her peers as virtuosissima cantatrice (most virtuosicsinger), was a major figure in the musical and intellectual life of Venice, itself the musicalcenter of the dawning baroque style in all of Europe. The adopted daughter of the poetGiulio Strozzi (and probably his “natural” daughter), she was not only a celebratedperformer, but, especially in terms of published works, one of Italy’s most prolificcomposers as well. Her six opuses consist entirely of works for a solo voice with bassocontinuo, some simple songs, others complex works with alternating song-like andrecitative-like sections. That proto-musicologist and founder of London’s Academy ofAncient Music (a concert series of music at least a dozen (!) years old) Johann ChristophPepusch in his 1714 publication of a set of his own cantatas credited Strozzi with thecreation of the cantata. Strozzi was also a member of both the Venetian “academies”, the Accademia degliUnisoni where she often performed, and attended by Cavalli and probably Monteverdi,and the Accademia degli Incogniti, a more liberal, even anti-clerical, gathering. Theformer group met at the Strozzi palace where she not only served as hostess, but as leaderof the philosophical debates on the subject of love. One debate decided that music was abetter inspiration for love than tears, whose conclusion she seconded: “Few of you wouldhave attended had it been to see me cry rather than to hear me sing”.

Coming up from the Oregon Bach Collegium:

Sunday, January 9th, 2-8pm, United Lutheran Church, EugeneWinter Workshop 2011: Music, the Food of LoveDances, Madrigals, Ayres and Instrumental Music for Shakespeare to PlayfordGayle & Philip Newman, renaissance winds & brass. Shira Kammen, vielle & viols.David Rogers, lute. Judy Kennedy, renaissance dance. Open to all dancers, singers, wind,string & brass players with some ensemble experience.

Sunday, Feb. 13th, 3pm, United Lutheran Church, 2230 Washington Street, EugeneProdigal Sons: Leipzig U law school dropouts who became successful musicians anddisappointed their parents. Telemann, Heinichen, Graupner & Stoelzle concertos, cantatasand quartets. Margret Gries, harpsichord & director.

Saturday, April 16th, 7pm, United Lutheran Church, EugeneAlto Ego: the alto voice, vocal and instrumental; viola & oboe d'amore. Neglectedrepertoire especially for viola with Kate Rogers, baroque viola; Ralph Strycker Chapman,baroque 'cello; Jim Rich, oboe d'amore & baritone; & Margret Gries, harpsichord &director.

For ticket and other information, visit www.oregonbachcollegium.org