Casa Concert vr 09 sept "Stillo Moderno on Archlute (original music for Archlute in 17 Century Italy)" by Shizuko Noiri

"Stillo Moderno“ on Archlute (Original music for Archlute in 17 Century Italy)
Japanese lute player, living in Amsterdam Shizuko Noiri presents today a very special concert about one moment of revolution in the music in the XVII Century. Shizuko: “It was a period of discovering, changing, inventing and challenging. New musical style, new musical instruments! Across Renaissance era, early 17 century in Italy new musical style appeared, “Stillo Moderno”. This was the beginning of Baroque Music. Original music was composed for Archlute in Italy”.

Music got freedom from the limitation of strict counterpoints. On the other hand, text, expression of emotion, drama became very important. People were excited with “Affetto (feeling)”, express emotions through texts, harmony specially dissonances.  New way of making music was called “Seconda Practica” or “Recitare Canare” as “sing a song like talking”.

Musical theater “Opera” was born in this period, to tell the story on the music.

Lute was most loved music instruments since Renaissance era with beautiful sounds and specially by playing polyphony music on one instrument.

Early 17 century new instrument “Theorbo” or “Chittarrone” was created from lute family. They were giant lute with extra long bass strings to accompany singers singing & talking .

What more lute players and luthiers (the makers of the instrument) did ? They changed the lute, too, adding extension bass strings to Renaissance lute. And so “Archlute” or “Liuto a Theorbato” was invented.

Why they changed the most loved and perfect shape of the lute?  They must really loved lute sounds and unique possibility of the lute . Lute is a very delicate instrument and possible to change the color of the sounds and dynamics through the touch.

Therefore lute was one of the most suitable music instrument for new music style to express “Affetto”. Reading 17 century Archlute music, it is clear that lute players & lute composer were extremely excited with new invented instruments and new way of playing. Full of using extreme dissonance by Kapsberger composition lead us very emotional music and specific atmosphere . Virtuoso running bass passage by Piccinini composition show us great possibility of expression. Exactly same motives from Monteverdi or Cavalli opera appear at the lute book by Doni. Some toccata are free style even without bar lines. And still there are master works of polyphony music.

These music for Archlute shows us the musical world of “Seconda Practica”, with full of discovery, surprising and excitement. Wishing to share this music with you I present the today’s program.

Shizuko will play music composed by Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger (ca. 1580-1651) from Libro Primo D’Intavolatura di Lauto, Roma 1611; by Alessandro Piccinini ( 1566-1638) from Intavolatura di Liuto, Bologna 1639 & Intavolatura di Liuto et di Chitarrone, Libro Primo, Bologna 1623; by Pietro Paulo Melii (1579-1623) from Intavolatura di Liuto, Venezia  1616 & 1620. And  from  Manuscript “Libro di Leuto  di  Gioseppe Antonio Doni”, Perugia 17 century.

They are Toccata, Dance music like Gagliarda, Corrente, and variations like Passacaglia, Ciaccona, etc.

Shizuko
Shizuko Noiri was born in Kyoto, Japan. After graduation in Music, She continued her studies of early music and lute with Eugen Dombois and Hopkinson Smith at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (Basel), where she attained her soloist Diploma in 1991.

Since then she has appeared as a soloist and continuo player throughout Europe, the USA, Israel, Argentina, Australia and Japan with the finest baroque ensemble including Concerto Vocale, Ensemble 415, Freiburger Baroque Orchestra, Akademie fűr Alte Musik Berlin, Bach Collegium Japan, Concerto Kőln. Since 1995 she is the regular lute player for Concerto Vocale under René Jacobs with various Baroque Opera, Oratorio and Cantata performances and recordings.  She is a founding member of the ensemble Les Plaisirs du Parnasse.

She has released two solo CD’s: G.A. Casteliono: Intabolatura de Leuto de diversi autori, Milano 1563 and Giovanni Zamboni Romano “Sonate d’intavolatura di Leuto, Lucca 1718”, which received a special award at the Record Arts, Japan.

Link to Shizuko Noiri’s site.