Search - Arcangelo Corelli, Teatro Lirico, Giulio Caccini :: Teatro Lirico

Teatro Lirico
Arcangelo Corelli, Teatro Lirico, Giulio Caccini
Teatro Lirico
Genres: Pop, Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (12) - Disc #1

Teatro Lirico is the ECM leader debut of American lutenist Stephen Stubbs. The album features a diverse and multifaceted early music program connecting historically informed performance with improvisation. It offers a tr...  more »

     
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Album Description
Teatro Lirico is the ECM leader debut of American lutenist Stephen Stubbs. The album features a diverse and multifaceted early music program connecting historically informed performance with improvisation. It offers a traditional early music instrumentation with four highly informed and accomplished early music interpreters: Milos Valent - violin, viola, Maxine Eilander - Spanish and Italian harps, Erin Headley - viola da gamba, lirone and Stephen Stubbs - baroque guitar, chitarrone. The immediately appealing sets of Italian "La Folia" variations, both virtuosic and grand, are interspersed with stylistically assured improvisations on the "Folia" bass line. Originating in Portugal and Spain and later known in France as "folies d'espagne," the "Folia" variations over characteristic chord patterns started as mere dance accompaniments and harmonic basis for song, but in the early 17th century developed into a musical form allowing the musicians, especially the guitarists, to display their virtuosity. In the recording process with ECM producer Manfred Eicher, the improvisational element came more to the fore not only in the typical baroque way of ornamenting and embellishing given melodies and chords, but as spontaneous and highly individual sets of new variations over the "Folia" bass line.

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CD Reviews

A Gem
A. Siegel | 09/10/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Neither the title nor the cover art give away the fact that this new CD contains some extremely beautiful and subtle music in the renaissance and early baroque style. With four stringed instruments, Stephen Stubbs and Teatro Lirico have a surprising fullness of sound and a lovely style. I bought this CD for its interpretations of the traditional dance "La Folia", and I was not disappointed. The second track, entitled "Improvisation I", is the best set of Folia variations I have ever heard, with great respect paid to the tradition of this great theme, but with many touches that are pleasing to the modern ear. There are three other tracks of Folia variations, and many other pieces as well, all of which are superb."
Stunning Baroque String Music
Vanilor | Colorado | 04/12/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD features music by a number of early Baroque composers, including Corelli and Caccini. The music is arranged for an ensemble variously consisting of violin, viola, Spanish and Italian harps, viola da gamba, lirone, Baroque guitar, and chitarrone. The pieces are generally quite melancholy and seem to have been inspired by the works of John Dowland. Every piece is quite beautiful - the emotion and musicality are unmatched. The CD closes with a short piece for solo baroque guitar, written and played by Stephen Stubbs - it's amazing how well he can write this style of music and not have it sound derivative."