ARTEMANDOLINE

Luz y Norte


The specifically instrumental music of the Spanish Baroque, which has survived, constitutes the continuation of the magnificent Renaissance triumvirate of keyboard, harp, and vihuela. With this concert we go through two centuries of an eclectic and complex tradition, two centuries of fruitful contrasts, two centuries of Spanish and Neapolitan music. An incredible way of the mandolin through the centuries in the Kingdom of Naples and at the Court of Spain. A rare, original and authentic music. An abundant source of manuscripts of the time testifies to this enthusiasm.


Works by: Ribayaz, Gaspar Sanz, Falconieri, Scarlatti, Santiago de Murcia, Boccherini…Performers : 6/7 musicians.

But very soon the Italianism invaded the peninsula from the second half of the seventeenth century except for the sacred music where the innovations of the baroque style will not have immediate access. That said, Spanish music will retain a strong local colour throughout the baroque period. The mandolin found great success with the nobility and the capitals’ middle classes from 1750 onwards. Many noblemen had their own mandolin teachers and numerous compositions were played all over Europe – in Paris, London, Lisbon, Madrid, Vienna, St Petersburg, Carlsbad and Brussels, for example.

REVIEW

[...] Artemandoline has qualities beyond the technique : the members of the ensemble are musicians up to the tip of their foot and they force admiration. Does not the Vivaldi concerto dazzle us with a perfectly Venetian character? Is not the quartet of C. Stamitz a little jewel thanks to a wonderfully playful game and subtle nuances in colors and dynamics?

Pizzicato Revue. R. Franck.