LAGRIME MIE

 

 

MUSIC BY

 

 

BARBARA STROZZI, STEFANO LANDI, G. KAPSBERGER, G. FRESCOBALDI

& GIULIO CACCINI

 

 

"Dolcissime sirene, Che ’n sì pietoso canto

Raddolcite mie pene Fate soave il pianto"

 

Sweetest Sirens, Who with such merciful singing

Sweeten my sufferings and Soften my weeping

(Francesca Caccini)

 

 

      The birth of the accompanied monody was such a big revolution in music at the beginning of the 17th Century in Italy. It brought with it several new forms such as arietta, villanella, cantata or canzona, together with the main new invention: the opera or dramma or favola in musica. Lagrime mie explores the expressiveness of these genres, all embraced by the stile rappresentativo and its vivid, emotional and dramatic qualities sought in the music of that time. 

 

      Among the composers of the time, we have made a selection of the most active and innovative. All of them developped in a very personal way the idea of recitar cantando, that is literally speaking while singing. Most of the lyrics referred to love and the myths.

 

      The emerging instrumental repertoire, during the Century, took its own path and abandoned its strict connection from the vocal forms, but still adopting the practise of the basso continuo to accompany solo instruments. Our specific choice focuses on the archlute, theorbo and violone solo sonatas which represent the emancipation of the instrumental music.

 

      The affects of the human being were widely used and amplified for guiding the compositions and making the music dramatic and moving. That’s why we have named the program Lagrime mie, being the tears (=lacrime) a strong and deep image found in many of the poems of the time.