The chitarrone was a large relative of the lute, at first nearly interchangeable with the more common theorbo. As the instrument developed in the 17th century, it acquired several sets of low strings and a repertory designed to exploit its varied capabilities: it could render operatic-type declamations with booming basses, polyphonic songs, dense ricercar-like constructions, and most commonly difficult variation sets that displayed its whole range. The instrument is an unwieldy thing (the example played here has 15 courses) ...
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The chitarrone was a large relative of the lute, at first nearly interchangeable with the more common theorbo. As the instrument developed in the 17th century, it acquired several sets of low strings and a repertory designed to exploit its varied capabilities: it could render operatic-type declamations with booming basses, polyphonic songs, dense ricercar-like constructions, and most commonly difficult variation sets that displayed its whole range. The instrument is an unwieldy thing (the example played here has 15 courses), and the number of people worldwide who can play it competently is not large. Swedish player Jakob Lindberg is equal to its challenges, and this album presents a good sampling of the instrument's Italian repertory from the early 17th century (Giovanni Kapsberger, though born in Germany, moved to Italy as a young man and adopted an Italian name). There are a few study-like pieces, such as the Arpeggiata from Kapsberger's Book I, but most of the music lives up to the promised virtuoso...
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