Angelo Berardi, Canzona Sesta "Capriccio per Camera" // Lisa Steger

Angelo Berardi, Canzona Sesta "Capriccio per Camera"
Lisa Steger (Recorder)
This was recorded as part of the Lunchtime Concert Series at Wells Cathedral School (13.06.24)
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Angelo Berardi, although primarily known for his writings on music theory and counterpoint, also composed a set of 6 pieces for Violin and continuo. These compositions are characteristic of the “Stylus Fantasticus”, which emerged in Italy in the early 17th century and is defined by its virtuosic sense of freedom and expression. German scholar Athanasius Kircher describes it as “the most free and unrestrained method of composing, it is bound to nothing, neither to any words nor to a melodic subject, it was instituted to display genius and to teach the hidden design of harmony and the ingenious composition of harmonic phrases and fugues”. This paints an excellent picture of both the complexities of both harmony and rhythm exhibited by the composer and the room for improvisation given to the musicians in this kind of music. Jarring chromatic chords might be followed by a nice stately dance, just to be contradicted by a rhythmically challenging section only a few bars later.
Being made up of various small sections that feel like short movements, this “canzona” allows the composer to showcase a wide range of emotions and techniques. Interestingly, Berardi unites the four main countries of Baroque music (Italy, France, Germany and England) by including a subsection titled in each of those languages in this piece.
Berardi’s Canzona Sesta titled “Capriccio per camera”, the word “capriccio” wonderfully capturing the whimsical, spontaneous nature of the piece, embodies the very essence of the vibrant music of the 17th century and certainly never fails to surprise both musicians and listeners.

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manifique🎉👏. Danke Lisa😍