Beginnings of music as we now know it?

[Larry Kart]

Comment from Amazon on this CD:

http://www.amazon.com/Luzzaschi-Concerto-delle-Dame-Ferrara/dp/B0000007MZ/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1431094807&sr=1-5&keywords=Luzzaschi

from a guy I know of who is widely versed in music in general and early music in particular (a scholar in the field, he also plays the bassoon and related instruments). The key passage I’ve emphasized. BTW, the music he's speaking of is amazing — really good and also it sounds unique, like a cross between Frescobaldi and/or Bellini but a Bellini who has listened to Frescobaldi. BTW Luzzaschi was Frescobaldi's teacher, which is saying something.

'The twelve madrigals on this CD were composed by Luzzasco Luzzaschi sometime around 1579, during the first years of the marriage of Margherita Gonzaga to Alfonso d"Este, Duke of Ferrara. They were intended to be sung by three court ladies, attendants of the Duchess, who were fabulously skilled in music. Court ladies naturally couldn't sing just anywhere; they performed only in the private chamber of the Duchess, to which a very select number of high-ranking guest might be invited. The fame of the Three ladies became such that ambassadors, nuncios, and even sovereigns clamored to be included, and thus a new tool of diplomacy was invented. Soon every fashionable court in Italy was eager to have its own ensemble of madrigalists. High times, in short, for composers such as Luzzaschi.

'But the impression made upon music was more than a fashion for women's voices. Unlike the madrigals and motets of previous generations, which were enjoyed chiefly by the singers themselves in the act of singing, these madrigals were intended to be admired by an audience, and in fact an audience that could NOT possibly sing them also, lacking the three ladies' virtuosity. Thus the whole relationship of music to audience began the seismic shift that would eventually lead to the construction of concert halls with paid public admission.'

The price of this CD was a bit rich for my blood at the moment, but I've ordered another more reasonably priced Luzzaschi CD that should also be good and probably will get this one if and when my ship comes in.

[mikeweil]

This is a more recent (2010) and musically superior recording of these pieces, as well asone of the fifth book of madrigals:

La Venexiana is currently the best Italian vocal ensemble for this music, their complete recording of Monteverdi's madrigals is highly recommended.

Our picture of Luzzaschi's music will probably remain incomplete - e.g. his keyboard music was presumed lost except for a few pieces copied in manucript collections. Only in 1980 a single handwritten copy of one of his three printed collections of keyboard pieces was discovered and reprinted, the first recording is this CD:

An excellent recording, btw, and at low price (at least in Europe). The gentleman on the cover is Luzzaschi.

I am convinced that virtuosic music to be performed only by trained singers and/or instrumentalists in exquisite circles is much older than that, and found in any culture with elaborate musical traditions.

Edited May 9, 2015 by mikeweil

[Chuck Nessa]

Are we really searching for Note One, like the beginnings of AIDS.

[johnblitweiler]

Since when is music like AIDS?

[AllenLowe]

when it's bad, it's really hard to get rid of.

maybe more like a rash.

Edited May 8, 2015 by AllenLowe

[Larry Kart]

Are we really searching for Note One, like the beginnings of AIDS.

I just thought that Amazon post was interesting. Also, as we know, the very first jazz musician was Wingy Marsalis.

Mike: I ordered the 1999 La Venexiana Quinto Libro recording. If it's as good as I think it might be, I'm in for "Concerto della Dame." Already have the keyboard music CD, which is what started me down the Luzzaschi road. Amazing how at my age and given all that I've listened to over the years, I keep running across terrific new (in this case "old") music. Also, Mike, as for virtuosity in performance, of course (and I'm speaking here only of Western music) there was music of daunting complexity in prior eras but not AFAIK music that required performers to come up with the sort of individual vocal acrobatics/registral extensions that Luzzachi's music apparently did (I say "apparently" because at this point I've only heard samples on Spotify).

There's also the private performance for invited guests aspect of things, which suggests that something about this music was regarded as rare in nature, with little or no precedent, by those who elicted it and those who came to hear it.

[SMB1968]

Are we really searching for Note One, like the beginnings of AIDS.

You are going to have to search long and hard for a note before this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBhB9gRnIHE

[Larry Kart]

Are we really searching for Note One, like the beginnings of AIDS.

You are going to have to search long and hard for a note before this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBhB9gRnIHE

Sounds something like Hamza El Din. Remember him?