Lute works

Nearly a century prior, Italy was already at the forefront of music, particularly in the realms of opera, accompanied song and madrigals, and lute works. Lute virtuoso Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger (c. 1580-1651) may have been born in Venice to a career soldier of German origin. The only documented portion of his life places him as both student and professional musician in Rome during the time of Frescobaldi, around 1624. Critical opinion held that he was better as performer than composer; something was lost when he set his ideas down on paper. However, so much of his original works are lost that we are handicapped in making such a judgment ourselves. The Toccata Prima from Book IV lasts about six minutes and alternates between measured sections and much freer, figurated passages that highlight the lute’s brilliant sound.

(c) Jason Stell