The Greco Brothers

This recording takes the listener to the heart of late 17th-century Naples, where brothers Rocco and Gaetano Greco were central figures in the city's flourishing musical life. Their works, based on the practice of partimento – an improvisation method that revolves around a given bass line – demonstrate the emancipation of the cello from a purely accompanying role to a fully expressive solo voice. Through lively dialogues between the low string instruments and the harpsichord, I Mastricelli bring a forgotten musical language back to life in which virtuosity, counterpoint and improvisation converge. The result is a rare insight into the creative processes that characterized the Neapolitan cello school and its lasting influence throughout Europe.