Violino over cornetto

In the 16th century, the art of elevated conversation was a subject of great interest, both in learned academies and in the verbal games of social gatherings. When musical virtuosos learned to 'speak' through their instruments, it was only logical that they also began to 'converse'. The ensemble Seicento Stravagante gives us an example of this "musical conversation", here between three musicians. In works by 13 Italian composers from the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Seicento Stravagante recreates the splendor of early Baroque music, when composers wove many individual "voices" (vocal or instrumental) into a harmonious whole. Although the compositions could often be performed on different instruments, they were best realized on the violin and the cornetto (or cornett). The two instruments developed an increasingly close bond, making them practically interchangeable. Thanks to this recording, we can enjoy the subtle blend of sounds from these two instruments and the richness of Italian instrumental music from that period.