Work
Arcadelt's Bass
for recorder quartet
Borrow/Hire:
To borrow items or hire parts please email SOUNZ directly at info@sounz.org.nz.
About
Arcadelt's Bass began life in 2004 during a visit to the International Museum and Lilbrary of Music in Bologna, Italy, when she noticed and copied down an interesting manuscript fragment. Dated 1539, Venice, it was part of a bass line from a madrigal by the Renaissance composer Jacques Arcadelt (c.1507 - 1568). When we asked Diana to contribute a work to this recording, she immediately thought of the fragment, identified as Desio perchè mi meni? from * Il Secondo Libro di Madrigali*. At the quartet's suggestion, Diana used the lower combination of treble, two tenor and bass recorders for the piece. The fragment is stated first by the bass recorder solo, and then by the other recorders in turn. A sequence of quasi-improvisatory solos leads into a driving, minimalist section, including a style brisé interchange between the two top lines, before returning to the calm counterpoint of the introduction and the final stretto statements.
— 'Goddesses' recorder quartet