Kapsberger: Libro primo d’intavolatura di lauto

Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger was active in Italy during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, a time when many questions were arising about the unity of speech and music. Kapsberger was known to influence Girolamo Frescobaldi and Domenico Mazzocchi, but during his lifetime reactions to the composer differed wildly among his contemporaries; he was simultaneously hailed as a genius and reproached for his supposedly lack-lustre compositions. This disc presents the First Book of Tablature of 1611 in its entirety, with the pieces showing the influence of the stylus phantasticus, as outlined by the famous theorist Athanisius Kircher, in which music was not bound by words and could instead take on its own free form. Bulgarian Yavor Genov studied classical guitar at Sofia University, where he developed a keen interest in music of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods. He has performed in festivals and recitals throughout Europe and has recorded several pieces for Bulgarian National Radio. This disc marks Genov's first recording for Brilliant Classics. Other information: - New recording (March 2012, Studio of the Bulgarian National Radio, Stara Zagora) of lute music Girolamo Giovanni Kapsberger. The composer, of Austrian descent, settled in Rome in the beginning of the 17th century, and became a highly influential and famous virtuoso on the lute. - In his compositions for this instrument Kapsberger embraced the new style, the "Stilus Phantasticus", characterized by spontaneous changes, sharp contrasts, unusual rhythmic groupings, and in general a great feeling of freedom. He had great influence on generations after him, notably Froberger and Frescobaldi. - Young lutenist Yavor Genov, student of Jakob Lindberg, perfectly captures the style of Kapsberger in his wonderfully free, quasi-improvising playing. Additionally, he wrote the excellent liner notes himself. - Contains notes on the composer and a biography of the artist.