Musica Fiorita was an ensemble for baroque music founded in 1990 and based in
Basel
Basel ( ; ), also known as Basle ( ), ; ; ; . is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine (at the transition from the High Rhine, High to the Upper Rhine). Basel is Switzerland's List of cities in Switzerland, third-most-populo ...
, which was conducted by the harpsichordist Daniela Dolci. The ensemble concentrated in particular on rediscovering unknown works by composers of the 17th and 18th centuries and their
historical performance practice. In March 2020, it ceased its concert activities.
The Ensemble
For 30 years, the ensemble, under the direction of Daniela Dolci, performed works of the late Renaissance and the
Baroque
The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
, being committed to historical performance practice and , as well as to new ways of musical interpretation
.
The instrumentation with instruments such as
cornet
The cornet (, ) is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. There is also a soprano cor ...
,
baroque violin
A Baroque violin is a violin set up in the manner of the baroque period of music. The term includes original instruments which have survived unmodified since the Baroque period, as well as later instruments adjusted to the baroque setup, and moder ...
,
transverse flute
A transverse flute or side-blown flute is a flute which is held horizontally when played.Powell, A. (2001). Transverse flute. Grove Music Online. Retrieved 6 Feb. 2024 The player blows across the embouchure hole, in a direction perpendicular to ...
,
viola da gamba
The viola da gamba (), or viol, or informally gamba, is a bowed and fretted string instrument that is played (i.e. "on the leg"). It is distinct from the later violin family, violin, or ; and it is any one of the earlier viol family of bow (m ...
among others as well as the
basso continuo
Basso continuo parts, almost universal in the Baroque era (1600–1750), provided the harmonic structure of the music by supplying a bassline and a chord progression. The phrase is often shortened to continuo, and the instrumentalists playing th ...
group with
lute
A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck (music), neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted.
More specifically, the term "lu ...
,
theorbo
The theorbo is a plucked string instrument of the lute family, with an extended neck that houses the second pegbox. Like a lute, a theorbo has a curved-back sound box with a flat top, typically with one or three sound holes decorated with rose ...
, baroque guitar,
salterio
Salterio is the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese term for either of two types of zither: the hammered dulcimer or psaltery.
Concept, etymology
'' 'Salterio' ''/'' 'saltério' ''is used in Italian and Spanish where both 'psaltery' and 'dulcimer' ...
,
harp
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orchestras or ...
,
harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...
and
organ
Organ and organs may refer to:
Biology
* Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function
* Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body.
Musical instruments
...
aimed at exploring the wealth of finest nuances in 17th century music and 18th century music and to bring it to life. One of the ensemble's focuses was the re-performance of forgotten scores.
In the mixture
vocal music and
instrumental music
An instrumental or instrumental song is music without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer t ...
and in the contrast between
church music
Church music is a genre of Christian music written for performance in church, or any musical setting of ecclesiastical liturgy, or music set to words expressing propositions of a sacred nature, such as a hymn.
History
Early Christian musi ...
and secular works, the ensemble offered a programme with music of the early and high baroque. The performances of selected
chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...
were occasionally staged as social events.
While the members of the ensemble came from many parts of the world, they all aspired to the same sound, especially since most of them had studied at the
Schola Cantorum Basiliensis
The Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (SCB) is a music academy and research institution located in Basel, Switzerland, that focuses on early music and historically informed performance. Faculty at the school have organized performing ensembles that hav ...
, i.e. came from the same school.
The ensemble gave numerous concerts in Western and Eastern Europe, North and South America and Asia and was present at relevant festivals.
Artistic direction - Daniela Dolci
The Sicilian Daniela Dolci studied
early music
Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750) or Ancient music (before 500 AD). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad Dates of classical ...
with a major in historical keyboard instruments at the
Schola Cantorum Basiliensis
The Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (SCB) is a music academy and research institution located in Basel, Switzerland, that focuses on early music and historically informed performance. Faculty at the school have organized performing ensembles that hav ...
in Basel. Subsequently, she worked with
Gustav Leonhardt
Gustav Maria Leonhardt (30 May 1928 – 16 January 2012) was a Dutch keyboardist, conductor, musicologist, teacher and editor. He was a leading figure in the historically informed performance movement to perform music on period instruments.
Leo ...
in Amsterdam in order to further her education. The main focus of her interest, inspired by her work with
Jesper Bøje Christensen
Jesper Bøje Christensen (born 3 December 1944) is a Danish harpsichordist and music researcher, especially in the field of basso continuo.
Life
Born in Copenhagen, Christensen was a lecturer in historical composition, continuo and performance ...
, is the original continuo practice according to 17th and 18th century sources. Her varied activities include concerts, opera performances, television and radio recordings with her and other ensembles
René Jacobs
René Jacobs (born 30 October 1946) is a Belgian musician. He came to fame as a countertenor, but later in his career he became known as a conductor of baroque and classical opera.
Biography Countertenor
Born in Ghent, Jacobs began his musi ...
- Bach Days Berlin,
Hans-Martin Linde - Moscow Chamber Music Festival; with her ensemble MUSICA FIORITA in Tallinn and Riga, St. Petersburg, Oude Muzijk Utrecht; Händel Music Festival in Göttingen, Early Music Days Herne, Innsbruck Early Music Festival; tours in Japan, Poland, Italy, Germany, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay; dance projects in collaboration with baroque dance groups; musicological symposia etc.). CDs recordings are available with the ensembles Dulzainas and Concerto di Viole as well as with Ivan Monighetti.
Dolci gives equal weight to the
educational aspect. She gives lectures on female composers and performance practice in early music and gives basso continuo and ensemble
master class
''Master Class'' is a 1995 play by American playwright Terrence McNally, presented as a fictional master class by opera singer Maria Callas near the end of her life, in the 1970s. The play features incidental vocal music by Giuseppe Verdi, Giac ...
es in (Leipzig, Riga, Moscow, St.Petersburg, Puerto Madryn and Mendoza (Argentina), Santa Cruz (Bolivia), University of Potenza, Matera and Bologna). Meanwhile, she also conducts modern formations that want to deepen their knowledge of early music. In 2006, she was awarded the title of Peace Ambassador through Music by the Honorary Citizens of Chiquito, Bolivia. In 2008, she was awarded the
Cavaliere dell'Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana by the Italian Republic in recognition of her efforts for Italian culture abroad. In 2010, she received the Hans Roth Prize from Bolivia.
Recordings
* ''Die Herrlichkeit der Erden muss Rauch und Asche werden'' – Music and poetry from the time of the
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...
, recitant:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (; 28 May 1925 – 18 May 2012) was a German lyric baritone and conductor of classical music. One of the most famous Lieder (art song) performers of the post-war period, he is best known as a singer of Franz Schubert's ...
* ''Celebremus cum gaudio'' – Work by
Johann Melchior Gletle Johann Melchior Gletle (July 1626 – 6 September 1683) was a Swiss organist, Kapellmeister and composer.
Life
Gletle was born in Bremgarten. He was a prolific composer of church music - masses, psalms, motets, and also several pieces for the trom ...
* ''Portrait'' – Work by
Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre
Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to:
People
* Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name)
* Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth''
* Princess Elizabeth ...
* Oratorio ''
Alexius of Rome
Saint Alexius of Rome or Alexius of Edessa (, ''Alexios''), also Alexis, was a fourth-century Greeks, Greek monk who lived in anonymity and is known for his dedication to Christ. Two versions of his life exist, one in Syriac language, Syriac and ...
'' –
Camilla de Rossi
Camilla may refer to:
People
* Camilla (given name), including a list of people with the name
* Queen Camilla (b. 1947), wife of Charles III, king of the Commonwealth realms
Characters
* Camilla (mythology), daughter of King Metabus and Casmil ...
detta la Romana
* ''Arie, Lamenti e Cantate'' – Work by
Barbara Strozzi
Barbara Strozzi (also called Barbara Valle; baptised 6 August 1619 – 11 November 1677) was an Italian composer and singer of the Baroque Period. During her lifetime, Strozzi published eight volumes of her own music, and had more secular ...
* ''Canzoni, Danze e Variazioni'' – Work by
Tarquinio Merula
Tarquinio Merula (24 November 1595 – 10 December 1665) was an Italian composer, organist, and violinist of the early Baroque era. Although mainly active in Cremona, stylistically he was a member of the Venetian school. He was one of the most pr ...
* ''Sonate Concertate in Stil Moderno'' – Work by
Dario Castello
Dario Castello (Venice, bapt. 19 October 1602 - Venice 2 July 1631) was an Italian composer and violinist from the early Baroque period who worked and published in Venice. As a composer, he was a late member of the Venetian School and had a role ...
* ''Triumphale canticum'' – Work by Johann Melchior Gletle
* ''Céphale et Procris'' –
Tragédie en musique
''Tragédie en musique'' (, musical tragedy), also known as ''tragédie lyrique'' (, lyric tragedy), is a genre of French opera introduced by Jean-Baptiste Lully and used by his followers until the second half of the eighteenth century. Operas i ...
by Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre
* ''Santa Beatrice d'Este'' – by Camilla de Rossi detta la Romana
* Antonio Vivaldi, ''
The Four Seasons'' with
References
External links
*
*
*
{{authority control
1990 establishments in Germany
2020 disestablishments in Germany
German musical groups
Baroque music
Early music orchestras
Musical groups established in 1990
Musical groups disestablished in 2020
Disbanded orchestras