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This release introduces some
of the most fascinating music from the music books that once belonged
to the lawyer Bonifacius Amerbach (1495-1562), who lived in Basle
during the first half of the sixteenth century.
Friend of Erasmus of Rotterdam,
painted by Hans Holbein The Younger, Amerbach received thorough
education which included instruction in music. He was also a passionate
amateur musician on wind, plucked and keyboard instruments. Music
books he collected are nowadays kept in the University Library
in Basle.
The release is primarily devoted
to the music of little-known composers active during the first
half of the sixteenth century in the Alsace and Baden-Württemberg
regions (chiefly Hans Buchner, Wolfgang Dachstein, Sixt Dietrich,
Mathias Greiter, Johannes Fuchswild, Hans Kotter and Paul Wüst).
LA MORRA consists here of two
contrasting groups: the 'alta' (a wind band with straight cornetto,
bombard, slide trumpet and trombone) and the 'bassa' (lute, flutes,
clavicytherium and Grossgeige (bass viol), joined
by a female voice). All instruments used in performance were in
common usage in South Germany and North Switzerland, and were
described by Sebastian Virdung in his Musica getutscht -
the earliest printed treatise on musical instruments, published
in Basle in 1511.
Where to buy
[MUSIQUES
SUISSES] (Switzerland/international)
[FNAC]
(France)
IN THE UPPER-RIGHT CORNER:
detail from the Portrait of Bonifacius Amerbach by Hans Holbein
The Younger (Basel, Kunstmuseum).
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