Kit Samara and Konstantin Shenikov won the 2022 NativeDSD Album of the Year Award for Chamber Music for the album Reggio: 24 Sonatas for Bass Lute, Volume 1. The new album Italian Renaissance Harp Music is her second album from HR Recordings at NativeDSD. It is exclusively available in Stereo DSD and DXD from NativeDSD.
With Libero primo di ricercate, this album uses the cutting edge innovations of today to open a door into those of the past, as they have never been heard before. This seminal collection of ricercars and fantasias by Rocco Rodio was one of the earliest of the Neapolitan school, which gave rise to the wild toccatas of Giovanni Maria Trabaci and the famous harpist Ascanio Mayone. Rodio’s world was culturally vibrant and scintillating with new ideas, from his colleagues at the Spanish court of Naples such as Diego Ortiz, the Burgundian influence of Bartolomeo Le Roy, together with the new research and inventions from Rome and Ferrara. Each piece in this collection is distinguished with a unique harmonic language. This is emblematic of Rodio, who while being an accomplished and learned theorist, believed that “…our obligation is to a more pleasing and sweet effect than to simply follow rules…”
With the gift of unparalleled audio fidelity granted by cutting edge technology and a masterpiece of historical harp building by Rainer Thurau, it would be criminal to not embrace the true chromatic edge of this instrument with Fabritio Fillimarino’s Canzon Cromatica. In addition, the two surviving works of one of Rodio’s colleagues was Rinaldo dall’Arpa, a renowned harpist and singer, are recorded here on the harp for the first time. While they too were published as keyboard repertoire, it is hard to deny the influence of dall’Arpa’s chosen and namesake instrument in the joy of his Canzon, or in invoking a spirit of the air in Partite sopra Zefiro.
This album brings to life another time and another world with new clarity, intimacy and vibrance. Though four and a half centuries have passed, Rodio’s groundbreaking work remains as touching, enigmatic and inspiring as when it was first conceived, ready for new ears looking to sweetly, pleasingly, break the rules.
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Kit Samara, Harp
Tracklist
Please note that the below previews are loaded as 44.1 kHz / 16 bit.Total time: 01:10:03
Additional information
| Label | |
|---|---|
| SKU | E207HR |
| Qualities | DSD 512 fs, DSD 256 fs, DSD 128 fs, DSD 64 fs, DXD 32 Bit, FLAC 192 kHz, FLAC 96 kHz |
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| Analog to Digital Converter | Steinberg AXR4 at DXD (352.8 kHz) |
| Microphone | Soundfield |
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| Original Recording Format | |
| Recording Engineer | Sean Murray |
| Release Date | June 9, 2023 |
Press reviews
Positive Feedback
I have a fondness for the early gut strung harps from before the development of pedals. Kit Samara plays a wonderful sounding modern interpretation of a 17th Century “triple” harp built by Rainer Thurau, a harp builder located in Wiesbaden, Germany (HERE). No pedals, no levers, but three ranks of strings to allow for the full chromatic range of sound.
The album opens with a demonstration of the true chromatic capabilities of this instrument with Fabritio Fillimarino’s Canzon Cromatica. This is followed by two lovely works, recorded here on the harp for the first time, by Rinaldo dall’Arpa, a renowned harpist and singer…
Together, these piece bring to life another time and another world. And Kit Samara continues to be our most pleasant guide. This is her second album with HR Recordings and it follows nicely after her first recital of sonatas for harp and bass lute by Antonino Reggio with lutenist Konstantin Shenikov, also recommended.
1 review for Italian Renaissance Harp Music
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I thoroughly enjoyed this recording, which relaxed me and drew me into the music almost from the first note.
One observation, and this is not a criticism, is that the recording is on the quiet(er) side and so I needed to turn up my headphone amplifier more than usual.
DMD (verified owner) –