| About | Productions | Gallery | Order | Contact |
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| Title: | Il Ballo Della Vita Humana |  |
| Performer: | Johan Hofmann, harpsichord | |
| Total playing time : | 61'05 minutes |
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| Booklet: | 16 pages in English | |
| Price: | € 20,95 |
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Order: |
here online |
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| This recording showcases a kaleidoscope of renaissance Italian harpsichord music. Key in this recording is the type of instruments used: the harpsichord used for this recording is based on instruments as they were typically built and used in Venice in the 16th century. This is for example the type of instrument on which composers like Frescobaldi developed their art. In details this type of instrument is fundamentaly different to the later type of Italian harpsichord. The recording furthermore premieres an exact copy of a pentagonal octave spinet. These high pitched instruments are today hardly know. But given the large number of these smaller instruments that one still encounters in museums, it clearly shows how widespread and actively used they must have been at the time. |
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| Track listing including sound samples: | |||
| 1 | Costanzo Antegnati |
(1549-1624) | Ricercar del terzo tono ¯ |
| 2 | Ascanio Mayone | (c1565-1627) | Toccata prima |
| 3 | Girolamo Frescobaldi | (1583-1643) | Canzon Quinta, Nono Tono |
| 4 | Giovanni Maria Trabaci | Canzona Francesa Prima | |
| 5 | Girolamo Frescobaldi | Partite 14 sopra Romanesca | |
| 6 | Claudio Merulo | (1533-1604) | La Zambeccara |
| 7 | Giovanni Salvatore | (?-1688?) | Corrente Prima |
| 8 | Andrea Gabrieli | (c1510-1586) | Intonatio |
| 9 | Ercole Pasquini | (c1550-1608/19) | Durezze |
| 10 | Girolamo Frescobaldi | Toccata nona | |
| 11 | Giovanni Picchi | (fl1600-1625) | Todescha |
| 12 | Johann Hieronymus Kapsberger | (c1580-1651) | Toccata Arpeggiata ¯ |
| 13 | Girolamo Frescobaldi | Canzona quinta | |
| 14 | Girolamo Cavazzoni | (1506/12-after1577) | I le bel e bon |
| 15 | Girolamo Frescobaldi | Balletto terzo | |
| 16 | Antonio Valente | (fl1565-1580) | Recercata septimo tono ¯ |
| 17 | Antonio Valente | Bascia Flammignia |
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| 18 | Luzzasco Luzzaschi | (1545?-1607) | Toccata, quarto tono |
| 19 | Luigi Rossi | (c1597-1653) | Passecaille |
| Instruments: Harpsichord after 16th century Italian models Matthias Griewisch 2003 Ottavino after G.A. 1627 Matthias Griewisch 1998 (tracks 6,7,15,16) |
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| Johan Hofmann studied the harpsichord with Jacques Ogg and Siebe Henstra. Further on the occasional private lessons with Gustav Leonhardt had a profound influence on him. His repertoire encloses works from the 16th, 17th, and 18th century as well as contemporary music for harpsichord, although he specializes in music from the early and mid baroque period. His interpretations are grounded in thorough theoretical and organological knowledge and are at the same time renowned for their spontaneity and purity of style.
He gave concerts in Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Scotland, Spain, The Tsjech Republic, Sweden and The United States. In the Netherlands he regularly plays with ensembles and orchestras like The Northern Consort, Cappella Groningen, the Brabants Kamerkoor, Ensemble Occhio di Falcone (with Judith van Wanroij, Susanne Braumann and Bert Honig), Combattimento Consort and Cappella Frisae. Johan Hofmann also performed with distinguished players like Michael Chance, Egidius Quartet, Emma Kirkby, Paul Leenhouts and Robert Muuse. More and more he presents himself in solo recitals programmed around a specific musical theme or instrument. Next to that he specialises in playing the clavichord. He made several CD-recordings with, amongst others, the Royal Wind Music. This is his first solo-album under his own CD-label ENIGMA. Johan Hofmann teaches an international harpsichord class at the Prins Claus Conservatorium in Groningen. At the same institute he teaches thoroughbass and coaches chamber music ensembles in historical performance practice. At the Conservatorium van Amsterdam Johan Hofmann teaches harpsichord and thoroughbass as additional subjects, and lectures the course 'Harmony in Performance Practice'. He is regularly invited by other conservatories (Arnhem, Enschede, Tilburg and Zwolle) and gives master classes and courses in for example The Tsjech Republic and Italy. |
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Technical information: Recording date: Location: Recording engineer & digital editing: |
July 14 -17, 2008 Huizinge - The Netherlands, Johannes de Doper kerk Michiel Megens Microphones B&K 4006 |