Thanks a lot Bernd! I really enjoy reading lute related dissertations. And this comprehensive one on Kapsberger / Kapsperger, publ. almost 20 years after Rolf Lislevand made us aware of this exceptional musician in 1993, is a great treat. Anne Marie Dragosits, paints a vast canvas with well researched findings and a great many quotes. (Be it with the awkward twist of producing the latin and italian translations on the verso page beside where they actually appear in the text, creating lots of useless empty pages and space, in addition to not functioning URL's and many proof reading errors.) I luckily have access to Naxos sound library, and "Kapsberger" gives 102 hits! So while listening to f. ex. Pluhar's 2001 CD "La Villanella" and Il Furioso's "Libro secondo d'arie" from 2006, as well as Lislevand's ground breaking one, I dove in. Just a few samples: We learn about K. also having been a virtuoso guitarist, who (as the first vocal composer) introduced alfabetto in 1610 and also published at least one (now lost) plucked guitar book. There is a slight confusion in mention of 7-stringed guitar (4 course) and "quinterne" (which could mean baroque guitar). About his possible connections with Gesualdo, also publishing an embellished instrumental parody of one of his madrigals. Tragic events in family life. A daughter dying at 4 after having consumed mouse poison! And several more of his many children dying very young. Of his 9 children, 5 girls and 4 boys, only 4 survived their youngest childhood. That he took his nobility so extremely seriously, so that he would only partake of food among his equals. His extremely high ambitions and constant need of praise, always pointing out his noble heritage, (even leading to accusations of being a swindler from some of his musician peers), showing a not very likeable trait in his character. Of his activities as a(n expensive) teacher to Philippe Vermeulen in 1612-14, and as a performer in small exclusive gatherings. Also documenting an extensive circle of contacts with leading clerics, musicians, nobility, scientists, intelligentia and elite of the time. Of the 20 years at the service of pope Urban VIII, and his later fall from grace after the Galileo debacle. His opulent production of works in virtually all musical genres of the day and of apparently being a very fast composer. His ability to bring forth and elevate the texts with his music. The sad loss of a second lute book from 1623. And also a 2nd chitarrone book. (And reports of many more works being lost, most sadly a treatise on the theorbe). Of his fruitful cooperation with librettist and poet Gio. Ciampoli. That he was using the Hexachord system, (contrary to his roman colleagues). That the passage in Gio. Battista Doni's "De praestantia musicae veris", which sealed K's bad reputation in music history, could perhaps, mistakenly have been ascribed to K., while in fact describing the Sistine Chapel choir's conflict with Stefano Landi. The following chapters deal with: The singers of the day, their technique and embellishments in stile nuovo. A description of each of the surviving works. The basso continuo practises used in the vocal works. A section about the instruments involved. All in all, a most satisfying in-depth thesis, which I hope gets a well deserved english translation, as google translate is not yet accurate enough. BR G
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