Capirola Lutebook
Encyclopedia
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
lute
Lute
Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
music. It is an illuminated manuscript
Illuminated manuscript
An illuminated manuscript is a manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration, such as decorated initials, borders and miniature illustrations...
which comprises the entire surviving output of Vincenzo Capirola
Vincenzo Capirola
Vincenzo Capirola was an Italian composer, lutenist and nobleman of the Renaissance. His music is preserved in an illuminated manuscript called the Capirola Lutebook, which is considered to be one of the most important sources of lute music of the early 16th century.-Life and music:He was...
.
The Capirola Lutebook was compiled in 1520 by Vitale, a pupil of Capirola. The compositions included probably date from around 1517. There are 72 folios; the manuscript begins with a short note by its creator, one Vitale (Vidal), pupil of Capirola's. Vitale informs the reader that he adorned the lutebook with paintings to ensure its survival: even owners not interested in musical matters would, by Vitale's reasoning, keep the lutebook in their collections because of the paintings. This explanation is followed by a substantial text on lute playing technique, ornaments and notation—one of the most important sources on performance practice of the time. The actual music starts at folio 5. The lutebook contains the following works (for intabulation
Intabulation
Intabulation, from the Italian word intavolatura, refers to an arrangement of a vocal or ensemble piece for keyboard, lute, or other plucked string instrument, written in tablature. It was a common practice in 14th-16th century keyboard and lute music...
s, composers of vocal originals are given):
- La villanella
- Recercar 1
- Oublier veuil (Alexander AgricolaAlexander AgricolaAlexander Agricola was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance. A prominent member of the Grande chapelle, the Habsburg musical establishment, he was a renowned composer in the years around 1500, and his music was widely distributed throughout Europe...
) - Recercar 2
- O mia cieca e dura sorte (Marchetto CaraMarchetto CaraMarchetto Cara was an Italian composer, lutenist and singer of the Renaissance. He was mainly active in Mantua, was well-connected with the Gonzaga and Medici families, and along with Bartolomeo Tromboncino, was well known as a composer of frottolas.-Life:Next to nothing is known of his early life...
) - Che farala, che dirala (Michele Vincentino)
- La spagna 1
- Recercar 3
- Sit nomen domini (Johannes PriorisJohannes PriorisJohannes Prioris was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance. He was one of the first composers to write a polyphonic setting of the Requiem mass....
) - Padoana francese
- Stavasi amor dormento (Bartolomeo TromboncinoBartolomeo TromboncinoBartolomeo Tromboncino was an Italian composer of the middle Renaissance. He is mainly famous as a composer of frottola; he is principally infamous for murdering his wife...
) - Voi che passate qui (Bartolomeo Tromboncino)
- Balletto
- De tous biens plaine (Hayne van GhizeghemHayne van GhizeghemHayne van Ghizeghem was a Franco-Flemish composer of the early Renaissance Burgundian School.While many of his works have survived, little is known about his life...
) - Sancta Trinitas (Antoine de FévinAntoine de FévinAntoine de Févin was a French composer of the Renaissance. He was active at the same time as Josquin des Prez, and shares many traits with his more famous contemporary.-Life:...
) - Canto Bello
- Recercar 4
- Padoana
- Recercar 5
- Recercar 6
- Christe de "Si Dedero" (Jacob ObrechtJacob ObrechtJacob Obrecht was a Flemish composer of the Renaissance. He was the most famous composer of masses in Europe in the late 15th century, being eclipsed by only Josquin des Prez after his death.-Life:...
) - Allez regretz (Hayne van Ghizeghem)
- Agnus dei (Antoine BrumelAntoine BrumelAntoine Brumel was a French composer. He was one of the first renowned French members of the Franco-Flemish school of the Renaissance, and, after Josquin des Prez, was one of the most influential composers of his generation....
, from Missa Ut re mi fa sol la) - Recercar 7
- La spagna 2
- Recercar 8
- Recercar 9
- Recercar 10
- Padoana alla francese
- Recercar 11 alla spagnola
- Non ti spiaqua l'ascoltar
- Gentil prince
- Nunca fué pena major (Juan de UrredeJuan de UrredeJuan de Urrede or Juan de Urreda was a Flemish singer and composer active in Spain in the service of the Duke of Alba and King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. He was born Johannes de Wreede in Bruges....
) - Et Resurrexit (Josquin des PrezJosquin Des PrezJosquin des Prez [Josquin Lebloitte dit Desprez] , often referred to simply as Josquin, was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance...
, from Missa L'homme armé) - O florens rosa (Johannes GhiselinJohannes GhiselinJohannes Ghiselin was a Flemish composer of the Renaissance, active in France, Italy and in the Low Countries. He was a contemporary of Josquin des Prez, and a significant composer of masses, motets, and secular music...
) - Si dedero (Alexander Agricola)
- Benedictus "Ut re mi fa sol la" (Antoine BrumelAntoine BrumelAntoine Brumel was a French composer. He was one of the first renowned French members of the Franco-Flemish school of the Renaissance, and, after Josquin des Prez, was one of the most influential composers of his generation....
, from Missa Ut re mi fa sol la) - Bassadanza la spagna
- Et in terra (Josquin des Prez, from Missa Pange lingua)
- Qui tollis peccata mundi (Josquin des Prez, from Missa Pange lingua)
- Recercar 12
- Recercar 13
- Tota pulchra es (Nicholas Craen)
The music varies in difficulty from very easy pieces (intended, as Vitale observes, for teaching purposes) to virtuosic toccata-like works. The thirteen ricercars of the book stylistically stand between the earliest, improvisatory examples and Francesco da Milano
Francesco Canova da Milano
Francesco Canova da Milano was an Italian lutenist and composer. He was born in Monza, near Milan, and worked for the papal court for almost all of his career. Francesco was heralded throughout Europe as the foremost lute composer of his time...
's ricercars, which exhibit a more advanced imitative technique. The manuscript is notable not only for the place Capirola occupies in lute repertoire, but also for the earliest known dynamic indications: for instance, the indication tocca pian piano appears in "Non ti spiaqua l'ascoltar". However, Capirola's seems to be an isolated example.
External links
- LuteBot Quarterly issue #1 by Federico Marinola, dedicated to the Capirola Lutebook - includes a complete English translation of the preface.
- Capirola Lutebook in Italian and French tablature, includes Fronimo 2 and PDF versions.