MSB in focus is a new venture which promotes smaller projects featuring individual members. We start with Con Arte e Maestria, a celebration of the art of virtuoso ornamentation from the time of Monteverdi.
Musical director Oliver Webber is joined by renowned harpsichordist Steven Devine in a spectacular programme of brilliant ornamentation, including not only surviving examples from the decades around 1600, but also a selection of Oliver's own versions, inspired by the individual styles of Monteverdi's contemporaries. We are grateful to the Historical Performance department at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for their financial support, which made this project possible.
Musical director Oliver Webber is joined by renowned harpsichordist Steven Devine in a spectacular programme of brilliant ornamentation, including not only surviving examples from the decades around 1600, but also a selection of Oliver's own versions, inspired by the individual styles of Monteverdi's contemporaries. We are grateful to the Historical Performance department at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for their financial support, which made this project possible.
- The next project for MSB in focus will be a programme of duets for voice and violin with Hannah Ely and Toby Carr: details to be announced soon.
Con Arte e Maestria
MSB in focus released this unique programme on Resonus Classics. You can read some of the press reactions below..
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Here is a taster: an excerpt from a Ciaccona from the disc, performed by Oliver Webber and Steven Devine.
Press reaction to Con Arte e Maestria
Early Music Review:
Webber and Devine apply their consummate technical skills and flawless musical instincts to bring this vital performance technique vividly back to life
Music Web International:
Not only studying the treatises and the diminutions included in them, but in particular a player's own creations in this field help to internalize the features of this practice. And that shows here, as in my ears these diminutions are completely natural and entirely in the style of the period. These pieces are the main asset of this recording, even though the compositions of the time are also played very well.
Gramophone:
Webber’s sound is fascinating to ponder. He has luminosity in abundance, and takes off into tender, singing, soulful rhapsody as easily as a bird to flight.
GScene Magazine:
This is a stunning, well-constructed programme that will reward repeated listening.
Classical Explorer:
Hearing the contrastive sound of a plaintive solo violin for Gärtner's Toccata against Steven Devine's performance of Giovanni Gabrieli's Toccata del secondo tonum is simply beautiful
Webber and Devine apply their consummate technical skills and flawless musical instincts to bring this vital performance technique vividly back to life
Music Web International:
Not only studying the treatises and the diminutions included in them, but in particular a player's own creations in this field help to internalize the features of this practice. And that shows here, as in my ears these diminutions are completely natural and entirely in the style of the period. These pieces are the main asset of this recording, even though the compositions of the time are also played very well.
Gramophone:
Webber’s sound is fascinating to ponder. He has luminosity in abundance, and takes off into tender, singing, soulful rhapsody as easily as a bird to flight.
GScene Magazine:
This is a stunning, well-constructed programme that will reward repeated listening.
Classical Explorer:
Hearing the contrastive sound of a plaintive solo violin for Gärtner's Toccata against Steven Devine's performance of Giovanni Gabrieli's Toccata del secondo tonum is simply beautiful