Dario Castello (1590 – 1658) published his sonatas under the appellation “in stil moderno” referring to the stylistic explorations of musicians in the early 17th century. Composers moved away from strict polyphonic counterpoint and traditional forms, embracing an aesthetic based on dramatic speech. Musical forms as well as emotional affects were free to change rapidly within a single work, and composers would more frequently write parts that reflected the extreme virtuosic ability of their musicians. Castello’s Sonata No. 4 certainly exhibits this freedom of form and virtuosity. Contrasting sections flow rapidly asking the listener to change from one emotional state to another quickly. Castello’s Sonata No. 11 pairs the upper two instruments and adds a more active bass part. What little we know of Dario Castello comes from the title pages of his two published collections of sonatas. He worked in Venice directing a group of the city’s wind players and eventually at St. Mark’s Cathedral under Claudio Monteverdi. Castello’s instrumentation with the mix of strings and trombone serves as the inspiration for Rook.
Rook: Jakob Hansen, Violin Paul Von Hoff, Trombone and Slide Trombone Jeremy David Ward, Bass Violin Mark Shuldiner, Harpsichord
Classical Music | Ensemble Music
Dario Castello
Sonata No. 11 from Book 1 Play
Recorded on 02/19/2014, uploaded on 07/29/2014
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Dario Castello (1590 – 1658) published his sonatas under the appellation “in stil moderno” referring to the stylistic explorations of musicians in the early 17th century. Composers moved away from strict polyphonic counterpoint and traditional forms, embracing an aesthetic based on dramatic speech. Musical forms as well as emotional affects were free to change rapidly within a single work, and composers would more frequently write parts that reflected the extreme virtuosic ability of their musicians. Castello’s Sonata No. 4 certainly exhibits this freedom of form and virtuosity. Contrasting sections flow rapidly asking the listener to change from one emotional state to another quickly. Castello’s Sonata No. 11 pairs the upper two instruments and adds a more active bass part. What little we know of Dario Castello comes from the title pages of his two published collections of sonatas. He worked in Venice directing a group of the city’s wind players and eventually at St. Mark’s Cathedral under Claudio Monteverdi. Castello’s instrumentation with the mix of strings and trombone serves as the inspiration for Rook.
Rook:
Jakob Hansen, Violin
Paul Von Hoff, Trombone and Slide Trombone
Jeremy David Ward, Bass Violin
Mark Shuldiner, Harpsichord
More music by Dario Castello
Sonata Settima a due
Sonata No. 4 from Book No. 1
Performances by same musician(s)
Qui verult aymer
Ingiustissimo amor
Divisions on Lachrimae Pavan
Canzon for Bass and Soprano, No. 11
Baisés Moy
Sonata No. 8
Pavan
Dance and Courant
Sonata No. 4 from Book No. 1
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