Arparla, Davide Monti, Maria Christina Clearly - Le Grazie del violino nel seicento italiano (2010)

These works for violin, basso continuo and solo harp, taken from the 17th century Italian repertoire are experimental and innovative, exploring the possibilities on the new solo instrument of the time: the violin. At the end of the 16th century the violin emerges as a solo instrument with its own documented repertoire. 'Sonata' and 'Canzona' were sometimes used with added descriptive titles like Marco Uccellini’s La Ebrea Marinata or Biagio Marini’s Sonata Per Sonar con due corde and Sonata variata, or with dedications like Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi-Mealli’s Sonata Quarta La Biancuccia to fellowmusician il Signor Biancucci. The ensemble ARPARLA takes its inspiration from a desire to speak through music ('parla' in Italian to 'speak'), using the soft and refined sonorities of the harp and the expressive range of colours of the violin, both instruments played with historical awareness.