Performers: Francesco la Bruna (violin), Sebastiano Cassarà (violin), Franziska Romaner (cello), Terrel Stone (theorbo), Emanuela Marcante (harpsichord), Zeno Zaccaria (cello)
Playing time: 76'
Recording date: April 1994
Salomone Rossi (fl.1587-1628) is one of the most enigmatic figures of the early Italian Baroque. He worked in Mantua, but little is known of his life & career, aside from the fact that he was Jewish, and wrote the earliest published music on Hebrew texts in his Songs of Solomon. He also wrote published collections of madrigals and canzonettes, plus the instrumental music which forms four of his thirteen published collections.
Rossi was one of the most original early composers for violin, adopting the continuo early, and providing a wide scope of virtuoso ideas. Three-voice writing is favored, and as is typical, there is a predominance of dance rhythm. The four books were published in 1607, 1608, 1613 & 1622.
Another instrumental recording featuring some of Rossi's string music:
A recording including madrigals, as well examples of Rossi's attempt to create polyphonic music for the Jewish temple:
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Todd M. McComb