Domenico Obizzi

[Bill Brettschneider]

Im looking for some pieces to play on the guitar with a baritone and a keyboard (baroque organ or harpsichord) and I stumbled upon a book of madrigals and arias by Domenico Obezzi. Im wondering if anyone is familiar with these, and can point me to any information on them. recordings would be fantastic. 

[Rocky Mjos]

Lex Eisenhardt and Maria-Luz Alvarez have recorded some of Obizzi's music on "Canta Venetia!". 

You can hear some sample clips on Lex's website:

http://lexeisenhardt.nl/discography

I think the CD is great and the Obizzi very attractive.

[Rocky Mjos]

Two additional sound clips of Obizzi can be found under Audio > Battuto and Pizzicato.

http://lexeisenhardt.nl/audio

[Monica Hall]

I couldn't play any of these.  Is one supposed to be able to?

[Bill Brettschneider]

Thank you very much. I appreciate the links.

[Bill Brettschneider]

I made a modern notation transcription of one of the arias, and thought I would share it. I did not add the text for the next three verses, but you can easily enough get that from the original. this is the second aria, pare 38, I think it was.

[Bill Brettschneider]

The text was a challenge to me, as I had a bit of trouble reading it, and also had never used Musescore before. If anyone who is more familiar with alfabetto, and notices some silly error, please help me out. Im pretty new to this. Im thinking of composing an introduction, as well. any pointers on performance practice for a piece like this would be appreciated as well. 

[Bill Brettschneider]

This reply was intended for Monica Hall. It would not post under your post for some reason.
I was able to play them, but not stop them properly before they ran their course. I listened to one, listened to the other, then clicked on one, meaning to click on the other and ended up listening to both simultaneously.

[Monica Hall]

This is probably because we are not "friends" on the list although I am sure we would be if we met.  I couldn't get them to play at all.   Nothing happened when I clicked on the links.   It must have been an interesting experience listening to two simultaneously!

[Bill Brettschneider]

I have to admit I like them better individually. Thank you. That was friendly indeed.

[Bill Brettschneider]

So, looking at the facsimile, I think I might have learned something. Or at least I'm on the verge. The continuo line and the alfabeto, for the first aria, are a whole step apart. In the second aria, this is not the case. Does this mean that obizzi intended either guitar OR continuo, but not both? Or would the guitarist simply have tuned differently?

[Monica Hall]

Nor sure which songs you are referring to but yes to the first part of your question.   The accompaniment is for either guitar or another instrument realizing the bass line - not the two together.   The letters are placed above the vocal line so that the guitarist can easily accompany themselves - that was the idea.  Good luck if you can do it.  If the alfabeto appears to be in a different key from the bass line this is usually because the staff notation is using transposing clefs.  The treble G clef is always a transposing clef. The staff notation doesn't represent the pitch at which the songs are to be sung.  It is notated so that there are never any  key signatures except 1 flat, - never any sharps.   This is because the singer read their part according to the solmisation system.  A quick look through (it's after my bedtime)  - the ones in which the alfabeto and bass line don't match seem to be the ones with 1 flat in the key signature.   It is possible that the alfabeto is in a different key because the chords are easier to play.  With one flat in the key signature  you have some of the more awkward chords.   Interesting source...

[Bill Brettschneider]

Yes, I recognized that the upper staff was using one of those movable clefs that never seemed like something I needed to pay attention to in college. Well, I guess now is the time for me to get more familiar with them. The bass clef appears to be standard f clef. The bass line makes sense with the chords, if I account for the whole step displacement. I guess the singer just accommodates whichever key the accompaniment gives them.