Torres del Alma - Spanish Consort Music The Bassano Quartet

• 1 Riu, riu, chiu 01:31
• 2 Amor con Fortuna 01:30
• 3 Con amores, la mi Madre 02:00
• 4 Pase el agua, ma Julieta - Oy comamos y bebamos 02:25
• 5 Danza Alta 03:11
• 6 Ay triste que vengo 02:23
• 7 Triste Espagna 01:45
• 8 Ay linda Amiga! 02:42
• 9 Diferencias sobre la Pavana Italiana 01:58
• 10 Pavana con su glosa 02:10
• 11 Sancta et immaculata virginitas 05:10
• 12 Una Canzon Francese doulce memoire 02:57
• 13 Dulce memoire (glosado a cuatro) 03:02
• 14 Niño Dios d'amor herido 02:22
• 15 Desde las torres del alma 02:45
• 16 Hespañoleta 02:12
• 17 Tiento XVII De Pange Lingua punto alto 03:45
• 18 Tiento de Segundo tono 03:50
• 19 Un Sarao de la Chacona 01:31
• 20 Canto llano de la Inmaculada de la Virgen Maria (todo el mundo en general) 03:13
• 21 Folías con 20 diferencias 05:12
• Total Runtime 57:34

Info for Torres del Alma - Spanish Consort Music

How do you create sounds from Spain in the 15th-17th century? The instruments of the Bassanos originate from a time when people still listened more to their souls and less with the idea that the brain is the centre of their existence. These widely drilled, slightly conical flutes with a flair at the bottom were built by the Bassano family, at first in their hometown Bassano near Venice and later from 1531 in England, until far into the 17th century. In 1568 the Spanish court bought a set of “flautas” from the Bassanos. Probably because at that time they were known as the best builders of these recorders and there were no workshops in Spain.

By making copies of the original Bassano recorders and searching for the perfect balance in every piece, we tried to bring this Spanish 15th, 16th and 17th century music back to life. The enormous sub-Contra bass of three meters is also based on one of the Bassano flutes. We used this flute in “Desde las torres del alma”. These deep sounds make you contemplate to climb the towers of your soul. As the contemporary writer Teresa de Avila beautifully described in her “Interior Castillio”, the path to your “inner castle”.

The Dream Recorders we play in the ‘Folias con 20 Differentias’ are based on the flutes of Schnitzer, a competitor of the Bassanos in Nuremberg. By using special techniques in the bore and some modern keys these recorders can be played with ‘modern’ (actually invented in the Baroque!) fingering. The Eagle G alto, which can be heard on this CD in “Danza Alta”, is one of the archaic prototypes and is based on the search for sounds in wide bore flutes. From this recorder originates the loud modern Eagle F alto with an octave key and keys on the foot.

A surprising program with different styles from the Middle Ages to contemporary repertoire.

'...I have to recommend, among some very fine playing indeed, two particular highlights which brings out the absolute best in the Bassano Quartet: Encin’s Triste que vengo and Sancta etimmaculata virginitas by Morales. The recorded sound is first-class.' (Ivan Moody, Gramophone)

Adriana Breukink, recorder
Ronald Moelker, flute
Saskia Teunisse, block flute
Wolf Meyer, recorder

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