Dolce Napoli: Approaches for Performance: Recorders for the Neapolitan Baroque Repertoire, 1695-1759 - Braga, Inês de Avena (Leiden Leiden University, Faculty of Humanities, Academy of Creative and Performing Arts, 2015)
This thesis examined two previously neglected topics, Baroque Italian recorders and the Neapolitan Baroque repertoire for the recorder, and then combined both aspects. First, information was collected on all Italian Baroque recorders currently known, including biographical references about the makers of these recorders, as well as technical drawings, measurements and photographs. The practical experience with the copies of a few of those recorders was described by the author. Second, the Baroque repertoire composed in Naples for the recorder was researched, uncovering a rich and forgotten corpus of music written and copied between 1695 and 1759. The Neapolitan recorder works were also listed with a brief analysis and further commentary on the recorder part, with a view of connecting the works with the instruments that might have once been used to play them. Furthermore, an overview of the social and cultural atmosphere of Naples in the early eighteenth century was offered as contextualization to the musical ambience, aided by iconographical references. Conclusions on performance practice are presented as a result of the combination of both research aspects. The artistic outcome of this study has brought together, also in performance, the two main aspects of the research: 'new' instruments and 'new' works.
Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van Doctor aan de Universiteit Leiden op gezag van de Rector Magnificus prof. mr. C.J.J.M. Stolker, volgens besluit van het College voor promoties te verdedigen op 2 juli 2015.
Keywords: 17th Century (1601-1700); 18th Century (1701-1800); Recorder; Organology; Historically informed performance; Music history; Naples (Italy)