Ritorno al Parnasso: The lirone in the performance of 17th-century music
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Faculty of Humanities
Abstract
The lirone was the most harmonious of the bowed instruments. Lauded by contemporary writers for its ability to 'move the soul, instil devotion and refresh the spirit', it was a key member of the 17th-century continuo group. Though much remarked-upon by 17th-century writers, the lirone was virtually ignored by the early-music movement, with the exception of my own revival of it from the early 1980s.
The Greek lyre was traditionally depicted being played by Apollo atop Parnassus. The lirone has its origins in the early 16th century, when it was invented to emulate the classical instrument. It found its true niche, however, in 17th-century Rome, where it flourished most notably under the patronage of an extravagant papacy: the Monte Vaticano had become the lirone's Parnassus.
Much attention still needs to be given to this important instrument and its music. An investigation of all surviving instruments and iconography, a study of all known repertoire, insight into how the instrument sounded and was played and finding solutions to performance practice problems from evidence in musical sources, treatises, diaries and archives will all contribute to a rediscovery of the lirone's remarkable sonority and help to restore it to its unique place in accompanying the voice in 17th-century opera, oratorio and vocal chamber music.
Rehearsals with professional musicians and workshops for students will become creative forums for addressing performance-practice issues. Concert tours (in Europe and the USA) and CD and radio recordings will increase awareness and appreciation of the lirone not only for musical audiences, but also for directors and other players, who are still relatively ignorant about appropriate ways in which to use the instrument. Published articles will cover instruments, repertoire, sources and cultural context, but the most practical and useful tool of all will undoubtedly be a workbook/technical guide on playing the instrument.
The Greek lyre was traditionally depicted being played by Apollo atop Parnassus. The lirone has its origins in the early 16th century, when it was invented to emulate the classical instrument. It found its true niche, however, in 17th-century Rome, where it flourished most notably under the patronage of an extravagant papacy: the Monte Vaticano had become the lirone's Parnassus.
Much attention still needs to be given to this important instrument and its music. An investigation of all surviving instruments and iconography, a study of all known repertoire, insight into how the instrument sounded and was played and finding solutions to performance practice problems from evidence in musical sources, treatises, diaries and archives will all contribute to a rediscovery of the lirone's remarkable sonority and help to restore it to its unique place in accompanying the voice in 17th-century opera, oratorio and vocal chamber music.
Rehearsals with professional musicians and workshops for students will become creative forums for addressing performance-practice issues. Concert tours (in Europe and the USA) and CD and radio recordings will increase awareness and appreciation of the lirone not only for musical audiences, but also for directors and other players, who are still relatively ignorant about appropriate ways in which to use the instrument. Published articles will cover instruments, repertoire, sources and cultural context, but the most practical and useful tool of all will undoubtedly be a workbook/technical guide on playing the instrument.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Erin Headley (Principal Investigator) |
| Description | My AHRC fellowship addressed the lirone in the performance of 17th-century music. Unlike other instruments of the time, it was specifically associated with lamentation, its other-worldy sound drawing a profound and stirring response from listeners. The counter-Reformation was the ideal environment for the lirone and for its remarkable repertoire housed in the Vatican Library. I have investigated hundreds of Roman manuscripts to determine what music was appropriate for the lirone. Laments from larger works (operas, oratorios) where the instrument was specifically indicated informed practice in shorter works such as laments and tragic narratives featuring classical and Biblical figures such as Mary Magdalene, Helen of Troy, Artemisia and the Virgin Mary. This research opened up a vast new body of music of the highest artistic and dramatic quality. Some 10 performing editions have now been made which are gradually being published, with prefaces, translations and continuo realisations by Edition Baroque, Bremen. Professional musicians and students looking for new repertoire and performance advice will generate more effective performances and more interesting concert programmes for the general public. At the midpoint in my fellowship I received an AHRC small grant for an intense rehearsal period in preparation for recordings and publicity videos of Roman staged laments and oratorios. Rehearsals served as an important forum for myself and other musicians from the UK and Europe to discuss, investigate and answer performance practice questions pertinent to the repertoire. As continuo players we experimented with instrumental combinations (lirone, chitarrone, triple harp, harpsichord) and how they would best suit a particular musical or poetic component: harmonic motion, prevalence of dissonance in the bass, affects of an individual word, poetic line or stanza, expressive character of the vocal line and overall dramatic unfolding of the narrative. Singers and accompanists were also made aware of the specific poetic verse used in Italy for narrative, reflective and dramatic works. Details like inflection and varied syllable stress from line to line were considered, with the broader verse structure and musical rhetoric kept in mind. This experience has activated an awareness of poetry that has spread to other musical circles; effective delivery of the narrative has also created a more meaningful listening experience for the public. Extant instruments are crucial artefacts that inform our understanding of how the lirone was played. Collaboration with the German luthier Henner Harders and with Roger Rose (West Dean College) has revealed what really constitutes the ideal instrument for this repertoire. At the end of my fellowship I was keenly aware that a book would need to be written on the lirone. I had already drafted an article (with a technical guide) on the lirone, and one on Italian prosody, but the elected journal has experienced delays in publishing. I am now planning my own documentary website on the lirone of which the book will form the basis; on another level staged videos, recorded music, Italian art, patronage, culture and history will be presented for general and specialised users. www.atalante.co.uk |
| Exploitation Route | The multi-media approach of our promotional videos (recorded sound, staging and subtitles) will mean that users of social networks such as YouTube, Facebook and Vimeo, and visitors to our website will be able to enjoy and benefit from a repertoire and culture that would have previously been foreign to them. Music students and professional and amateur musicians will benefit from our performing editions published by Edition Baroque, Bremen. They will gain new insights into their own approach, and will be encouraged to be more daring in the selection and expansion of their own repertoire. Audiences on every level will benefit from this fully-immersive, life-enhancing experience. |
| Sectors | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Other |
| URL | http://www.atalante.co.uk |
| Description | Findings from my AHRC fellowship research have contributed material substantial for my lectures, presentations, concerts, videos, residencies and most importantly, the recording series Reliquie di Roma which began in 2009. The question of how the lirone was used and in what repertoire brought many answers from careful investigation of countless Vatican manuscripts. Study of Italian poetry and rhetoric during the fellowship brought invaluable guidance to rehearsals and performances. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2007 |
| Sector | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Other |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Description | From Ancient Harmoniai to Reliqiuae Romanae: How the Greek tradition inspired the music of Baroque Rome |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | In addressing archaeologists whose knowledge of music was limited, I explained how the route from Greece to Italy in the 1500s sparked off new cultural developments that led to the rise of new culture in the 17th century, and a newly-invented art form opera. The archaeological participants expressed astonishment at this whole cultural world unknown to them, and never before experienced. How the Renaissance humanists re-interpreted ancient Greek culture by creating a kind of 'false archaeology' particularly in the invention of a new kind of song and accompanying musical instruments (lira da braccio, lirone). As the 17th century arrived, classical culture merged with early Christian, particularly in Rome under the Barberini, to establish a new ultra-expressive style that promoted the narratives of both cultures, particularly within the genre of the lament. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |