Presents
Andrea Gabrieli
Ricercar per Sonar a 8 for String Octet
Andrea Gabrieli (1533-1585) was born in the Italian city of Venice. He is thought to have studied with Adrian Willaert, organist at St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice, and with Vincenzo Ruffo, who was the Maestro di cappella. Later, he traveled to Germany where he met and studied with Orlando de Lassus, one of the most important composers of the Renaissance. Eventually, Gabrieli obtained the position of organist at St. Mark's, which at the time was one of the most prestigious musical posts in northern Italy. Working in the huge space of St Mark’s provided Gabrieli an unparalleled opportunity to develop what became his so-called grand ceremonial style, which played an important role in the development of polychoral and concertato style. His duties at St. Mark's required him to write a great deal of ceremonial music which further influenced the development of Italian Renaissance music. Much of his music was published in the decade after his death.
His Ricercar per sonar a 8 is one of several dozen Ricercari he composed. It was first published in 1587 and is one of his best known such works. A Ricercar, the Italian meaning to search, in Gabrieli’s time was generally meant to be a kind of introductory prelude whose purpose was to search out the key of the piece which it was introducing. Ricercars were usually keyboard, i.e. organ, pieces, although many were also for voices or instrumental combinations. The Ricercar sonar a 8 has become one of his best known such work. As the title clearly states, it is for 8 parts. When played on the organ, it usually requires four hands. It has received many arrangements and recordings, mostly for brass, but also for a mixture of strings, brass and keyboard or voice, but surprisingly, not for string octet which would certainly seem to be a natural. Our arrangement is by Vinzenzo Oddo, formerly Professor of Music at the Conservatories in Bologna and Rome.
The Ricercar makes a interesting program choice for an octet ensemble. Other than counting, the work is quite easy to play and can also be recommended to amateur ensembles. Please note, as there are no recordings of this work for strings alone, we have used a recording of strings, brass and keyboard for our soundbite.
Parts: $24.95
Parts & Score: $29.95
