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Our concert programmes are well designed in terms of the choice of repertoire; we also take great care of the historical and rhetorical aspects of the music we perform.
Presentation of the pieces and interaction with the Audience are crucial for us. We want the Listener to listen actively in order to become part of the Musical Act itself. We understand the performance as a journey through emotions, entailing everything from the first to the last note.
New Programmes
Our most recent projects, all of them featuring world premieres
L'Altra Venezia
Music for Violin, Cello and Continuo by Venetian Masters at the dawn of the Settecento
Cello Sonatas by Gentili and violin sonatas by Albinoni, Caldara, Gentili, Reali and Bigaglia
It seems that the Venice of the early 18th century is today inexorably linked to the name of Vivaldi, but Venice is not only Vivaldi: in those years the young composer lives and breathes the music of Venetian masters today overshadowed by the imposing figure of the Prete Rosso. Great masters who, at the dawn of the 18th century, forged a new musical taste, an extraordinary change of style that in a matter of a few years will assimilate the old Italian tradition in a new exuberant and virtuous instrumental language.
“L’altra Venezia” shows us unexplored places in Venice at the turn of the century: composers hidden behind gigantic figures such as Vivaldi, works silenced for centuries that show us the splendor of a new style in the making. Composers that deserve to be remembered, works that must be unearthed. Thus, two sonatas by the great Albinoni recently discovered by Prof. Michael Talbot or sonatas of the former concertmaster of the San Marco orchestra, Giorgio Gentili, are some of the works that will be performed for the first time in a program made up entirely of premieres in modern times.
Other programmes
Pisendel. Neue Sonaten
Forces: violin, cello, harpsichord [optional: theorbo]
[Recorded for Snakewood in 2020]
World premiere recording of newly discovered sonatas by Johann Georg Pisendel.
Johann Georg Pisendel was one of those artists who undoubtedly marked the European music scene of the first half of the eighteenth century. He was a reference for performers and composers of his time and his legacy continues to surprise us and discover fundamental and unknown aspects of the Baroque musical world. Yet, Pisendel is still a great unknown.
The discovery of these sonatas represents a major addition to the musical repertoire of the 18th century as well as the rediscovery of one of the greatest virtuosos of the first half of the 18th century.
1717. Memories of a Journey to Italy
Forces: violin, cello, harpsichord [optional: theorbo]
[Recorded for Snakewood Editions in February 2018]
September, 1717.
The young virtuoso Johann Georg Pisendel returned to Germany after almost one year of travelling across Italy. Pisendel, who was to become one of the most renowned musicians in Europe, arrived in Dresden later that year to take the position of Premier Violon in the Dresden Hofkapelle. During his Italian sojourn he earned the respect and friendship of the most important musicians of the time, including Vivaldi, Montanari and Albinoni. Pisendel brought with him not only the teachings of the great virtuosos, but also luggage full of musical manuscripts, a selection of scores carefully made by himself. Some of those musical treasures were last performed 300 years ago.
New Discoveries of Vivaldi
Forces: violin, cello, harpsichord [optional: theorbo]
[Recorded for Ayros in November 2015]
Vivaldi is perhaps one of the most famous composers of all time and yet we are still discovering his work. Scaramuccia’s programme features the most recently discovered Vivaldi sonatas for violin, as well as an exciting discovery of two works (2015) by the Venetian composer, as identified by our violinist Javier Lupiáñez.
The scores were added to the RISM as RV 820 and RV 205/2.
Volumier, the spanish concertmeister of the Dresden Orchestra
Chamber music in Dresden during the time of the Spanish concertmaster Volumier
[World premiere program]
Forces: 2 violins, viola, cello, harpsichord
The Handel Experience
Forces: 2 violins, violoncello and harpsichord
Works by Handel, Veracini, Geminiani, Vivaldi, Telemann, Oswald and Jimi Hendrix
The Handel Experience takes you on a journey through the life of Handel: the people he met, the places he visited and the music he listened to. All of this put together opens up a fascinating network of characters and relationships, where the central characters are Handel and his music (a concert programme by Scaramuccia tailored for the competition of the Göttingen Historical Music Series 2016).
Lament
Forces: 2 violins, viola da gamba, harpsichord [optional: theorbo]
Works by Jean-Féry Rebel, Johann Heinrich Schmelzer, Pandolfi Mealli, Niel Gow, Turlough O’Carolan
Instrumental Laments in the Baroque Period
“Lament” is a look at one of the most beautiful and poignant instrumental repertoires of the European Baroque. From the traditional “Scottish lament”, French “tombeau” and instrumental laments in Italian and German music, we will embark on a musical journey through the 17th and 18th centuries as viewed from a different, daring perspective. We will discover melodies inspired by the most profound sadness, which then end up becoming the most powerful apology to hope and beauty, for which our world is often so desperate
Irish Coffee. Irish and Scottish baroque music
Forces: violin, cello and guitar/theorbo [optional: harpsichord]
A programme which features works by Oswald, McGibbon, O’Carolan, Playford, Geminiani and Veracini and includes reels, gigs, pibrochs, as well as Irish and Scottish airs from the first half of the 18th century.
For any Baroque music lover, it is easy to listen to Italian Baroque music, which is considered to be different from French Baroque music, which is then different from German Baroque music… and this often seems like all! We are familiar with three national styles… but we tend to forget the Baroque music from Scotland and Ireland – music which inspired such composers as Veracini and Geminiani. We want our Audience to be as much in love with this great repertoire as people were at the time, as we think it very much deserves it.
“[…] the fame harmonies the fame modulations were practised in the compositions of the Flemish the Italian the German the French and the English musicians and nothing characteristic of the genius or humour of a particular country or province […] except in those of the Scots and Irish the former where of are in a style so peculiar”
John Hawkins, “A General History Of The Science and Practice Of Music: In Five …, Vol. 4” London, 1776
Nicola Matteis. “Wonders upon a note”
Forces: violin, cello and guitar/theorbo
A programme entirely devoted to Nicola Matteis. This is a concert filled with the passion of a composer who was able to inspire the English musical taste with Italianate traditions.
“I heard that stupendious Violin Signor Nicholao (with other rare Musitians) whom certainly never mortal man Exceeded on that instrument., he had a stroak so sweete, & made it speake like the Voice of a man; & when he pleased, like a Consort of severall Instruments: he did wonders upon a Note: was an excellent Composer also … nothing approch’d the Violin in Nicholas hand: he seem’d to be spiritato’d & plaied such ravishing things on a ground as astonishd us all.”
John Evelyn’s diary for November 19, 1674
We are working on new, exciting programmes, discovering new repertoires! Stay tuned or write to:
scaramuccia.info@gmail.com
If you are in charge of a music festival and like what we do, but our proposals do not fit perfectly with the line of your festival, we are more than happy to discuss other possibilities. Our work mainly focuses on early 18th century music for violin and basso continuo, but we are happy to consider other repertoires and settings. Get in touch with us!