Description
In Still Life, Musica d'Outrora brings fresh vitality to the revolutionary stylus phantasticus, a musical language where emotional truth surpasses formal constraints, directly engaging the hearts and minds of listeners. Like carefully arranged objects in a painted still life, each composition captures ecstatic moments, suspending time and immersing the listener in distinct emotional realms. Employing a full palette of continuo instruments--organ, harpsichord, theorbo, guitar, lirone, and violone--inspired by Monteverdi's landmark orchestration of L'Orfeo, the ensemble reveals the dramatic interplay of light and shadow particularly evident in Castello's sonatas. These works emerge with theatrical immediacy through their sudden, almost cinematic shifts, creating transformative experiences that echo powerfully across centuries. Founded in 2022, Musica d'Outrora ("Music of Times Past" in Galician) unites adventurous creativity with meticulous historical research, forging new dialogues with both celebrated and rediscovered baroque masterpieces. Their debut recording, generously supported by Angel Early Music and the Continuo Foundation, marks a striking first statement of this distinctive musical identity. Pablo Devigo, orchestral conductor and historical keyboardist from Galicia (Spain), combines intellectual rigor and emotional intensity in his interpretations. A Fulbright Scholar currently completing his doctoral dissertation on Spanish 17th-century theater music at Indiana University, Devigo's artistry bridges historical authenticity and expressive freedom, illuminating the revolutionary spirit of early Baroque music for contemporary audiences.
