Stylus Phantansticus: The Hidden Writing Irene De Ruvo

• Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562 - 1621): Toccata chromatica for Organ:
• 1 Sweelinck: Toccata chromatica for Organ 08:48
• Johann Jacob Froberger (1616 - 1667): Toccata No. 4 for Organ:
• 2 Froberger: Toccata No. 4 for Organ 05:40
• Toccata No. 2 for Organ:
• 3 Froberger: Toccata No. 2 for Organ 04:25
• Marco Antonio Cavazzoni (1490 - 1560): Chanson plus ne regres for Organ:
• 4 Cavazzoni: Chanson plus ne regres for Organ 03:19
• Ricercare for Organ:
• 5 Cavazzoni: Ricercare for Organ 03:07
• Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583 - 1643): Toccata No. 5, sopra i pedali per l'organo e senza, F 3.05:
• 6 Frescobaldi: Toccata No. 5, sopra i pedali per l'organo e senza, F 3.05 04:51
• Canzona No. 4 for Organ, F 3.16:
• 7 Frescobaldi: Canzona No. 4 for Organ, F 3.16 04:13
• Capriccio sopra la bassa flamenga, F 4.05:
• 8 Frescobaldi: Capriccio sopra la bassa flamenga, F 4.05 05:52
• Michelangelo Rossi (1602 - 1656): Toccata No. 3 for Organ in E Minor:
• 9 Rossi: Toccata No. 3 for Organ in E Minor 05:45
• Girolamo Frescobaldi: Bergamasca for Organ, F 12.46:
• 10 Frescobaldi: Bergamasca for Organ, F 12.46 05:57
• Capriccio sopra la, sol, fa, mi, re, ut, F 4.02:
• 11 Frescobaldi: Capriccio sopra la, sol, fa, mi, re, ut, F 4.02 08:52
• Total Runtime 01:00:49

Info for Stylus Phantansticus: The Hidden Writing

Since its beginning, organ writing has been characterized by its imitation and contrapuntal style the severity of the melodic lines managing to catch the distinctive element of the instrument, sound emission preventing perspective differentiation of different sound pianos. The organ was the instrument which helped an exceptionally artistic compositional style to thrive in music chapels in Italy, being the only musical instrument allowed in religious places. It was used both in accompaniment and in transposition to the instrument of motets and vocal masses, sometimes even to replace chants, habit which led to alternatim, alternation of instrument and voice, with a music balance where ‘now the words are clear and now are lost’ (Dante Alighieri, Purgatory, IX, 145). Although the organ repertoire was a slave to the sacred chanting, it very soon departed from it, producing music forms solely dedicated to the instrument performance Ricercare, Tiento, Toccata, Intonazione, Praeludium, Praeambulum. The list of titles is so rich and it can translate equivalent writing forms, some closer to the imitation contrapuntal style, some others closer to free invention, according to a style that is more similar to improvisation. The term stylus phantasticus refers to the latter, a music gesture of extreme elasticity and freedom in performance.

Irene De Ruvo, organ (Willem Hermans 1664 – Pistoia (Italia)

Irene De Ruvo
After graduating in Organ, Harpsichord and Piano, she obtained a two-year advanced degree in Organ with highest honors. She has participated in numerous courses in organ performance practice with internationally renowned masters (L.F. Tagliavini, F. Cera, E. Bellotti, M. Radulescu, P. Crivellaro). She specialized in Basel (CH) in the Baroque repertoire with maestro J.C. Zehnder and took conducting courses with maestro P. Gelmini.

She has given concerts at important cultural venues in Italy and abroad. In 2013, she toured Japan where she was called to play in concert and to give some lectures on interpretation of Baroque organ music. She is the titular organist of the Livio Tornaghi mechanical organ (1850) at the church of S. Maria in Carrobiolo in Monza.

As a soloist, on organ and harpsichord, and as director of chamber and orchestral ensembles, he collaborates with internationally renowned musicians (P. O'Dette, D. Sherwin, B .Dickey). Inotre, he is artistic director of several musical seasons in Lombardy (ImagoMagi International Organ Festival, Antichi Organi della Provincia di Varese, Villa in Musica).

He is director of the Civic School of Music in Cassina de Pecchi and professor of Organ at the "Francesco Cilea" Conservatory of Reggio Calabria.

Booklet for Stylus Phantansticus: The Hidden Writing