Phantasia (FANTASIA) Aarón Zapico & Aitor Hevia

• Johann Jakob Froberger (1616 - 1667)
• 1 Fantasia I sopra 06:24
• 2 Toccata IV FbWV 104 02:49
• Girolamo Alessandro Frescobaldi (1583 - 1643)
• 3 Gagliarda Prima 01:03
• Johann Jakob Froberger (1616 - 1667)
• 4 Partita FbWV 630 (Plainte) 03:45
• 5 Partita FbWV 630 (Courrant) 01:13
• 6 Partita FbWV 630 (Sarabande) 02:32
• 7 Partita FbWV 630 (Gique) 01:17
• Girolamo Alessandro Frescobaldi (1583 - 1643)
• 8 Balletto Terzo 00:34
• 9 Corrente del Balletto 00:39
• 10 Toccata I 03:16
• 11 Gagliarda Seconda 00:58
• 12 Pavana & Saltarello 01:58
• 13 Canzona III 03:39
• 14 Capriccio sopra la Battaglia 02:31
• 15 Balletto e Ciaccona 01:54
• 16 Balletto Primo 00:31
• 17 Corrente del Balletto 00:37
• 18 Balletto Secondo 00:44
• 19 Corrente del Balletto 00:48
• 20 Ballo Ongaro 02:44
• 21 Cento Partite sopra Passacagli 09:21
• 22 Tombeau faît à Paris sur la mort de monsieur Blancheroche FbWV632 04:50
• Total Runtime 54:07

Info for Phantasia (FANTASIA)

The young Spanish harpsichordist Aarón Zapico has chosen compositions from Frescobaldi’s two famous books of toccatas for his first solo album for Winter & Winter. The selection of pieces ranges from vivacious dance tunes to delicately intimate and calm settings. One of Frescobaldi’s most famous pupils, the German Johann Jakob Froberger (1616-1667), is the other featured composer on the CD, showing the inseparable connectionbetween, 'maestro’ and 'disciple’, yet two creative geniuses on their own. Froberger further developped and accomplished the genre of the keyboard suite, having its beginnings in Frescobaldi’s arrangements. Many of Froberger’s works, often inspired by incidents in his adventurous life, can be considered as early forms of programme music.

The touching Tombeau on the death of his friend Blancheroche closes an album dedicated to two masters whose influence on the following composer generations cannot be estimated highly enough. Aarón Zapico savours as interpreter the sound and technical possibilities on his instrument. Improvisation and variation let the scores become individually alive through the hands of the musician and this rich artistic ‘Phantasia’.

Aarón Zapico, harpsichord, clave (William Dowd after Mietke, Paris 1984)
Recorded at Sala de Cambra, Fundació Auditori Palau de Congressos, Girona, Spain, June 2010

Aarón Zapico - Harpsichordist
Born in Asturias, Spain, in 1978, {Aarón Zapico} is one of the most active Spanish harpsichord players. Having obtained the highest grades in piano at the Oviedo Conservatory, he began to take interest in the early music field, attending courses and seminars with renowned specialists. He completed his solo harpsichord diploma with the unanimous praise of the tribunal of The Royal Conservatory of The Hague under the direction of Jacques Ogg and assisted by grants from different institutions.

In 1999 he founded the Baroque music ensemble {Forma Antiqva}, hailed by the specialized press as “the visible forerunner of the new generation of Early Music in Spain.”. Currently he is the harpsichord player and director of this ensemble with whom perform at the most prestigious Spanish festivals as well as in Bolivia, Brazil, Singapore, Australia, Italy, Holland, Greece, France, The Czech Republic, China, Japan and Serbia. Until now they have recorded Bizarro!!, Insólito Estupor, Sopra Scarlatti, Amore x Amore and Concerto Zapico which are all widely acclaimed by specialized critics (Supersonic de Pizzicato, Excepcional by Scherzo, Recomendado by CD Compact, Excelente by Ritmo, Prelude Classical Music Awards 2009, Best Group 2010 by Televisión del Principado de Asturias, nominated for the International Classical Music Awards 2010 or the Premio al mejor disco de música vocal barroca 2008 - 2009 by CD Compact). {Forma Antiqva} is ensemble - in - residence at Oviedo Auditorium in Spain.

Currently, {Forma Antiqva} and {Aarón Zapico} are exclusive artists of the German label {Winter & Winter}.

Apart from his solo concerts (Siglos de Oro in Almagro, Fundación March in Madrid, Festival de Sta. Isabel in Zaragoza, Festival de Música Cidade de Lugo, Salamanca University...), he has collaborated with formations as heterogenic as Accademia del Piacere, El Concierto Español, La Caravaggia, Camerata Iberia, Euskal Barrokensemble, Xacona, Orpheon Consort Wien, La Ritirata, La Real Cámara, Real Filharmonía de Galicia or Asturias and Galicia Symphony Orchestras, under the direction of Frans Brüggen, Emilio Moreno, Victor Pablo Pérez, Pablo González or Fahmi Alqhai.

He has conducted several productions and premieres at festivals such as the Pórtico de Zamora Festival, Semana de Música Religiosa de Cuenca or Festival Internacional de Música y Danza in Granada. In 2010 he was the artistic assistant to Kenneth Weiss for the representations of L'Incoronazione di Poppea at the Campoamor Theatre and Arriaga Theatre Opera Seasons.

A close relationship is maintained with the countertenor and actor Xavier Sabata, with whom he released in 2007 Undercastration, a revolutionary programme mesh of cabaret, theatre and concert.

He has worked as a teacher of Historical Interpretation of Early Music at the CSM in Oviedo, has been Harpsichord and Basso Continuo teacher at the CPM and the CSM in Murcia and associated teacher of early music in Aracena, Gijón, Univ. of Salamanca, Univ. of Extremadura or Daroca. Moreover he has given Master classes at the University of Melbourne, the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Singapore, the Festival de Música Antigua in Gijón, Le Rocher de Palmer in Bordeaux or the Conservatorio Superior de Música del Principado de Asturias. Since november 2009 he is the artistic director of the Early Music Academy in Gijón, Spain and since 2011 he is the artistic director of the Early Music Festival of this city.

He has recorded for Winter & Winter, Arsis, RNE, Columna Música, Catalunya Música, France Musique, Australian Broadcasting, Czech Radio and TVE.

Currently, Aarón Zapico is harpsichord teacher at the {Conservatorio Superior de Música del Principado de Asturias}.

His first solo album, phantasia, with works from Frescobaldi or Froberger, is been hailed by the specialized press (Excellent for Ritmo, Exceptional for Scherzo Magazine or the Pizzicato Supersonic Award).

This album contains no booklet.