Stradella! Sinfonias for Solo Violin • Haapsalu Early Music Festival XXXIII

Alessandro Stradella - Sinfonias for Solo Violin

Pirkanmaa Baroque (FI): 

Aria Maria Lehtipuu - violin

Marianna Henriksson - harpsichord, organ

Louna Hosia - cello

Eero Palviainen - archlute

Alessandro Stradella (1639–82) is perhaps even better known for his adventurous life than for his music. He was forced to change his surroundings multiple times under scandalous circumstances, moving from Rome to Venice and then to Turin before eventually settling in Genoa. However, this did not diminish his reputation as a composer and musician: Stradella can be regarded as one of the most significant and prolific composers of the 17th century, particularly in the realm of vocal music. 

At the time, the term sinfonia was a general description for any instrumental music. In later history, the compositions of this kind would more commonly be referred to as sonatas. In Stadella’s works, also the concept of a movement is more fluid than in later music history; a stream of fluctuating affects is sometimes divided into short bursts, sometimes into longer, lingering on a single idea. Performed by Pirkanmaan Baroque, these sinfonias take the listeners to places and states of mind as varied as Moomin valley, a church, the depths of sorrow and longing, strutting with playful pride, dreaming, joyful dances, a picnic with little bears, or soaring on angelic wings — in other words, they encompass the full spectrum of human life in all its bittersweet vibrancy.

Pirkanmaa Baroque is an early music ensemble based in Tampere since 2019. The group performs in its home county as well as at festivals and concert series all over Finland.  In addition to traditional concerts, the ensemble’s programming combines music from past centuries with contemporary themes, for example through storytelling. The ensemble has collaborated with a variety of artists, including actors, vocal ensembles, ukulele and kantele players, and dancers. Aira Maria Lehtipuu serves as the ensemble’s artistic director.