Milena Velba Blogpots

A Captain in court

[Ensemble Clematis]

Since the arrival of Carlos I of Spain in 1517, Capilla Flamenca, who had inherited of his father Philip the beautiful as an institution independent of the Capilla Real de Castilla, was always led by a prestigious natural master of Flanders. Last of all was born in Liege in 1575 as Matthieu Rosmarin, but everyone knew him in the English court as Matheo (or Matthew) Romero, or more commonly as a Master Captain, a nickname he earned for his prominence in the musical art . Rosmarin had come to Spain as a child, when the master of the Capilla Flamenca was Philippe Rogier, who spent eight years while serving with soprano. In 1594 he was promoted to the rank of adult member of the Chapel, where he quickly gained fame and prestige among their peers. A death Rogier in 1596, took the Master of Chapel Adrien Capy, but with the ascent to the throne of Philip III in 1598, Romero is chosen to direct the destiny of an institution that would be diluted in subsequent years until they merged into a single Royal Chapel . Although

office also wrote many religious music, widespread in Latin America, Romero is best known for his secular works, many of which have reached us in the Song of Sablonara (for the author of the collection, Claudio de la Sablonara courtier), preserved in Munich where it was Count Wolfgang Wilhelm de Neuburg, de visita en la corte madrileña entre 1624 y 1625, un manuscrito en el que el Capitán es el músico mejor representado (22 de las 75 piezas en él incluidas son suyas).

Las obras de Romero son básicamente polifónicas, a 3 y 4 voces, aunque también hay dúos y la tendencia a destacar la voz principal en algunas piezas apunta al universo monódico que se imponía a principios del siglo XVII en Italia, de donde llegan también los rasgos madrigalísticos, el deseo de pintar con música, de reforzar el sentido del texto mediante recursos sonoros más o menos estereotipados. El Cancionero de la Sablonara y la producción profana de Romero han sido llevados al disco en different times, often marking its links with the Renaissance, as in ancient and great a cappella version of the set The Columbian Accent for the label.

The Argentine Leonardo Garcia Alarcon, the head of Clematis Ensemble and the Cappella Mediterranea, instead the music poured into the Baroque world, providing the instrumental accompaniment flowery songs, replacing some parts instrument voices, what about the accompanied monody, and even offering some fully instrumental versions, which for a disc is not very interesting and compelling. Vision colorful, lush and vital, which also emphasizes relationship with popular music, enhanced by some rhythms that, according to García-Alarcón, still survive today in the Latin American folklore.
[ Diario de Sevilla. 22/01/2011 ]

Mateo ROMERO (C.1575-1647): Romero Flores

Mediterranean Cappella
Mariana Flores, soprano
Capucine Keller, soprano
Fabian Schofrin,
countertenor Fernando Guimarães, tenor

Ensemble Clematis
Stéphanie de Failly, violin Tatiana Babut
Mares, recorders
Rodrigo Calveyra, horn and flute
François Joubert-Caillet, soprano and tenor violas
Margaux Blanchard, bass viol
Lucile Boulanger, viola high
Thomas Dunford, Vincent Flückiger
vihuela, viol
Marie Bournisien, chromatic harp
Thierry Gomar, percussion
Leonardo Garcia Alarcon body

Director: Leonardo Garcia Alarcon

1. Between two gentle streams, romance to 4
2. Romero flowers, a 2 Folia
3. HEART, where were you?,
song 3 4. Enjojadas beautiful [instrumental]
5. In the sweet laughter of alva, Folia to 4
6. Oh, I'm dying of jealousy!, letrilla to 3
7. The Arid Medoro [instrumental]
8. That beautiful village, romance to 4
9. In this inbierno cold 3
song 10. Caíase a hawthorn, romance to 4
11. Fly, my thoughts, 3
song 12. Tired scoop, romance to 4
13. In a pleasant beach, a 3 song
14. Fisher, who gives the sea, 4

RICERCAR ---------- RIC 308 ( Diverdi ) [61'01'']
Recording: July 2010


Romero between two gentle streams. [7'41''] Ensemble Clematis. Cappella Mediterranea. Leonardo Garcia Alarcon