‘Con Arte e Maestria’: The Art of the Flourish

The decades around 1600 bore witness to the flourishing of a remarkable musical tradition: the art of diminution, in which simple melodies were given exquisitely virtuosic embellishments by performers, effectively creating new works. In Con Arte e Maestria – The Art of the Flourish, Oliver Webber and Steven Devine showcase the diverse musical personalities on display in these works: the measured brilliance of dalla Casa and Bassano; the exquisite daring of Ricardo Rognoni; the sensuous fluidity of Bovicelli and Caccini; and the fiery virtuosity of Francesco Rognoni - the first of these to write specifically for the violin, exploiting its techniques to the full, with trills, runs, varied articulation, dotted rhythms, leaps, and echoes.

Oliver Webber has been exploring the world of historical violins and their relatives since the early 1990s. He has been a passionate advocate for bringing research and performance together: his work in the field of string-making has been transformative, and his study of historical bow-holds has played a role in several important recordings. Oliver is the artistic director of the Monteverdi String Band, and Oliver's fascination for languages and the intermingling of art forms in the early seventeenth century has provided a rich vein of material for the Band. Their first recording, The Madrigal Reimagined, was released in summer 2024, and critics have variously described the disc as ‘an extraordinary CD’ (Early Music Review), ‘a great achievement and a model of creative programming and performance’ (Johann van Veen), and ‘a wonderfully satisfying recital’ (Planet Hugill). Oliver lives in London with his wife and 2 sons, although they spend as much time as possible in the mountains of Liguria.

Steven Devine combines a career as a conductor and director of orchestral, choral and opera repertoire with that of a solo harpsichordist and fortepianist. He is Conductor and Artistic Advisor of The English Haydn Festival; Music Director of New Chamber Opera, Oxford and Director of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment’s 'Bach the Universe & Everything' series. He is the Principal Keyboard Player both with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and for The Gonzaga Band, and performs regularly with many other groups around Europe including the Monteverdi String Band. His recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations (Chandos Records) has received critical acclaim – including Gramophone magazine describing it as “among the best”.

"Webber and Devine apply their consummate technical skills and flawless musical instincts to bring this vital performance technique vividly back to life."
Early Music Review