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Still Life is the debut album of Música d’Outrora, directed by Pablo Devigo. Recorded in Birmingham in 2024, it explores the radical expressivity of the 17th-century stylus fantasticus. Featuring first recordings of works by Ignazio Albertini and Gregorio Strozzi alongside sonatas by Castello, Buxtehude, and Stradella, the project combines rigorous historical research with bold, imaginative performance.

In Still Life, Música d’Outrora brings fresh vitality to the revolutionary stylus phantasticus, a musical language where emotional truth surpasses formal constraints, directly engaging the hearts and minds of listeners. Like carefully arranged objects in a painted still life, each composition captures ecstatic moments, suspending time and immersing the listener in distinct emotional realms. Employing a full palette of continuo instruments – organ, harpsichord, theorbo, guitar, lirone, and violone – inspired by Monteverdi’s landmark orchestration of L’Orfeo, the ensemble reveals the dramatic interplay of light and shadow particularly evident in Castello’s sonatas. These works emerge with theatrical immediacy through their sudden, almost cinematic shifts, creating transformative experiences that echo powerfully across centuries. Co-produced by Pablo Devigo and Ignasi Cambra, Still Life invites listeners into a sound world where time suspends, emotions intensify, and contrasts illuminate the path to transcendence.

Founded in 2022, Música d’Outrora (‘Music of Times Past’ in Galician) unites adventurous creativity with meticulous historical research, forging new dialogues with both celebrated and rediscovered baroque masterpieces. Their debut recording, generously supported by Continuo Foundation and Angel Early Music, marks a striking first statement of this distinctive musical identity. Pablo Devigo, orchestral conductor and historical keyboardist from Galicia, northwestern Spain, combines intellectual rigour and emotional intensity in his interpretations. A Fulbright Scholar currently completing his doctoral dissertation on 17th-century Spanish theatre music at Indiana University, Devigo’s artistry bridges historical authenticity and expressive freedom, illuminating the revolutionary spirit of early Baroque music for contemporary audiences.

Still Life is out now on the Deux-Elles label, available on major streaming platforms and to purchase here.