You have to listen very closely to fully appreciate how difficult these pieces are to perform: lutenist Paul O’Dette just makes them sound so easy! In fact, according to O’Dette’s own articulate and informative notes, these lute works by Italian composer Simone Molinaro (c.1570-1634) are “among the most challenging ever written for the instrument.” And he does it not with wildly florid, obvious virtuoso show-off stuff, but rather with intricately constructed imitative counterpoint (in the manner of vocal ensemble music of the period) and fully developed lines in both inner and outer voices of multi-part works. He also sticks to fairly conventional harmony, albeit allied with provocative rhythms and singable, well-made melodies. O’Dette makes the most of this program of 26 pieces (several are by Molinaro’s teacher Giovanni Battista dalla Gostena), all of which are found in Molinaro’s celebrated collection, Intavolatura di Liuto, which he published in 1599. O’Dette’s technique, which has received high praise around the world in many concert and recording reviews, is in fine form here: even in the most difficult passages, where it seems that two lutes must be playing, he brings out every line in clear detail, complete with phrasing that allows us to pick out the rise and fall of melodies while preserving rhythmic drive and harmonic integrity. He’s aided by a complementary sonic environment–the ideal acoustics of Quebec’s Le Domaine Forget, a favorite venue of the orchestra Les Violons du Roy–and by what seems a sincere desire to bring this relatively unknown music to our attention. (You may recognize one of the pieces: the Ballo detto il Conte Orlando appears in Respighi’s Ancient Airs & Dances.)
