This hour, we’re all about that bass — the chaconne, to be specific. From Peru to Paris, and from the street to the operatic stage, this harmonic-bass formula has had us singing, dancing, and strumming for more than four centuries, having swept through Europe along with the Spanish guitar. We’ll trace the chaconne from its mythical island origins through the many delightful variations passed from musician to musician over the years, with settings by Juan de Arañes, Monteverdi, J. S. Bach, and more. Even our featured recording keeps them coming; La Centifolia’s release Ciaccona!
PLAYLIST
Spanish Dances
The Harp Consort, Andrew Lawrence-King
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi | 054727734021 (1995)
Lucas Ruiz de Ribayaz
Tr. 5 Chaconas y marionas (~4:34)
Segment A:
D’Amor mormora il vento
La Boz Galana
Ramee | RAM1909 (2020)
Antonio Carbonichi
Excerpt: Tr. 3 Ciaccona passegiata per B (Fade around :27)
Alla Napoletana
L'Arpeggiata, Christina Pluhar
Erato | 190296603587 (2021)
Andrea Falconieri, arr. Christina Pluhar
Tr. 2. O vezzosetta – L’eroica (~2:33)
Musica en el Quijote
Orphenica Lyra, José Miguel Moreno
Glossa | GCD920207 (2005)
Juan Arañes
Tr. 3 Chacona: A la vida bona (~1:47)
Vida Bona
La Sonorosa, Edwin Garcia
La Ma de Guido | LMG2158 (2019)
Luis de Briceño
Tr. 18 Vida, vida – Vida bona (~3:50)
Giovanni Felice Sances: Complete Arias, 1636
Bud Roach
Musica Omnia | MO-0611 (2014)
Giovanni Felice Sances
Tr. 17 Accenti Queruli (4:09)
Theme Music Bed: Ensemble Alcatraz, Danse Royale, Elektra Nonesuch 79240-2 / B000005J0B, T.12: La Prime Estampie Royal
:59 Midpoint Break Music Bed:
Passacaglia della vita
Cembaless
Naxos | 8.551439 (2021)
Andrea Falconieri
Tr. 6 Ciaccona (excerpt of 2:42)
Segment B:
Monteverdi: Teatro d’Amore
L’Arpeggiata, Christina Pluhar, dir
Erato | GCD920915 (2009)
Claudio Monteverdi
Tr. 16: Zefiro torna (~6:50)
Schütz: Symphonie Sacrae
Cappella Augustana, Matteo Messori
Brilliant Classics | BC92210 (2005/2019)
Heinrich Schütz
Excerpt: Tr. 9 Es steh Gott auf, SWV 356 (excerpt 2:26)
Portrait
Amandine Beyer
Zig-Zag Territoires | ZZT325 (2013)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Tr. 21 V. Ciaccona (12:50)
Featured Release:
Ciaccona!
La Centifolia, Leila Schayegh
Glossa | GCD924207 (2023)
Henry Purcell
Tr. 10 The Gordion Knot Unty'd, Z. 597: VI. Chaconne (~1:56)
Tr. 1: Purcell: Three Parts upon a Ground (~4:45)