Daniel Speer by Capella Itineris

Daniel Speer was a Stadtpfeifer (a “town piper” – in fact a multi-instrumentalist with a repertoire dedicated in particular to functional music), and he was also a composer, music theorist, teacher, political commentator, writer, and one of the most astonishing – and mysterious – figures of musical Baroque. In this programme, performed on period instruments, Capella Itineris explore Daniel Speer’s religious music, as well as his sonatas and a little-known aspect of his work: his quodlibets, which enable us not only to sample his humour and his taste for caricature, but also to discover the originality – not to say, extravagance – of his style. 

À la fois Stadtpfeifer (musicien poly-instrumentiste au répertoire notamment dédié à la musique fonctionnelle), compositeur, théoricien, pédagogue, écrivain et commentateur politique, Daniel Speer fait partie des personnages les plus étonnants du baroque musical – et des plus mystérieux. La Capella Itineris lui consacre ici un enregistrement sur instruments d’époque, et explore sa musique religieuse, ses sonates et ses quodlibets, pan méconnu de son œuvre qui laisse entrevoir son humour, son goût pour la caricature ainsi que l’originalité, pour ne pas dire l’extravagance, de son style.

Founded in 2016, Capella Itineris is an ensemble that focuses on the repertoires of the 16th and 17th centuries and is distinguished by its in-depth knowledge of the art of diminution, historical instrumentation and its willingness to push the idiomatic boundaries of their instruments.