Le Musiche di Sigismondo d'India

1.	Pallidetta_qual_viola
2.	Canto_di_rosignolo

Gundula Anders, Sopran  
Hille Perl, Viola da gamba, Lirone  
Sigrun Richter, Arciliuto, Chitarrone

We likewise know little about the life of Sigismondo d'India, Il Nobile Pelermitano, (ca. 1582-1629). It seems safe to assume, that he grew up in Naples and that his first musical encounters had been with composers of southern Italy, such as the group centred around Carlo Gesualdo.
Together with the special rhythms and unusual intervallic structure of Sicilian and Napolitan folk music, the bold harmony and melody characteristic of the South Italian school may have had decisive influence on d'India's style.

In the foreword to his first volume of solo songs Sigismondo d'India wrote in 1609:
I then set myself to find some special techniques for good solo singing, and discovered that it was possible to compose in the true fashion with unusual intervals, passing with the greatest possible novelty from one accord to another, in accordance with the varying sense of the words, and that by this means the songs would have greater effect, and greater power to move the emotions than could have been the case if they have been composed entirely in the usual manner...
We are still surprised by the boldness of his composing in order to meet the affectual requirement of the words.

Carpe Diem, 2001, Nr. 16259
Christoporus CHE 0134-2