Alexandra Opsahl and Ian Pritchard
Spouses Alexandra Opsahl and Ian Pritchard give a remarkable performance of selections from the early 17th-century Italian repertoire. The complex melodic pirouettes of their music are paralleled visually in the lavish ornamentation of the Doheny Mansion’s Pompeian Room.
Music of 17th-century Italy
This triptych of instrumental works transports us to the glory of early 17th-century Italy, epicenter of the European modern, crossroads between East and West. Alex and Ian perform on historical instruments like the cornetto, a hybrid between a woodwind and a brass instrument, and the harpsichord, predecessor to the piano. Frescobaldi’s “hundred variations” is a monument to the musical language of the early baroque era. An exuberant sonata by female composer Leonarda brings the set to a climactic close.
