The six-string viola bastarda sits midway between the tenor and bass viols, its range extending from the bass right up to the soprano. As Roberto Gini’s extensive notes explain, a slightly higher range viola bastarda was favoured in Venice and Milan around 1600, while a lower range instrument was popular in Parma and Ferrara. Its principal function was playing diminutions, rapid figurations used to break up and embellish melodies. The composers on this disc therefore include those usually featured on recordings focusing on early baroque virtuoso ornamentation: Francesco Rognoni, his father Richardo Rognioni, Girolamo dalla Casa and the greatest viola bastarda virtuoso of the time, Orazio Bassani (alias “Horatio Dalla Viola”). Several other less familiar works for viola bastarda are also included, such as Bonizzi Parmeggiano’s arrangement of de Rore’s madrigal, La bella netta ignuda, and Aurelio Virgiliano’s Ricercata per Viola Bastarda and his diminutions on Striggio’s Nasce la pena mia.

Close to two hours of solo viola bastarda in one sitting could tax even the most ardent fan of this special instrument. The recital is therefore varied with several solos for harp, harpsichord or organ and some viol consort pieces, some with a florid viola bastarda part. Of these additional pieces, Giovanni Togni’s rendition of Andrea Gabrieli’s solo harpsichord canzona on Petit Jacquet is especially successful.

The performances by all the musicians are uniformly excellent. Gini’s masterful command of the two violas bastarda he uses (both Gasparo da Salò copies) is demonstrated again and again in these technically demanding works. CHRISTOPHER PRICE