Stile Rappresentativo

Review article of nine recordings of seventeenth-century representational style vocal repertoire. The stile rappresentativo (representational style) flourished in Italy during the 17th century, and although some of this repertory has been recorded frequently, much still remains unexplored. The principles of this style lie in the rhetorical values of instructing, moving and entertaining the audience and, as Giulio Caccini explained in the preface to his 1601 collection Le nuove musiche, the most important element for its performance should be the text, followed by the rhythm and, last of all, the sound. The centrality of the text in the performance of stile rappresentativo requires that singers and instrumentalists have an acute awareness of the dramatic context of the words and an ability to commit actively to its expression. The plethora of interpretative possibilities the style offers makes each of the nine CDs discussed in this review unique, with some standing out as truly exceptional.