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Rinaldo Alessandrini

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Rinaldo Alessandrini was born on 25 January 1960 and is a harpsichordist, organist and conductor. He is a virtuoso on Baroque keyboard instruments: harpsichord, fortepiano and organ. His late start is striking. He only began on the piano at around fourteen, while singing in a choir at the same time. At eighteen he discovered the harpsichord. He took lessons with Ton Koopman and gave his first concert shortly afterwards.

Music and breakthrough

Alessandrini is the founder and conductor of Concerto Italiano, an Italian ensemble for early music. The ensemble plays works by Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Couperin and Bach, among others. He is regarded as one of the leading interpreters of early Italian opera. In 2009 he conducted Concerto Italiano at the annual Misteria Paschalia festival in Kraków.

Influence

His discography begins in the late 1980s with, among other things, the soundtrack Stradivari: Soundtrack From the Film from 1988 and Fiori Musicali in 1989. In the 1990s came toccatas for harpsichord, suites and partitas and above all many madrigals, including Il sesto libro de madrigali and Quarto Libro dei Madrigali. In this way he contributed to the rediscovery of the Italian Baroque, played on period instruments and in a style that suits the era.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a recording by Alessandrini with Concerto Italiano, for example from the madrigal books. Notice how the voices follow one another and how the harpsichord or other continuo carries the rhythm.

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists