Italo-Britannici: Italian Expats in London of the Early 18th Century

This chamber music concert for recorder, viola da gamba, and harpsichord features music composed by Italian-born instrumentalist-composers such as Barsanti, Matteis, Draghi, and Cervetto who emigrated to London in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Attracted by the manifold opportunities the vibrant metropolis on the Thames had to offer, they wrote music that reflected England's - and especially London's - ever-changing musical tastes. Their music also revealed their drive to become an integral part of local culture and to contribute to its shaping. Several pieces selected for this program display the composers' intimate knowledge of the Italian style.  Another is written in the sophisticated style of the French Baroque. And others delve into the joyous possibilities of the theme and variation form of the ever-popular English Ground, Scotch humour included. Given the rich mix of musical traditions at play here, how could it be otherwise?