Dario Castello (15?–1630?) was an Italian composer
and instrumentalist from the early Baroque period, who worked
and published in Venice. He was a late member of the Venetian School,
and played a part in the early transformation of the instrumental canzona
into the sonata.
Biographical Details
We have no biographical information about Castello at all; even his birth and
death dates are unknown, although it is thought he may have died during the
great plague of 1630. Certainly he published no new music after this date.
The title page of the 1629 edition of the first volume of Sonate Concertate
records him as Capo di Compagnia de Musichi d'Instrumenti da fiato in Venetia,
and the second volume (1644 edition) as
Musico Della Serenissima Signoria di Venetia in S.Marco, & Capo di Compagnia de Instrumenti.
He was probably associated with St. Mark's,
where Claudio Monteverdi was maestro di capella. Castello's
use of the stile concitato—quick repeated-note figures—further
suggests association with Monteverdi.
In addition, there are records of other instrumentalists working at St Mark's
named Castello, and it is possible they were relatives of Dario.
Style
Of his music, 29 separate compositions survive. Castello's music is inventive
and technically challenging. Strictly worked polyphonic sections alternate with
dramatic recitatives over basso continuo, in keeping with the title of
the publications "in stil moderno"; however he also uses some of the older
canzona technique, which uses short sections of highly contrasting texture,
and active rather than lyrical melodic lines. Unusually for the time, Castello
often specifies the instruments for each part, calling for cornetti,
violins, sackbutts and dulcians. That these works were still being
reprinted in the 1650s attests to Castello's influence.
Works
- Sonate Concertate in Stil Moderno, Libro I, Venice, 1621
- Sonate Concertate in Stil Moderno, Libro II, Venice, 1629
- Exultate Deo, motet (1625 and 1636)
Modern editions of the complete sonatas are published by Ut Orpheus Edizione.
Further Reading
- Eleanor Selfridge-Field, Dario Castello: A Non-Existent Biography, Music and Letters, LIII/2 (1972)
- Eleanor Selfridge-Field, Venetian Instrumental Music from Gabrieli to Vivaldi, 3rd edn. Mineola NY: Dover Publications, Inc., 1994. ISBN 0486281515
Recordings
- The Floating City, His Majesty's Sagbutts and Cornetts, Hyperion CDA67013.
- Viaggio Musicale, Il Giardino Armonico, Teldec 8573825362.
