Violin Révolution! Jennifer Diaz Spera baroque violin, Jerimiah Otto clavec

Violin Révolution!

Jennifer Diaz Spera, baroque violin

Jerimiah Otto, double manual harpsichord

Prélude à la révolution

The viol and violin families rose to dominate in the Renaissance period. Isabella Leonarda expands the soloistic freedom and athletic facility that could be performed on the instrument in her sonata including basso continuo. Senaille and Bach each inherited the glories of the Italian violin repertoire and crafted music with the influence of their family’s indigenous traditions. The French influence led to meloncholy progressions and copious ornamentation.

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Isabella Leonarda 1620-1704

sonata duodecima in d

Jean Baptiste Senaillé (1687-1730)

Sonata No.5

from 10 Violin Sonatas, Op.1 (first ed. 1710)

in C minor

Johann Sebastian Bach 1685-1750

Violin sonata BWV 1021

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Violin and Harpsichord Sonata KV. 9

Joseph Boulogne Chevalier de Saint Georges 1745-1799

Violin Concerto no. 2 g major

Début de la révolution 1789

Just before the French Revolution Joseph Boulogne Chevalier de Saint Georges originally from Guadeloupe and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart from Austria both came to reside in the same quartier of Paris—in the enterouge and theater of Marie Antoinette. These composers demanded new technical facilities from the performer as well as nearly impossible creative demands.

The Renaissance and baroque tradition of improvisation had ushered in extremely long and personal cadenzas into the endings of classical pieces. Being absolutely undeniable as a fencer, heroic colonel and composer/violinist Joseph Bolgone Chevalier de St Georges could succeed in an unprecedented way in Parisian culture. It was through the works of composers such as Bologne and Mozart that the violin cemented its place as top and leader of the orchestra as well as the most popular solo instrument in the world.

Performer Bio:

An equally passionate performer and educator, Jennifer Diaz Spera enjoys a varied career as Suzuki violin teacher and early music specialist.A Northern California native, Diaz Spera’s educational background includes degrees in violin performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the University of Colorado Boulder. Shortly after moving to Colorado, Diaz Spera discovered the colorful world of historical performance as co-director and performer in the early music group Ensemble Pearl. A concert review describes Diaz Spera’s baroque violin and viola playing as exemplifying “incredible grace” and a “full, colorful and expressive tone. Diaz Spera teaches violin with Boulder Suzuki Strings and feels honored to be connected to the nurturing and growth of the next generation of musicians and humans. Diaz Spera can be heard performing with the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado, Boulder Bach Festival, Seicento Baroque Ensemble, Fern Ensemble, and Quartet Aspaldiko.

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