'The da Vinci Coda' solved by I Fagiolini exclusively on Apple Music
5 April 2019
“Music cannot be regarded other than as the sister of painting" (Leonardo da Vinci). Painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, pioneer of flight, anatomist, scientist - yet according to Vasari, Leonardo’s first job outside Florence was as a musician.
To mark Leonardo’s 500th anniversary and the legacy of this forward-thinking ‘Renaissance Man’, the solo-voice-consort I Fagiolini, combines art, music and science in Leonardo - Shaping the Invisible, a major new touring and recording project conceived with Leonardo expert, Professor Martin Kemp. Inspired by Leonardo’s restless curiosity, Shaping the Invisible explores his best-loved images through the prism of music by Tallis, Howells, Victoria, Bach, Monteverdi, Rubbra, Janequin, Daniel-Lesur and Josquin des Prez. In true I Fagiolini style, there are a few post-production surprises in store, whilst the concert tour includes projections of Leonardo’s beautiful art. Apple Music today unveils its own da Vinci 500 project, in collaboration with I Fagiolini.
Leonardo was known to improvise poetry over the lira da braccio and drew half-designs for instruments. Whilst no conventional music of his remains, Leonardo did pen some musical puzzles. The world premiere recording of The da Vinci Coda is a tongue-in-cheek realisation of the original puzzle by Peter Gritton for I Fagiolini. The da Vinci Coda can be heard for the first time on Apple Music.
Robert writes: “In Leonardo's notebooks are a few musical-looking puzzles which are solved by replacing the notes on the stave with the relevant syllable (ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la) or the images with the word they imply. The solution to one of these reads as, 'Amore sola mi fa remirare, la sol mi fa sollecita': 'Only love makes me remember: it alone makes me fired up'.”
I Fagiolini today launches its new album, Leonardo – Shaping the Invisible (COR16171), alongside the release of Gritton's The da Vinci Coda and a second single, Leighton’s gorgeous Drop, drop slow tears, both recorded exclusively for Apple Music. Shaping the Invisible is I Fagiolini’s first album on The Sixteen’s label CORO and Robert is thrilled with the partnership. Visit www.applemusic.com/davinci500 to listen to the singles, watch four new music videos, and pre-add Leonardo – Shaping the Invisible to your library. Once released on 26 April, the whole album will be instantly available in your Apple Music library.
In the lead up to the anniversary and album launch, Professor Martin Kemp and Robert Hollingworth discuss the creative process behind Leonardo – Shaping the Invisible at the Oxford Literary Festival today, 5 April. Robert and Martin talk about the da Vinci anniversary and their collaboration in a feature published in The Times on 6 April. On 8 April I Fagiolini opens Italy’s National Geographic Scientific Festival with a performance of the programme in Rome. This event marks the Italian premiere of the concert project and the title track, Shaping the Invisible, a new commission by Adrian Williams and poet Gillian Clarke for eight voices which celebrates Leonardo’s scientific investigation and obsession with flight.
The London premiere of Shaping the Invisible will be in Milton Court Concert Hall hosted by the Barbican on 28 April, and the ensemble visits St George’s Bristol for the anniversary itself on 2 May. Touring will be extensive; further territory premieres, festival and concert hall appearances will be announced as they go to press.
For more information about I Fagiolini or to explore the art and music in Leonardo – Shaping the Invisible please visit its website or click here; you can also follow the group on Twitter. To book I Fagiolini, or to talk about ideas, please call Libby Percival. To follow our da Vinci 500 news use #daVinci500 #ifagiolini #newmusic.
