Dario Castello
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.
Table of contents |
2 Style 3 Works 4 Further Reading 5 Recordings |
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 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.
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.
Biographical Details
Style
Works
Modern editions of the complete sonatas are published by Ut Orpheus Edizione.Further Reading
Recordings