Mediterranean Spirit

Violinist Cristina Prats Costa makes her debut with her solo album "Spiritillo Mediterraneo," a vivid portrait of the sound world of music from the 17th and early 18th centuries, shaped by the cultures of the Mediterranean. Inspired by Andrea Falconieri's "Il Spiritillo Brando," the album takes the spiritillo—a mischievous, animating spirit—as a metaphor for Baroque fantasy: a realm of invention, improvisation, and richly ornamented dialogue. Here, the Mediterranean appears not as a border, but as a crossroads where Italian virtuosity, Spanish rhythmic fire, and French elegance meet. Music by Andrea Falconieri, Nicola Matteis, Gaspar Sanz, Santiago de Murcia, José de Nebra, Heinrich Biber, Jean-Féry Rebel, and Antonio Vivaldi reflects this exchange, vividly colored by the use of castanets, which contribute an unmistakable Iberian rhythmic vitality. The Spanish pieces appear in Cristina Prats Costa's own arrangements, making the album's musical journey even more personal. "Spiritillo Mediterraneo" is a deeply personal album that also reflects Cristina Prats Costa's own artistic path. Rooted in her Spanish heritage and shaped by years of performing across Europe, North and South America, and Asia, the album places ornamentation at the center—not as decoration, but as narrative. With Italian brilliance, French sophistication, and the earthy pulse of Spanish dance and guitar traditions, these interpretations combine historical insights with an individual voice. The result is a recording full of rhythmic energy, intimacy, and color, guided by a curious, agile, and vibrant spirit.