A Tempo Rubato: Book + CD

Tempo rubato – the art of rhythmic flexibility – was an indispensable element of 19th-century performance practice. In this project, Marco Ramelli and Enrica Savigni present an exhibition of sounds, writings and images, all exploring the expressive use of time and its implications for the music of the past – including how we perform and experience it in today’s very different culture and soundworld.

The enclosed CD consists of a richly varied programme of pieces from the Romantic period, played on original guitars from 19th-century Vienna. The program ranges from Mendelssohn’s intimate ‘Songs Without Words’ to Schubert’s most lyrical sonata, the Arpeggione.

The companion book, with contributions from the duo and other authors, offers a wealth of information on the music, the instruments and Romantic performance practice. Like a true companion, it informs, inspires and entertains, integrating the poetic and the scholarly.

Review of the book:

Tempo Rubato is a creative and timely artistic project that blends performance, research, and reflection into a vibrant artistic statement, bridging scholarship and artistry in a rare and original way. Packed with academic insights, unusual conversations, revealing quotations from primary sources, poetry, illustrations, suggestions for further reading, and a playful yet thoughtful reflection on touch in musical communication, this publication offers a richly layered experience. Bringing together inspiring scholarship, wonderful playing, and a host of delightful surprises, it invites readers and listeners into an immersive world where sound comes alive through sensation, imagination, and shared musical discovery. The result is an experience that is intellectually stimulating, sensually absorbing, and — above all — great fun.

Dr. Inja Stanović, University of Surrey