JiJi Plays Occhi Io Vissi Di Voi by Sessa

ByBradford Werner
2020

JIJI performs Occhi Io Vissi Di Voi by Claudia Sessa (c.1570-1617). This comes via Guitar Salon International and their YouTube channel. Claudia Sessa was an Italian composer and a nun at the convent of Santa Maria Annunciata in Milan. She composed two sacred works published in 1613, Occhi io vissi di voi and Vatteme pur Lascivia. Great playing by JIJI who adds plenty of flourishes and ornamentation/improvisation. I talked to her and this is her own arrangement with ornamentation and an open free interpretation. The arpeggiated flourishes with ornaments at the end are very lute-like and common to the era and she embraces it fully. All of JIJI’s projects and performances are super engaging with top notch playing, always looking forward to more.

Here’s a vocal recording of the work via this Tactus / Naxos Album with ensemble Cappella Artemisia and conductor Candace Smith.

Bradford Werner

Bradford Werner is a classical guitarist and music publisher from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He originally created this site for his students at the Victoria Conservatory of Music but now shares content worldwide. Curating guitar content helps students absorb the culture, musical ideas, and technique of the classical guitar. Bradford also has a YouTube channel with over 94,000 subscribers and 13 million views. He taught classical guitar at the Victoria Conservatory of Music for 16 years and freelanced in Greater Victoria for 20 years and now dedicates much of his time curating content online and helping connect the classical guitar community. See more at his personal website.