Dario Castello (c. 1590 – c. 1658) [1] was an Italian composer and instrumentalist (either the antiquated cornetto or the bassoon, it is not clear) 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.
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There is 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 the 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 with the surname Castello working at St Mark's, 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.
   | Hyperion CDA67013 - Hyperion Records | Castello/Picchi: The Floating City |
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