This hour features a new, special CD with early music.
In this episode, you can listen to sacred music from three Italian composers of the 17th century, featured on recently released CDs.
The first is Lodovico Grossi da Viadana (ca. 1560-1627), who worked as a capellmeister in cathedrals and monasteries in Italy. He himself belonged to the Franciscan order of the Friars Minor. He is best known for one particular collection of musical works: the Cento concerti ecclesiastici from 1602, which is the first publication of motets written for solo voice and basso continuo. The style of these motets is still quite traditional; the motets in his collection Centum sacri concentus ab una voce sola from 1615 are more modern. The CD from The Viadana Collective features, in addition to this theme, some polychoral motets and instrumental works. The organ player Iason Marmaras plays improvisations on the organ of the Basilica di Santa Barbara in Mantua, where the CD was recorded.
Lodovico Grossi da Viadana (ca. 1560-1627)
1. Angustiae mihi
2. O stupor et gaudium
3. Ego flos campi
4. De profundis
5. Hodie nobis coelorum rex a 8
6. Sinfonia La Bergamasca
7. Ecco ego mitto vos a 8
The Viadana Collective conducted by Maximilien Brisson
(CD: “Sacri Concentus” – Passacaille 1142, 2024)
The second CD features music from two of his contemporaries: Orazio Benevoli en Giacomo Carissimi, both born in 1605 and working in Rome. Benevoli is an exponent of what musicologists call the Kolossalbarock, where some composers concentrated on writing large scale works for up to twelve choirs. Benevoli’s Missa Benevola is still quite modest with ‘only’ four choirs. This Mass was written for a Marian celebration, possibly the Feast of the Assumption of Mary.
The CD also features an oratorio and two motets from Giacomo Carissimi, who is best known for his oratorio.
Orazio Benevoli (1605-1672)
Missa Benevola a 16:
9. Kyrie
10. Gloria
Giacomo Carissimi (1605-1674)
11. Paratum cor meum
12. Super flumina Babylonis
Frederick Long, bass (11). I Fagiolini, The City Musick conducted by Robert Hollingworth
(CD: “Missa Benevola” – Coro COR16208, 2024)
In addition:
Iason Marmaras (*1985)
13. Toccata del terzo tuono (improvisation)
Iason Marmaras, organ
(CD: see 1-7)
Image: cover CD Benevoli
