Three from the Early Italian Baroque

I. Sacabuche!—17th Century Italian Motets (Sacabuche Ensemble/Linda Pearse). ATMA Classics CD ACD2 2712.

 

 

Early 17th c. Italian motets are the focus of this debut ATMA album by the ¡Sacabuche! Ensemble directed by Canadian trombonist Linda Pearse, recognized specialist in early 17th c. Italy repertoire. In addition to their inherent beauty, these works by lesser-known composers were chosen because they are representative of different musical types. This release represents the culmination of seventeen years of research, publication, performance and pedagogy by the accomplished Ms. Pearse, who, since 1997 has been collecting 17th c. Italian sacred motets with dedicated trombone parts.

 

Ercole Porta (1585-1630)
1. Corda Deo Dabimus

Gasparo Casati (ca 1610-1641)
2. Laetare Syon

Carlo Fillago (ca 1586-1644)
3. Sub tuum praesidium
4. Confitemini domino

Francesco Usper (bef. 1570-1641)
5. Vulnerasti cor meum

Ottavio Maria Grandi (fl 1610-1630)
6. Sonata decima nona 1628

Federico Cauda (unknown)
7. Iste sanctus
8. Beatus vir qui suffert

Leone Leoni (ca 1650-1627)
9. Deus exaudi
10. In te Domine speravi

Nicolò Corradini (d 1646)
11. Spargite flores
12. Cantate Domino

Stefano Pasino (fl 1610-1679)
13. Sonata XII detta la Savolda

Carlo Fillago
14. Diligam te Domine
15. Ego sum qui sum

Francesco Usper
16. Intonuit de caelo

Federico Cauda
17. Domine Iesu Christe
18. Iubilemus Deo

His first publications were Concertini for two to five voices and basso continuo, reflecting the stile moderno which had emerged around 1600. These collections date from 1618 and 1619 respectively; only the latter has been preserved. For most of his life Allegri was active as a singer (alto) in the papal choir. He was held in high esteem by his peers who elected him magistro pro tempore for the year 1650, a jubilee year. He held this post until his death two years later. An official of the papal chapel reported in February of that year: "When mass was over, the maestro di cappella announced to the assembly the death of Mr. Gregorio Allegri, our companion and distinguished composer (...). The loss of such a valorous man was felt by the whole of our college with the greatest of sorrow". The famous German theorist Athanasius Kircher chose one of his compositions as a musical example in his treatise Musurgia Universalis, alongside such distinguished masters as Carissimi, Mazzocchi and Froberger.

The present disc turns our attention to a collection of music which was brought together by Giovanni Angelo Altemps (c1586-1620), Duke of Gallese, Marches of Soriano and of the Rocchette, Lord of Mesuraca, grandson and heir to Cardinal Marco Sittico II Altemps. He had established his own chapel and the music he collected was used by that chapel. It includes pieces by the most famous masters of the time, among them Palestrina, Felice Anerio and Gregorio Allegri. The latter dedicated his second book of Concertini to the Duke.

Not all the pieces on this disc are from this source. In fact, the major work here, the Missa In lectulo meo, is in the Sistine Chapel Collection at the Apostolic Vatican Library. However, it is based on the motet In lectulo meo by the Flemish-born composer Pietro Bonomi (Pierre Bonhomme) which is in the Duke's collection. For that reason Fabrizio Bigotti assumes Allegri's mass would have been included in the collection too if the Duke had not died prematurely. This mass is scored for eight voices which reminds us that Rome had its own polychoral tradition. In contrast to Venice the two choirs in compositions performed in Rome were mostly of the same scoring: SATB. The Mass is performed here with organ accompaniment, again referring to Bonomi's motet which has an organ part. Given that the organ was not used in the papal chapel the recording reflects a performance as it could have taken place in Duke Altemps' chapel.

Another eight-part work is Salutis humanae sator, a piece for the Ascension liturgy. It comprises five stanzas which are alternately sung by one of the choirs which never join each other. In this recording the second choir is a little too far in the background. This work and the Mass are written in the stile antico, but even so Allegri includes elements of the modern style which was in vogue in his time. In comparison the two Lamentationes Jeremiae prophetae are more modern, especially in regard to the treatment of harmony. One of the settings is for higher, the other for lower voices. The instrumental works by Allegri - including the two Canzonas which are included in the Mass - are in the style of the time. It is notable that these are scored for two semi-choruses so-called in the liner-notes, meaning that they comprise two upper parts which develop a dialogue and have their own basso continuo instruments. The pieces by Anerio are of the same texture.

The most unexpected piece is the short cantata, Occhi rei non mi tradite which is for solo voice and basso continuo. It is attributed to Allegri, and if it is indeed from his pen it is one of only two secular pieces in his oeuvre, the other being a duet. It is a simple piece beginning with a refrain which is repeated after each of the ensuing two stanzas. It completes the picture of Allegri but musically it is hardly substantial.

There can be no doubt that this is a most interesting disc which should contribute to the creation of a more differentiated picture of Allegri as a composer. In his moving back and forth between the stile antico and the stile moderno he was a precursor of many Roman composers of later generations who had to obey to the ecclesiastical preference for the style of which Palestrina was the ultimate model. Even Alessandro Scarlatti composed some of his sacred music in this style. The Musica Flexanima Ensemble delivers fine performances; the mass receives here a much better interpretation than in the recording of The Choir of King's College London.

 

 

 

III. Francesco Cavalli—Vespero delle Domeniche (Coro Claudio Monteverdi di Crema/La Pifarescha/Bruno Gini).  Dynamic CD CDS 7714.

 

 

 

 

In the history of 17th-century Italian music, Francesco Cavalli is a central figure. In addition to opera, he showed his talent as a composer also in the field of sacred music, though the number of
sacred works that has come down to us is relatively small, for the times. Shortly before his death, in 1675, Cavalli gave the printer Gardano of Venice a collection of Vespero a 8 voci, dedicated to the Doge Niccolò Sagredo. The collection consists of three different vespers: the Vespero della Beata Vergine Maria, with 5 psalms and the Magnificat; the Vespero delle domeniche, with 13 psalms and the Magnificat; and the Vespero delli cinque laudate (Dynamic CDS520), with 4 psalms and the Magnificat. Unlike the other two vespers in the 1675 edition, the Vespero delle Domeniche were not conceived for a specific feast but as a copious “reserve” from which to draw for the vespers of the ordinary Sundays (per annum). 

 

1. Dixit Dominus, Quinti Toni sine intonatione 00:05:36
2. Confitebor Tibi Domine, Sexti Toni 00:05:16
3. Beatus Vir, Quinti Toni 00:06:28
4. Laudate Pueri Dominum, Quarti Toni 00:03:31
5. In Exitu Israel De Aegypto, Proprii Toni 00:07:10
6. Laudate Dominum Omnes Gentes, Tertii Toni 00:02:03
7. Credidi Propter Quod Locutus Sum, Secundi Toni 00:03:44
8. In Convertendo Dominus Captivitatem Sion, Octavi toni 00:02:25
9. Domine,Probasti Me Et Cognovisti Me, Quinti Toni 00:07:30
10. Beati Omnes Qui Timent Dominum, Sexti Toni 00:03:02
11. De Profundis Clamavi Ad Te Domine, Septimi Toni 00:04:46
12. Memento Domine David, Primi Toni 00:06:06
13. Confitebor Angelorum, Octavi Toni 00:04:14
14. Magnificat, Quinti Toni. Sine intonatione 00:07:13