frescobaldi, girolamo
Frescobaldi edition vol 7 - libro d'arie musicali / modo antiquo ensemble, bettina hoffmann

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Frescobaldi Edition Vol 7 - Libro D'arie Musicali / Antiquo / Hoffmann

Release Date: 03/23/2010
Label: Brilliant Classics Catalog #: 93796 Spars Code: DDD
Composer: Girolamo Frescobaldi
Conductor: Bettina Hoffmann
Orchestra/Ensemble: Modo Antiquo Ensemble
Number of Discs: 2
Recorded in: Stereo


Works on This Recording

1. Primo libro d'arie musicali per cantarsi by Girolamo Frescobaldi
Conductor: Bettina Hoffmann
Orchestra/Ensemble: Modo Antiquo Ensemble
Period: Baroque
Written: Italy


Notes and Editorial Reviews

About this release
Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583 - 1643) was the most significant figure in Italian keyboard music before Domenico Scarlatti. Born in the northern city of Ferrara, he had the patronage of the ruling Este family, who had established the city as a major artistic and cultural centre, actively encouraging the avent-garde.

By the end of his life, his influence was wide ranging, and composers as diverse as John Blow, J.S. Bach, and Johann Frohberger all learned a lot from the Italian master. He provides a link between Victoria and Palestrina and the high baroque of J.S Bach, Domenico and Alessandro Scarlatti and Vivaldi.

Arie musicali is a disarmingly simple title for a large-scale complex work, which encompasses arias, recitatives, settings of sonnets, variations, and strophic arias for one, two and three voices. Tradition and innovation are all mixed together. The subject matter of the settings is predominately love – happy or unhappy. On places the writing looks forward to the style of Bach's cantatas, and some of the numbers can be considered as mini cantatas.

Other information:
- Full sung texts included.
- The first complete Arie musicale recording.
- A release of major interest to all devotees of baroque music.

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FRESCOBALDI Arie musicali • Modo Antiquo, Bettina Hoffmann, dir. (period instruments) • BRILLIANT 93796 (2 CDs: 121:08)

"The Arie musicali, first published in 1630, pay homage to Frescobaldi's adopted city of Florence and to his employers, the Medicis. The collection contains several pieces written in the style of the earlier Florentine monody; these usually contain the phrase “in stile recitativo” in the title and are best skipped over. Of primary interest are the arias, canzonas, and madrigals for one, two, or three voices. Here is music that parallels concurrent developments in Italian opera, an indication of what a Frescobaldi opera might have sounded like. The music is a constant delight: sprightly, up-tempo, dance-like, always with lively and plentiful instrumental participation.

The performers, five singers and five instrumentalists, have the measure of this music. One of the sopranos is especially pleasing; her razor-sharp passagii and laser-guided ornaments will make you stand up and take notice. But since the liner notes don't key the singers to the individual pieces, I can't tell you which of the two sopranos she is. The instrumental ensemble includes two excellent performers on the archlute and guitar, as well as recorder, gamba, and harpsichord. Best of all, the recorded sound is ultra-realistic, placing the ensemble firmly and believably inside the listening space."

FANFARE: Christopher Brodersen

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