Gesualdo / Compagnia Del Madrigale - Secondo Libro Di Madrigali - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The heterogeneous output of Santiago de Murcia, one of the key figures in the Baroque guitar repertory, includes a number of transcriptions from the op. 5 of Arcangelo Corelli, the famous collection of 'sonatas with violin and string bass or harpsichord' published in Rome in 1700. The diffusion of Corelli's works in Spain, and in particular in Madrid, suggests how highly the Italian style was valued at the court of Philip V, where Santiago taught Queen Maria Luisa of Savoy between 1704 and 1706. This gave rise to the idea of investigating the relationship between the Spanish and Italian styles in de Murcia's guitar music. Pieces such as the fandango, jacaras and canarios, here presented in original arrangements that attempt to achieve a synthesis between historical research and creativity, are coupled with two Corelli sonatas and a set of original or anonymous variations on the 'Follie italianas'. The result is a stimulating kaleidoscope of sonorities in which different aesthetics and instrumental techniques dialogue, contrast and blend together. After his album 'Intavolatura', devoted to the solo theorbo music of Kapsberger ('hypnotisant' - Le Devoir; 'terrific' - American Record Guide; 'outstanding' - Lute News), Stefano Maiorana turns his attention to the Baroque guitar, investigating it's unique sound and it's ability to adapt to different languages and styles.

This product is an authorized manufactured on demand CD-R

The only surviving version of Carlo Gesualdo's First Book of Madrigals was printed in spring 1594 by the typographer Vincenzo Baldini. At the time, the composer was twenty-eight years old and had just left behind the murder of his wife, in 1590. In this first publication Gesualdo probably collected pieces composed earlier than 1591. The music is written by a young author, far away from the better-known experimental composer of later years, yet is clear and faultless, and often very effective. With this album, the members of La Compagnia del Madrigale complete the project which was initiated more than 20 years ago, by then under the name of La Venexiana the recording of all six books of madrigals of Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa, for Glossa. Thanks to their deep knowledge of the music and the poetry of the time, their beautiful voices and precise tuning, and their exquisite mastery in expressing the affetti contained in these pieces, they have definitely set a reference for this demanding repertoire.