Canta la Serenissima - Music from 17th century Venice

ARGO · Anna-Maaria Oramo · Claudio Monteverdi · Dario Castello

2013 · ABCD 360

Credits

Performers: ARGOAnna-Maaria Oramo — Harpsichord
Composers: Claudio MonteverdiDario CastelloAlessandro GrandiBiagio MariniGiovanni PicchiTarquinio MerulaNatale MonferratoClaudio MeruloGiovanni Battista Riccio

About this release

Canta la Serenissima
17th century Venetian music
ARGO
Kajsa Dahlbäck, soprano
Tuomo Suni, violin
Dora Asterstad, violin
Heidi Peltoniemi, cello
Jani Sunnarborg, dulcian
Anna-Maaria Oramo, harpsichord
The new album Canta la Serenissima contains music born in the thousand-year Republic of Venice (697-1797), Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta, La Serenissima. The cathedral of San Marco located there was one of the most important employers of musicians in Venice in the 16th-17th centuries, it also served as the center of the musical reforms of the early 17th century. The names of the composers on the album include San Marco Cathedral's most famous maestro di cappella of all time, Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643), spiritual monody master Alessandro Grandi (1586-1630), Dario Castello (c. 1590-c. 1658), who has been the director of the San Marco wind ensemble since 1621, and Biagio Marini (1594-1663), who has been the violinist of San Marco since 1615. The album also includes works composed in honor of the Virgin Mary, the patron saint of the city of Venice. The vocal works are wonderfully interpreted by soprano Kajsa Dahlbäck.
The band Argo, founded in 2008, focuses on interesting programs and expressive music. The program's main focus is on baroque vocal music for a small ensemble. The group has received excellent reviews of its concerts in the Finnish press.

Tracks

1.Confitebor primo (1650)comp. Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)ISRC FIABA13000957:46
2.Undecima sonata a due violini e fagotto (1629)comp. Dario Castello (c. 1590-c. 1658)ISRC FIABA13000966:31
3.Jesu mi dulcissime (1625)comp. Alessandro Grandi (1586-1630)ISRC FIABA13000974:07
4.La Foscarina (1617)comp. Biagio Marini (1594-1663)ISRC FIABA13000984:17
5.Laudate Dominum (1641)comp. Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)ISRC FIABA13000993:57
6.Pass'e mezzo (1621)comp. Giovanni Picchi (1572-1643)ISRC FIABA13001005:58
7.O quam speciosa (1637)comp. Alessandro Grandi (1586-1630)ISRC FIABA13001018:13
8.Sonata prima a soprano solo (1629)comp. Dario Castello (c. 1590-c. 1658)ISRC FIABA13001024:35
9.Gaudeamus omnes (1630)comp. Tarquinio Merula (1594-1665)ISRC FIABA13001032:57
10.Sonata a violino o cornetto e basso (1655)comp. Biagio Marini (1594-1663)ISRC FIABA13001044:38
11.Alma redemptoris matercomp. Monferrato, NataleISRC FIABA13001054:29
12.Canzoni d'intavolatura d'organo fatte alla francese, Book 1: La Cortesecomp. Merulo, ClaudioISRC FIABA13001064:25
13.Divine lodi musicali et alcune canzoni da sonare, Book 3: Ave regina caelorumcomp. Riccio, Giovanni BattistaISRC FIABA13001073:04

Reviews

Argo is an ensemble that specializes in Baroque small group vocal music, so this recital fits them to a tee.
Audiophile Audition · Steven Ritter · June 23, 2014
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Poreilevaa musiikkia Venetsiasta
”Vuonna 2008 syntyneen suomalaisen Argo- yhtyeen levy ei häpeä kansainvälisilläkään estradeilla. […] Levy on kerrassaan mainio todistus suomalaisesta barokkimusisoinnin tasosta. […] Dahlbäckin sopraano soi instrumentaalisen kauniina ja tekstin niin vaatiessa siihen puhkea äärettömän viehättävä ja luontevan kuuloinen vibrato. Kuuntelijaa hemmotellaan myös teknisesti hyvin valmiilla esityksillä, joissa korukuviot sädehtivät vaivattomasti.”
Risto
Yle Uudet levyt · Risto Nordell
Venetsialainen barokki kukoistaa Argon levyllä
”Kajsa Dahlbäckin sopraano tekee heleydellään ja raikkaalla notkeudellaan vaikutuksen Monteverdin ja Grandin soolomoteteissa. […] Venetsialaiseen loistoon saadaan paras tuntuma Castellon ja Marinin sonaateissa, joissa Tuomo Sunin ja Dora Asterstadin viulujen säihkettä ja Jani Sunnarborgin pulputtavaa dulciania (fagotin edeltäjä) on riemukasta kuulla. Anna-Maaria Oramo antaa cembalolla ryöppyävän panoksen anteliaaseen tunnelmaan Picchin Pass’e mezzo -muunnelmissa. Monikanavaääni palvelee barokkisoittimien ja kirkkoakustiikan sävyrunsautta.”
Jukka
Helsingin Sanomat · Jukka Isopuro
”The five players and soprano Kajsa Dahlback are clearly very comfortable with the Venetian style, and they have chosen music of the highest quality-by nine composers-to demonstrate their strengths.
In the 17th Century, violinists strove to emulate the voice, and Argo shows just how well the violin can reach this ideal. Virtuoso writing for dulcian was very new at the time, and Jani Sunnarborg produces an effortless sweet sound right up and down the whole register to stunning effect. Two solo harpsichord pieces (by Picchi and Merulo) are extremely well played by Anna-Maaria Oramo.”
C MOORE Guide · American Record
Canta la Serenissima - Music from 17th century Venice
See track listing below review
Argo (Kajsa Dahlbäck (soprano), Tuomo Suni, Dora Asterstad (violin), Heidi Peltoniemi (cello), Jani Sunnarborg (dulcian), Anna-Maaria Oramo (harpsichord))
rec. May and September 2012, St Catherine's Church, Karjaa, Finland.
MusicWeb International
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