Italian

The English, historical-instrument, Baroque ensemble La Serenissima (the term was a nickname for the city of Venice) has specialized in somewhat scholarly recordings that nevertheless retain considerable general appeal, and the group does it again with this release. The program offers some lesser-known composers, and some lesser-known pieces by famous composers like the tiny and fascinating Concerto alla rustica for two oboes, bassoon, strings, and continuo, RV 151. What ties the program together formally is that it covers a range of Italian cities that were becoming cultural centers as they declined in political power: not only Venice (Vivaldi, Albinoni, Caldara), but also Padua (Tartini), Bologna (Torelli), and Rome (Corelli). There are several works by composers known only for one or two big hits, and these are especially rewarding. Sample the opening movement of Tartini's Violin Concerto E major, DS 51, with its unusual phrase construction and daringly chromatic cadenza passage: it has the exotic quality for which Tartini became famous, but it does not rely on sheer virtuosity. That work is played by leader Adrian Chandler himself, but he also chooses pieces for a large variety of other solo instruments: the Italian Baroque was about more than the violin. Each work on the album has something to recommend it, and collectively the performances may make up the best album of 2017 whose booklet includes footnotes.

Acclaimed soprano Carolyn Sampson, partnered by Robert King and The King's Consort,with whom she has been associated throughout her professional career, turns her talents to Handel's two most dramatic cantatas, linked by the theme of abandoned women.

This was to be the end of the line for Italian word-setting by Viennese composers: once the confident sentiments that belonged to the poet Metastasio's opera seria felt the chill and threatening wind of Enlightenment and Revolution, their time was up. Even we, for the most part, prefer to remember the German-speaking Beethoven, Schubert and Haydn. So it is good to be reminded of their responses to the Italian muse (usually as part of their craft-learning student work) in this particularly well-cast recital. Central Europe, in the person of Andras Schiff meets Italy, in Cecilia Bartoli, to delightful, often revelatory effect.

Hagen Quartett - Janacek: String Quartets / Wolf: Italian Serenade
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 230 MB | Full Artwork: 50 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Deutsche Grammophon # 427 669-2 | Country/Year: Germany 1989
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic, Early 20th Century, Chamber Music

"…The Hagens play with almost impossibly precise technique, virtually spotless intonation, and a fluid sense of balance that allows every line and every note of Janácek's scores to easily be heard. What's more, they brilliantly convey the emotional, autobiographical nature of the two works in such a way that even someone unfamiliar with their origins can sense the tension, drama, and angst. The disc concludes with an equally enjoyable performance of Hugo Wolf's Italian Serenade." 5/5 ~allmusicguide

The infamous Italian sexy-comedy genre now has its own saucy compilation. 21 cuts, including 13 tracks never published before on any format, taken from the finest original soundtracks of the genre. From groovy disco bangers and charming jazz-funk, sleazy-listening and rock blends, to analogue electronic experiments, these iconic sounds embody the essence of the Italian movie industry at the end of the 70s. Pure "aerobic groove" that spells out the melodic action of female starlets like Gloria Guida, Edwige Fenech, Nadia Cassini, Lilli Carati, and all the other heroines in this genre of film whose main task was not only to tease and undress, but to dance on the screen. The infamous Italian sexy-comedy genre now has its own saucy compilation. 21 cuts, including 13 tracks never published before on any format, taken from the finest original soundtracks of the genre. From groovy disco bangers and charming jazz-funk, sleazy-listening and rock blends, to analogue electronic experiments, these iconic sounds embody the essence of the Italian movie industry at the end of the 70s.

Early-music pioneers Charivari Agréable perform an engaging collection of overtures from Italian Baroque Opera, best described by Kah-Ming Ng as being “lucidly crafted for the purpose of turning heads”. In a decadent era when the antics of theatre-goers were often as intriguing as the performances taking place on stage, these works were composed with the express intention of thrilling, beguiling and engaging an often hard-to-impress audience.