Parte Prima

Little is known about one of the most productive of Italian musicians, Adriano Banchieri. Relegated to a marginal sector of Renaissance history, still defined by madrigals, Banchieri lived in the most extraordinary innovative period of Italian 'harmonic' music: we find clear signs of a new 17th-Century sensibility in adaptation, or rather in making the word serve representational needs, in the use of the basso concertante and in the extensive use of continuo. The two works presented on this CD represent the chronological heart of Banchieri’s most typical production and may be appreciated in modern recordings for the first time: this is an ambitious project to shed light on Italian 'minor' musical history of the end of the 16th century.

Andromeda Liberata is a serenata, or two-part ceremonial cantata with a hint of allegorical storyline, given in Venice on September 18, 1726, in honor of visiting Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni. Most early eighteenth century works of this type are so courtly, genteel, and refined that often their common destiny is to languish and gather dust on the shelves of some archive rather than be promoted and performed. Andromeda Liberata is an exception in that parts of it are traceable to the pen of one Antonio Vivaldi, whose varied and outstanding contribution to other types of works, including opera, are well noted elsewhere. Vivaldi, however, is not solely responsible for the score; although the musicological jury is still out on many sections contained within Andromeda Liberata, among the suspect roster may be found other prominent names (Tomaso Albinoni, Nicola Porpora, and Antonio Lotti) and some lesser ones (Giovanni Porta and Antonino Biffi).

Everything –- music, conductor, orchestra and soloists –- converge harmoniously to make this an exceptionally beautiful performance, to return to again and again. The naturalness, the effortlessness, and the joyfulness of this production are inescapable. Contrary to the dramatic subject matter, the most beautiful numbers have a golden, lambent quality ('Con dolce mormorio' in the Second Part) that made me think of the gentle murmur of bees among flowers. The singers are wonderfully selected for contrasting timbres, but all have consistent musicality. The leads, soprano Kermes and the counter tenor Cencic, are especially delightful in their duet. A pleasure in every way, regardless of who composed this music.
By J. Chiu (Washington, DC)

The two works presented on this CD represent the chronological heart of Banchieri's most typical production, shedding light on Italian "minor" musical history of the end of the 16th century.
The unconventional yet impassioned interpretations by Delitiæ Musicæ and Marco Longhini are seen as an important element in the regeneration of Italian Renaissance and Baroque music. The ensemble is under exclusive contract to Naxos for the fourteen-CD collection of the Complete Madrigals by Monteverdi and now for a six-CD collection of the Complete Madrigals by Gesualdo.