Emanuela Taschini

Composer and cellist Domenico Gabrielli, was born in Bologna on 15 April 1659. He only lived to be 31 and he is a composer probably only familiar to cellists, or rather Baroque cellists. His seven Ricercari for cello solo are indeed the first predecessors of Bach’s cello Suites, and his two cello sonatas and his Canon for two cellos are among the earliest examples of their genre. Much less well-known is the fact that Gabrielli was also a celebrated opera and oratorio composer and published several trio sonatas and (posthumously) a volume of secular cantatas for voice and basso continuo. The present release is completed by some works by Bartolomeo Monari (1662-1707). Emanuela Galli's ravishing voice leads us through these lesser known Baroque compositions revealing the beauty of that music.

Alessandro Scarlatti was born in Palermo on 2 May 1660. In 1678 he married Antonia Anzalone by whom he had ten children, including the great Domenico. When still quite young, Scarlatti made himself known in Roman musical circles through his pastoral fable Gli equivoci del sembiante performed in 1679. In addition to writing operas, Scarlatti tried his hand at the cantata - one of the musical genres preferred by the nobility of the time - and sacred music. The writing of sacred compositions became a professional obligation following the composer's appointment as maestro di cappella at the church of S.Gerolamo della Carità.

Durant les premiers siècles de son histoire, le christianisme fut sans image. Il a ensuite accepté progressivement l'existence d'un art sacré figuratif, non sans traverser une grave " Querelle des images ". Celle-ci verra s'affronter durant un siècle et demi partisans et adversaires des images, ces derniers étant nombreux dans l'Église, y compris parmi les évêques et dans les milieux monastiques. L'Orient byzantin finira par reconnaître la légitimité des icônes, en particulier au concile de Nicée II (787) et lors du Triomphe de l'orthodoxie (843)…