Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – La vanita del mondo (2020) [FLAC 24bit/192kHz]

After a recording career spanning almost twenty years, Philippe Jaroussky is looking forward. His new album, recorded in June 2020 just after France’s first Covid-19 lockdown, was conceived as a project that would complete the French countertenors previous recordings. After having already tried his hand at baroque and motet tunes, he has now decided to throw himself into Italian Oratorio. Of the 18 tracks on this record, more than one third are recording world firsts: songs by Pietro Torri, Fortunato Chelleri, Nicola Fago, Benedetto Marcello, an array of discoveries which bear witness to the 17th century’s intellectual and musical abundance as well as the first half of the century which followed it.

At the head of the Artaserse ensemble, Philippe Jaroussky lifts one up with his emotive music. We are met with tragedy, pathos and dramatic force such as the sublime aria “Dormi, o fulmine di Guerra” from Alessandro Scarlatti’s Guidita, or the famous “Lascia la spina” used by Händel in Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disingano, Almira and Rinaldo. We are presented with an exemplary panorama of Italian Oratorio from a time when the peninsula was a patchwork of independent states centered in great cities like Rome, Naples, Venice or Milan. François Hudry

Tracklist

01. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Torri: Abramo: “Perché più franco” (Isacco)
02. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Scarlatti,A: La Giuditta: “Ardea di fiamma impura” (Nutrice, Oloferne)
03. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Scarlatti,A: La Giuditta: “Dormi, o fulmine di guerra” (Nutrice)
04. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Chelleri: Dio sul Sinai: “Odi, Mosè mio fido” (Dio, Mosè)
05. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Chelleri: Dio sul Sinai: “Caderà, perirà” (Dio)
06. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Handel: Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, HWV 46a: “Lascia la spina, cogli la rosa” (Piacere)
07. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Caldara: Assalonne: “Contro l’empio s’impugni la spada” (Ioabbe)
08. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Bononcini: La decollazione di San Giovanni Battista: “Bacio l’ombre e le catene” (S. G. Battista)
09. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Bononcini: La decollazione di San Giovanni Battista: Sinfonia
10. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Torri: La vanità del mondo: “Esiliatevi pene funeste” (Piacere)
11. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Fago: Il faraone sommerso: “Ohimè, d’armi e cavalli” (Messo)
12. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Fago: Il faraone sommerso: “Forz’è pur nel proprio sangue” (Messo)
13. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Caldara: Santa ferma: “Ferma, ascolta e festeggia” (Angelo)
14. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Caldara: Santa ferma: “Amar senza penar” (Angelo)
15. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Hasse: La conversione di Sant’Agostino: “Sì, solo a te mio dio” (Sant’Agostino)
16. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Hasse: La conversione di Sant’Agostino: “Il rimorso opprime il seno” (Sant’Agostino)
17. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Marcello: La Giuditta: “Tuona il ciel” (Achior)
18. Philippe Jaroussky & Artaserse – Caldara: Morte e sepoltura di Christo: “È morto il mio Gesù” (Maria di Giacobbe)