Renato Criscuolo – Corsi: Bass Cantatas (2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 59:08 minutes | 538 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Brilliant Classics
Giuseppe Corsi (c.1631/1691), known as Celani, was one of the most important composers of the Roman school active in the second half of the 17th century. Little is known about his origins although, according to historian Pietro Antonio Corsignani, his family belonged to the noble branch of the Evangelisti Corsi family. Born in Abruzzo, he soon moved to Rome to undertake his musical studies, enjoying employment as maestro di cappella in several cathedrals and basilicas in the Italian capital and further afield.Later, during his exile from the Papal State, Corsi had Perti as his pupil, later conducting several of the latter’s sacred compositions.
Corsi’s catalogue of works includes around 23 secular compositions including Cantatas for one voice and basso continuo (TriCo 49–69). The protagonist of the cantata Dalle balze sicane (TriCo 58) is the mythological Enceladus who, having been plunged into the bowels of Mount Etna by the goddess Athena, invokes Jupiter to placate the outrage against him. The character’s ‘misfortunes’ and ‘sorrows’ of love in Cruda legge del mio fato (TriCo 57) find analogies with those experienced by the composer. The first aria in this cantata is rich in complex enharmonics, greatly expanded and varied in the repeat, when the voice is engaged in difficult bravura passages.
The cantata Abbandonato e solo (TriCo 49) begins with a veritable monologue from Roman emperor Nero, tormented by his past ghosts. The cantata on this album by Giacomo Antonio Perti (1661–1756), Pompe, voi che ascondete, although attributed to Corsi’s favourite pupil, is in fact still of unproven authorship.
It is possible that Giuseppe Corsi met Giovanni Battista Vitali (1632–1692). The two composers in 1685 took part in the famous dispute over parallel fifths in Arcangelo Corelli’s Sonata Op.2 No.3. The bass of the violin family, of which Vitali was a virtuoso, was widespread thanks to the Este patronage of Duke Francesco I. Called violone or bass, it would soon evolve into the violoncello thanks to the invention of coated strings that made it possible to reduce the size of the instrument. In his cantatas, Corsi repeatedly insists on the B flat grave, a characteristic of violin bass tuning, and the numerous semiquaver passages are particularly agile on the violone, so it is not unlikely that the composer from Marsica had this instrument in mind. It is also for this reason that Corsi’s compositions have been joined by some movements from the Partite sopra diverse sonatas for the violone by Vitali that are particularly pleasing.
Tracklist:
1-1. Renato Criscuolo – Dalle balze sicane (Encelado), TriCo 58: I. (Recitativo) “Dalle balze sicane” (01:12)
1-2. Renato Criscuolo – Dalle balze sicane (Encelado), TriCo 58: II. Aria. “Giove tiranno” (00:30)
1-3. Renato Criscuolo – Dalle balze sicane (Encelado), TriCo 58: III. Recitativo. “Anneriscon le sfere” (00:34)
1-4. Renato Criscuolo – Dalle balze sicane (Encelado), TriCo 58: IV. Aria. “Cieli ingrati” (00:49)
1-5. Renato Criscuolo – Dalle balze sicane (Encelado), TriCo 58: V. (Recitativo). “Disseta pur lo sdegno” (01:05)
1-6. Renato Criscuolo – Dalle balze sicane (Encelado), TriCo 58: VI. Aria. “Li ciechi abissi” (01:15)
1-7. Renato Criscuolo – Dalle balze sicane (Encelado), TriCo 58: VII. (Recitativo). “Tacete, alme” (01:03)
1-8. Renato Criscuolo – Dalle balze sicane (Encelado),TriCo 58: VIII. Aria. “Agl’urli tremanti” (00:43)
1-9. Renato Criscuolo – Dalle balze sicane (Encelado), TriCo 58: IX. Aria. “Son sorde a danno mio” (01:14)
1-10. Renato Criscuolo – Cruda legge del mio fato, TriCo 57: I. Aria. “Cruda legge del mio fato” (01:20)
1-11. Renato Criscuolo – Cruda legge del mio fato, TriCo 57: II. Aria. “Mi stracciano le pene” (01:53)
1-12. Renato Criscuolo – Cruda legge del mio fato, TriCo 57: III. (Recitativo). “Ma non lice al mio core” (00:33)
1-13. Renato Criscuolo – Cruda legge del mio fato, TriCo 57: IV. Aria. “Se con note di gioia” (00:57)
1-14. Renato Criscuolo – Cruda legge del mio fato, TriCo 57: V. (Recitativo). “Ed in stato infelice” (00:42)
1-15. Renato Criscuolo – Cruda legge del mio fato, TriCo 57: VI. Aria. “Così confondano” (01:01)
1-16. Renato Criscuolo – Cruda legge del mio fato, TriCo 57: VII. (Recitativo). “Pianger non posso” (00:31)
1-17. Renato Criscuolo – Cruda legge del mio fato, TriCo 57: VIII. Aria. “Cruda legge” (01:18)
1-18. Renato Criscuolo – Cruda legge del mio fato, TriCo 57: IX. (Recitativo e aria). “Or s’è pena il tacere” (02:15)
1-19. Renato Criscuolo – Partitas on Different Sonatas, Suite No. 1: I. Toccata (01:02)
1-20. Renato Criscuolo – Partitas on Different Sonatas, Suite No. 1: II. Ruggiero per la lettera B (03:33)
1-21. Renato Criscuolo – Partitas on Different Sonatas, Suite No. 1: III. Bergamasca per la lettera B (02:08)
1-22. Renato Criscuolo – Partitas on Different Sonatas, Suite No. 1: IV. Chiacona per la lettera B (01:42)
1-23. Renato Criscuolo – Me lo volete dire? TriCo 63a (05:08)
1-24. Renato Criscuolo – Abbandonato e solo (il Nerone), TriCo 49: I. (Recitativo) “Abbandonato e solo” (01:28)
1-25. Renato Criscuolo – Abbandonato e solo (il Nerone), TriCo 49: II. Aria. “Quella morte che per gioco” (02:37)
1-26. Renato Criscuolo – Abbandonato e solo (il Nerone), TriCo 49: III. (Recitativo). “Ma che miro!” (01:15)
1-27. Renato Criscuolo – Abbandonato e solo (il Nerone), TriCo 49: IV. Aria. “Vieni pur” (02:15)
1-28. Renato Criscuolo – Abbandonato e solo (il Nerone), TriCo 49: V. (Recitativo). “Ma no. Merta Nerone” (00:38)
1-29. Renato Criscuolo – Abbandonato e solo (il Nerone), TriCo 49: VI. Aria. “Contro l’armi dell’inganno” (03:55)
1-30. Renato Criscuolo – Partitas on Different Sonatas, Suite No. 2: I. Capritio sopra otto figure (02:49)
1-31. Renato Criscuolo – Partitas on Different Sonatas, Suite No. 2: II. Capritio sopra li cinque tempi (02:25)
1-32. Renato Criscuolo – Partitas on Different Sonatas, Suite No. 2: III. Passa galli per la lettera E (02:43)
1-33. Renato Criscuolo – Pompe voi che ascondete: I. (Recitativo) “Pompe, voi che ascondete” (01:40)
1-34. Renato Criscuolo – Pompe voi che ascondete: II. Aria. “Perch’io tema bastanti voi siete (01:08)
1-35. Renato Criscuolo – Pompe voi che ascondete: III. Aria. “Nel profondo cieco mondo” (03:28)
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