Hyperion Records | Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 02

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CDA66779

Buy? £13.99

Recording details: February 1996
St Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Ben Turner
Engineered by Philip Hobbs
Release date: May 1996
Total duration: 68 minutes 40 seconds
Available for download on iTunes: Yes

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GRAMOPHONE CRITICS' CHOICE

'Utterly beguiling pieces of music, impossible to dislike and easy to be beguiled by' (Gramophone)

'If anything is likely to spark off widespread enthusiasm for Vivaldi's vocal works it is this splendid disc ... a delightful issue ... Perfect performances of little heard repertoire' (Classic CD)

'Esta versión de los motetes es la que debmos recommendar a todo el mundo' (CD Compact, Spain)

'Altogether a first-class collection, and excellently recorded' (The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs)

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Sacred Music, Vol. 02

The King's Consort, Robert King (conductor)

		In furore iustissimae irae, RV626
1		Movement 1: In furore iustissimae irae [4:43] Deborah York (soprano)
2		Movement 2: Miserationem Pater piissime [0:35] Deborah York (soprano)
3		Movement 3: Tunc meus fletus evadet laetus [5:54] Deborah York (soprano)
4		Movement 4: Alleluia [1:39] Deborah York (soprano)
		Longe mala, umbrae, terrores, RV629
5		Movement 1: Longe mala, umbrae, terrores [5:28] Catherine Denley (contralto)
6		Movement 2: Recedite, nubes et fulgura [0:30] Catherine Denley (contralto)
7		Movement 3: Descende, o coeli vox [6:53] Catherine Denley (contralto)
8		Movement 4: Alleluia [2:30] Catherine Denley (contralto)
		Clarae stellae, scintillate, RV625
9		Movement 1: Clarae stellae, scintillate [5:22] James Bowman (countertenor)
10		Movement 2: Coeli repleti iam novo splendore [0:42] James Bowman (countertenor)
11		Movement 3: Nunc iubilare [2:21] James Bowman (countertenor)
12		Movement 4: Alleluia [2:24] James Bowman (countertenor)
		Canta in prato, ride in monte, RV623
13		Movement 1: Canta in prato, ride in monte [3:57] Deborah York (soprano)
14		Movement 2: Saeva fulgescit nobis [0:49] Deborah York (soprano)
15		Movement 3: Avenae rusticae sinceri fervida amoris [2:34] Deborah York (soprano)
16		Movement 4: Alleluia [1:11] Deborah York (soprano)
		Filiae maestae Jerusalem, RV638
17		Movement 1: Filiae maestae Jerusalem [2:08] James Bowman (countertenor)
18		Movement 2: Sileant zephyri [4:36] James Bowman (countertenor)
19		Movement 3: Sed tenebris diffusis [0:53] James Bowman (countertenor)
		Nulla in mundo pax sincera, RV630
20		Movement 1: Nulla in mundo pax sincera [6:57] Deborah York (soprano)
21		Movement 2: Blando colore oculos mundus decepit [1:04] Deborah York (soprano)
22		Movement 3: Spirat anguis [3:18] Deborah York (soprano)
23		Movement 4: Alleluia [2:12] Deborah York (soprano)

The first volume of The King's Consort's exploration of Vivaldi's sacred music featured some of the composer's most opulent church writing, with works requiring double choir and two orchestras. The second volurne turns to smaller-scale, solo-voice motets, featuring six contrasting works that were written with a variety of different soloists in mind. Seeing the technical skills which the composer frequently demands of his soloists (for example, the extraordinary bird-like warbles in the first aria of Canta in prato or the vivid representation of Satan's wiles in Nulla in mundo), one can only marvel at tile abilities of singers in Vivaldi's day. Here was a composer who was wonderfully individual, testing both musical forms and his singers to the utmost, writing music of great life and spirit which is immediately approachable for performers and listeners.