Bassani, G.B.: Tromba Della Divina Misericordia (La) / Sonata A 3, Op. 5, No. 8 / Toccata

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Sonata a 3, Op. 5, No. 8 (more info)
Composed by: Giovanni Battista Bassani


1. I. Adagio - 00:00:43
2. II. Allegro - 00:01:50
3. III. Grave - 00:01:12
4. IV. Allegro - 00:01:03
5. V. Grave - 00:00:30
6. VI. Presto - 00:00:40


Toccata (more info)
Composed by: Giovanni Battista Bassani
Carlo Centemeri, organ


7. Toccata - 00:03:45


La tromba della divina misericordia (more info)
Composed by: Giovanni Battista Bassani
Anna Bessi, mezzo-soprano
Elena Carzaniga, contralto
Paolo Borgonovo, tenor
Gianluca Buratto, bass


8. Part I: Sinfonia - 00:02:02
9. Part I: Mortali pieta (Chorus) - 00:02:30
10. Part I: Scioperati viventi (Narrator) - 00:02:20
11. Part I: Re dei Regi (Angel) - 00:02:00
12. Part I: Odi, Signor (Angel) - 00:00:27
13. Part I: Perdona, Mio Dio (Soul) - 00:02:00
14. Part I: Con somiglianti note (Narrator) - 00:00:47
15. Part I: Giunsero, o mia diletta (God) - 00:00:40
16. Part I: Ritornello - Breve spazio di pochi momenti (God) - Ritornello - 00:01:45
17. Part I: Care voci (Soul) - 00:01:30
18. Part I: Soffri e spera (God, Soul) - 00:00:35
19. Part I: Questi all'alma dolente (Narrator) - 00:01:10
20. Part I: Ritornello - Riedi o cara a questo seno (God) - Ritornello - 00:01:48
21. Part I: Si, si, tua merce (Soul) - 00:01:00
22. Part I: Cosi, dai tormentosi regni (Narrator) - 00:01:12
23. Part I: Tra giubli e canti (Chorus of Angels) - 00:00:48
24. Part I: Quindi apprendi, o mortale (Chorus of Angels) - 00:01:10
25. Part II: Sinfonia - 00:01:40
26. Part II: Quando mai cesseran le nostra pene (Chorus of Souls) - 00:00:45
27. Part II: Stillate, pur stillate (Soul) - 00:04:05
28. Part II: A smorzar d'atre faville (Soul) - 00:00:30
29. Part II: Sinfonia - 00:00:15
30. Part II: Cosi va (Chorus of Souls) - 00:01:02
31. Part II: Mentre con questi accenti (Narrator) - 00:00:40
32. Part II: Udite, o voi che solo (Divine Mercy) - 00:02:40
33. Part II: Ritornello - 00:00:20
34. Part II: Deh, movetevi a pieta (Divine Mercy) - 00:01:05
35. Part II: Dagl'alti culmini, orrendi fulmini (Divine Mercy) - 00:01:00
36. Part II: Con si dolce favella (Narrator) - 00:00:55
37. Part II: Alme fide, soffirte, sperate (Chorus of Angels) - 00:01:06
38. Part II: Cosi, se ben ritarda (Narrator) - 00:01:00
39. Part II: Mortale spietato (Chorus of Souls) - 00:01:32

Reviews

Baroque beauty butchered (Jan 27, 2010)
Reviewer:Craig Zeichner
This one really looked good on paper. I loved the 2002 recording of Giovanni Battista Bassani’s oratorio La morte delusa on the Naïve label and looked forward to hearing more of his music. Padua-born Bassani (c. 1650-1716) made his name in Ferrara and was maestro di cappella of the city’s cathedral. La Tromba della divina misercordia (roughly translated, The trumpet of divine mercy) is one of... This one really looked good on paper. I loved the 2002 recording of Giovanni Battista Bassani’s oratorio La morte delusa on the Naïve label and looked forward to hearing more of his music. Padua-born Bassani (c. 1650-1716) made his name in Ferrara and was maestro di cappella of the city’s cathedral. La Tromba della divina misercordia (roughly translated, The trumpet of divine mercy) is one of three surviving Bassani oratorios (he wrote 13). The tale is allegorical, highly theatrical and filled with striking arias, choruses and instrumental passages. Check out the pained lament, “Stillate pur, stillate” to hear just how good the work is.

Like I said,” looked good on paper.” What can one say about the soloists? “They don’t sing well” would be a place to start. If you’ve been listening to early music recordings coming from Italy you know that the country has produced some of the most beautiful voices currently on the scene. But it would seem that all of the good singers were on holiday when this group went into the studio. It would be unfair to single out any of the soloists for specific criticism. Each has problems with pitch and articulation, each ornaments sloppily and each lacks tonal beauty. This is some of the most flat-out ugly singing I’ve heard outside of my shower.

The instrumentalists of StilModerno are not bad, the opening Sonata a tre Op. 5 is nicely done and the brief organ toccata that follows it is also well-executed. There is, however, a rhythmic flatness to most of the accompaniment and the simple fact is that they can’t match up to the stellar groups coming out of Italy. Maybe they’d sound better if the recording quality was better or if they were featured in a purely instrumental record? This one is a big disappointment.
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