Magdalena Kozena: Lettere Amorose

EAC | FLAC tracks | Covers | 289 Mb

Date CD: 2010 | Deutsche Grammophon | 61:33

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Mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kozená's collection of vocal solos (plus a few instrumental tracks) from the early Baroque, Lettere Amorose, "Love Letters," is a delight. The recital includes some familiar pieces like d'India's Cruda Amarilli, Monteverdi's Sì dolce è il tormento, and Sanz's giddy dance, Canarios, but consists largely of repertoire that's more obscure but no less engaging. Merula's lullaby chaconne Hor ch'è tempo di dormire is a jewel, gorgeously idiosyncratic and deeply emotional. Caccini's erotic Odi, Euterpe, il dolce canto could be mistaken for mature Monteverdi at his most mischievous, but it dates from 1601 or 1602, when Monteverdi was at an early stage in his career. A real standout of the album is Strozzi's L'Eraclito amoroso: Udite amanti, which alternates sections of extravagantly expressive recitative with a ravishingly lyrical chaconne. Kozená easily has the technique to make the music glow and the dramatic gifts to bring it movingly to life. Her sharply characterized interpretations of the songs make each of them seem as fully realized and potent as a short operatic scene. Her voice has the burnished warmth of a mezzo, but can gleam when she soars into her upper register, and throughout she maintains an exquisite purity. Private Musicke, an ensemble of plucked and bowed strings led by Pierre Pitzl, beautifully matches Kozená's performances with inventive, understated, and expressive accompaniments. Deutsche Grammophon's sound is clean and wonderfully realistic. This is an album that should have strong appeal for lovers of Baroque music, or anyone who loves exceptional singing.

tracklist:

1 - Filippo Vitali: O bei lumi

2 - Sigismondo d'India: Crud'Amarilli

3 - Claudio Monteverdi: Si dolce è il tormento, SV 332

4 - Giulio Caccini: Odi, Euterpe 'l dolce canto

5 - Luis de Briçeño: Caravanda ciacona

6 - Tarquinio Merula: Or ch'è tempo di dormire, canzonetta spirituale sopra alla nanna

7 - Gaspar Sanz: Canarios for guitar

8 - Sigismondo d'India: Ma ché? Squallido e oscuro

9 - Biagio Marini: Con le stelle in ciel

10 - Johannes Hieronymus Kapsberger: Felici gl'animi

11 - Giovanni de Macque: Consonanze stravaganti for organ

12 - Johannes Hieronymus Kapsberger: Aurilla mia, quando m'accese

13 - Sigismondo d'India: Torna il sereno Zefiro

14 - Giovanni Paolo Foscarini: Capriccio sopra la Ciacona for guitar

15 - Barbara Strozzi: L'Eraclito amoroso: Udite, amanti

16 - Lucas Ruiz de Ribayaz: Espanoletas,for guitar (or harp)

17 - Tarquinio Merula: Folle è ben chi si crede

Magdalena Kozena

Private Musicke

Pierre Pitzl

I'm beginning here to resurrect some of the works that "disappeared" from Avax or were "abandoned" from the original uploaders. There's not a real thought behind it, I'm just cleaning up my HDs and following the wind. What I downloaded long ago is flowing back. All credits go to the first uploader. Enjoy...