Celano / Criscuolo / Romabarocca Ensemble Bass Cantatas CD

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. Corsi's catalogue of works includes around 23 secular compositions including Cantatas for one voice and basso continuo. The protagonist of the cantata Dalle balze sicane 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 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 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. 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.

1. *** Dalle balze sicane, TriCo 58 2. I. Recitative: Dalle balze sicane 3. II. Aria: Giove tiranno 4. III. Recitative: Anneriscon le sfere 5. IV. Aria: Cieli ingrati 6. V. Recitative: Disseta pur lo sdegno 7. VI. Aria: Li ciechi abissi 8. VII. Recitativo: Tacete, alme 9. VIII. Aria: Agl'urli tremanti 10. IX. Aria: Son sorde a danno mio 11. *** Cruda legge del mio fato, TriCo 57 12. I. Aria: Cruda legge del mio fato 13. II. Aria: Mi stracciano le pene 14. III. Recitativo: Ma non lice al mio core 15. IV. Aria: Se con note di gioia 16. V. Recitative: Ed in stato infelice 17. Vi. Aria: Cos? confondano 18. VII. Recitative: Pianger non posso 19. VIII. Aria: Cruda legge 20. IX. Recitative and Aria: Or sÆ? pena il tacer 21. Toccata 22. Ruggiero 23. Bergamasco 24. Chiacona 25. Me lo volete dire?, TriCo 63a 26. *** Abbandonato e solo, TriCo 49 27. I. Recitative: Abbandonato e solo 28. II. Aria: Quella morte che per gioco 29. III. Recitative: Ma che miro! 30. V. Aria: Vieni pur 31. V. Recitative: Ma no. Merta Nerone 32. VI. Aria: Contro l'armi dell'inganno 33. *** Partite sopra diverse Sonate per il violone 34. Capritio sopra ono figure 35. Capritio sopra li cinque tempi 36. Passa Galli 37. *** Pompe voi che ascondete 38. I. Recitative: Pompe, voi che ascondete 39. II. Aria: Perch'io tema bastanti voi siete 40. III. Aria: Nel profondo cieco mondo