Colonna / Cassinari / Astrarium Consort / Centeme Triumphate Fideles - Complete Motets For Solo CD

Giovanni Paolo Colonna (1637-1695) was a native of Bologna and the music director of one of it's major churches, dedicated to San Petronio, where he presided over a rich culture of sacred music distinguished by participation from names now far better known to us such as Torelli, Bononcini and Giovanni Gabrieli. This valuable set brings together for the first time on record all his surviving compositions in the form of the sacred motet which was so popular as an extra-liturgical contribution (perhaps performed as offertory or communion music) towards worship, featuring the skills of what must have been highly skilled singers as well as a rich continuo section. Colonna's music has received relatively little attention on record until now, though Philippe Jaroussky concluded a 2009 album with the gorgeous O coeli devota, and there is one other, older recording of several other motets, as well as a larger-scale oratorio. So the time is now right to reassess his contribution and his own voice, with excellent new, historically informed performances led by Carlo Centemeri, who has already brought several rarities from the Italian Baroque to Brilliant Classics, including music by Albinoni (BC94852) and Bassani (BC94259), which received 5 star reviews in Amadeus and Diapason. These motets are multi-movement works, scarcely dwelling for long on any one emotion or text, even in the arias, but moving pacily though narratives of repentance, devotion and praise, and mostly concluding with exuberant Allelujas, much as Bach would fashion his Jauchzet Gott BWV51 for solo soprano in the Italian style a generation later. Anyone with even a passing interest in the Italian Baroque and it's charming byways will want to hear this. First recordings by Giovanni Colonna (1637-1695), who was the Music Director of the famous church San Petronio in his native Bologna. He composed his Sacred Motets for liturgical use, on devotional texts in Latin. This set presents the complete motets for solo voice and basso continuo, consisting of several movements, written for alternatively soprano, alto, tenor and bass. It is music of great beauty, expressing the emotional content of the text, from repentance to joy, from intimacy to exultation. Excellent performances by 4 Italian soloists and the instrumental ensemble Astrarium Consort, led by Carlo Centemeri, who already successfully recorded for Brilliant Classics chamber music by Bassani (BC94259) and Albinoni (BC94852). Centemeri wrote himself the scholarly liner notes.

1. Ecce Iubar, Ecce Aurorae 2. Salve Dies Beata 3. Triumphales, Immortals 4. Aeterna Scandit Limina 5. In Hac Die Tam Solemni 6. Alleluia 7. O Lucidissima Dies 8. Orbi Sacer Redit Amor 9. O Felix Vere Dies 10. O Splendida Aurora 11. O Vere Beatam 12. Alleluia 13. O Ingens Divini Presulis Munus 14. Ad Sidera Accredit 15. O Felix, O Laeta Dies 16. Laeta Semper Exultando 17. Ad Gaudia Gentes 18. Intuemini Fidelis Animae 19. Sit Amor in Spe 20. Eripuit Nos de Inimicis Nostris 21. Ergo Laetas Date Voces 22. Ad Pugnas Fideles 23. Expergiscimini Fideles Omnes 24. Mundi Surgit Ad Honores 25. Eia Igitur 26. Ad Bella Venite 27. Alleluia 28. Sacri Amoris Ad Ardores 29. Egredimini Filiae Sion 30. Iam Gaudent Aethera 31. Descendit Caelesist Amor 32. Ad Sacros Fulgores 33. O Amor, O Salus, O Vita 34. Laudis Ergo Sonet Honor 35. Alleluia 36. O Sidera, O Coeli 37. Antonii Beatissimi Est 38. Quid Ergo Expectatis 39. Exultantes Spirent Venti 40. O Coeli Devota 41. Angeli Currite 42. Ecce Ancilla Trinitatis 43. Ad Delicias, Ad Hortum 44. Haec Ergo Corde Condite 45. Alleluia 46. Triumphate Fideles 47. Properate, Festinate 48. O Beatissima Crux 49. Iesu Amara 50. Crux Bona 51. Per Te Laetus Exultat Olympus 52. O Crux Venerabilis 53. Alleluia 54. Gaudete, Cantate 55. Exoritur in Terris Novi Syderis Lux 56. Salve Sancta Christi Sponsa 57. Effloruit in Jesse 58. Gaudete, Cantate (2) 59. Alleluia 60. Ad Novum Caeli Iubar 61. Haec Est Maria 62. Ista Mundi Per Errors 63. O, Quam Pulchra Es Maria! 64. Tu Mater, Tu Sponsa 65. Tu Fax Es Amoris 66. Alleluia 67. Ad Amores, Ad Honores 68. Eia? Eia Quam Mora? 69. O Laetus Triumphus 70. Alleluia