Search - Alessandro Grandi :: Alessandro Grandi: Vulnerasti Cor Meum

Why isn't this recording more well known?

Steven Guy | Croydon, South Australia | 03/17/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a fabulous line up of singers and musicians!

The singers:

Elisabeth Scholl (Andy's sis)

Maria Cristina Kiehr (yes, her! you know what to do!)

René Jacobs (one of his last recordings as a singer)

Andreas Scholl (one of his first recordings)

Gerd Türk (all early music lovers should know him)



The players:

Jean Tubery - cornetto

William Dongois - cornetto



There are other singers and musicians on this disc, but the aforementioned names should be enough to convince you of the worth of this disc.



Alessandro Grandi's music isn't performed very often. He was and is somewhat in the shadow of Giovanni Gabrieli and then Claudio Monteverdi. Yet he was a great composer and singer.



Sensuous vocal lines and very expressive word painting are characteristics of Grandi's music. The instruments, particularly the cornetti, highlight and compliment the voices. However, much of the time, we hear the solo voice[s] with the basso continuo [organ, viola da gamba & chitarrone] alone.



Many will want this recording for the contribution of Andreas Scholl alone. Hopefully, these Scholl fans will also discover something of the genius of Grandi on this disc as well.





"