Search - Domenico Scarlatti, Johann Adolf Hasse, Alessandro Scarlatti :: Domenico Scarlatti: Salve Regina / Hasse: Salve Regina / Alessandro Scarlatti: Su le sponde del Tebro / Oh di Betlemme altera povertà / Infirmata, vulnerata

A voice teacher and early music fan

George Peabody | Planet Earth | 02/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"EXCELLENT SELECTION OF EARLY MUSIC



Domenico Scarlatti's (1685-1757) reputation today rests mainly on his enormous output of keyboard music. Most of his 15 known operas are lost, as are the majority of his oratorios and cantatas. Most of Domenico's sacred compositions date from 1713-1719, whilst he was 'Maestro di Cappella at the Basilica Guilia in Rome.



In his sacred music he showed elements of harmonic richness and melodic individuality, but the main features of his settings of emotive sacred texts are tuneful melodies mixed with occasional elements of the opera. His 'Salve Regina' displays such elegance of line and rich harmony combined with an operatic style.



Alessandro Scalatti (1660-1725), the father of Domenico. wrote more than 600 cantatas, and established himself as by far the most prolific cantata composer of his era. Most of his cantatas are for solo voice, usually with only continuo for accompaniment, but in his last 60 cantatas he added strings, and sometimes recorders and trumpets. There are three that appear on this disc dating around 1744. They are:'Cantata Su le sponde del Tebro '(On the Banks of the Tiber)- 'Cantata Infirmata vulnerata' (Weak and wounded for want of Pure Love)-and 'Cantata O di Betlemme altera' (O noble and unfortunate poverty of Bethlehem).



Johann Adolf Hasse (1699-1783) was extremely popular both in Germany (where he studied with Alessandro Scarlatti) and Italy. His principal employment in his early years was as a tenor with the Hamburg Opera, which may account for the lyrical style in which he wrote. Amongst a huge compositional output there are at least 13 settings of the 'Salve Regina' attrlibuted to Hasse. The one on this disc is considered to be the most popular; it is dated 1744. His style is distinctly operatic, mixing an attractive simplicity of melody with florid instrumental and vocal lines eminently suited to the voice.



James Bowman, countertenor, is a very capable interpreter of most of the music he sings. His diction can sound s bit unclear at times due to the overpowering and somewhat 'foggy' sound of his voice. He's not MY favorite countertenor, but his delivery cannot be questioned; it is always quite correct and he is considered to be one of the great singers from the UK.

Deborah York, soprano, sings very well indeed; nice tone quality, excellent diction; all-around good performance. And the trumpet player soaring around on the high notes in the first Scarlatti cantata on the disc was phenominal.

My favorite is the Hasse 'Salve Regina', perhaps because it is more dramatic and exciting to hear; but in truth the entire disc is quality throughout."