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American Record Guide: (11/2019) 
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Pentatone
PTC518725



Code-barres / Barcode : 827949092169

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This program is Kožená’s exploration of the Baroque chamber cantata and its extensions. The heart of the venture is three full cantatas, each representing distinct regional traditions (of Venice, Naples, and Rome). All three set texts that present a character’s “sighs”, lamentations over romantic loss—two from realms of classical mythology and one from Italian epic. Benedetto Marcello’s Arianna Abbandonata (1727) sets the protests of Ariadne, who has been left behind by Theseus. Leonardo Leo’s Angelica e Medoro (1730) treats a moment presented in Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso. And from the newly assimilated Handel we have his Qual ti Veggio (1707), building on the ancient story of Hero and Leander.

As backdrop to these, we have an aria in the cantata tradition that comes from the Biblically inspired oratorio Atalia (1696) by Franco Gasparini, a piece of near-hysteria. Two orchestral sinfonias are used as spacers. The composers were all expert at showing off the talents of the singers for whom they wrote, as well as wringing emotional effects out of the words they set. Still, it is Handel who stands out among them in expressive genius. He displays this in treatments of the successive emotions of Ero (Hero) in his cantata. But these are all important and fascinating works.

Kožená gives them her all. Her voice is still full and rich, with a goodly soprano reach in her mezzo range. She is fully equal to the vocal fireworks that abound, and she is good at embellishments. But it is her intense emotional expression—forceful yet not exaggerated — that grips the listener. Luks gives devoted support, with an ensemble of 15 period-style string players, plus harpsichord and theorbo, as well as two oboes and bassoon where needed. The booklet (unfortunately pasted into the album) includes perceptive notes and original texts

plus English translations. This is an unusually probing exposition into the Baroque cantata, not just a cursory bundling of examples; and collectors of early 18th Century music should most definitely explore it.

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