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Reviewer:
David Vickers
Stefano Bernardi (c1577-1637) held eminent musical posts in his native Verona
but for about a decade he was the first Kapellmeister at the new cathedral in
Salzburg (consecrated 1628). Choirbooks in its archives contain a largescale
Missa pro defunctis for six voices (1629), and this ‘Salzburg Requiem’ is
imbued with captivating beauty by Voces Suaves (10 singers and theorbo) and
Concerto Scirocco (violin, viola da brazzo, cornett, three sackbuts, dulcian,
violone and organ). The Swiss-based ensembles comprise international alumni of
the prestigious Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, and the collective perform
flawlessly without a director.
Finely judged
sonorities, clarity of detail and flawless eloquence bespeak intelligently
balanced musicianship. Much of the Requiem is softly penitent (the Introitus
and Kyrie), with a few moments of bold declamatory vigour in the
Sequentia (‘Dies irae’ and ‘Lacrymosa’ enriched with the full instrumental
complement) alternating with reduced soloistic passages (such as ethereal
sopranos accompanied only by organ in ‘Oro supplex et acclinis’) and sections of
plainchant (sung sweetly by the tenors). The suspension-laden Sanctus has close
intimacy between precise voices and their plangent doubling instruments. It is a
clever touch that Arcana’s cover image is Ignazio Solari’s painting Burial of
Christ (c1625-30) in Salzburg Cathedral’s presbytery, and there is
also an essay by the cathedral’s music collection librarian Eva Neumayr that
sets Bernardi’s Requiem into the context of musical culture in early
17th-century Salzburg.
Much more overtly modern-style concertato writing is displayed in
Bernardi’s eight-part offertory motet Ad te, Domine, levavi animam meam
(Salzburg, 1630), and a range of pieces all published in Venice: there is
elaborately florid writing for four solo singers in a Rosary litany (1626),
polychoral richness juxtaposing every availa
muscles. As with their groundbreaking album of music by the Venetian Giovanni
Croce (Arcana, 2017), the endeavours of these gifted musicians unveil another
intriguing composer whose works have hardly made a dent in the discography until
now. David Vickers ble ingredient in the psalm De profundis clamavi ad
te, Domine (1624), and three sinfonias from Concerti academici, Op 8
(1615-16) give the full complement of Concerto Scirocco scope to flex their
muscles. As with their groundbreaking album of music by the Venetian Giovanni
Croce (Arcana, 2017), the endeavours of these gifted musicians unveil another
intriguing composer whose works have hardly made a dent in the discography until
now.
~~~~~~~~~~
BBC Music
Magazine (04/2020)
Brief notes
To get an idea of the soudworld of Stefano Barnardi, an Italian plying
his trade in early-17th-century Salzburg, think Monteverdi but without the
flamboyance.
He benefits from nicely nuanced performances here. (JP)
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