Baroque Consolation: Sacred Arias at the Imperial Viennese Court

Featuring

Bart Rodyns
Oltremontano
Francesco Bartolomeo Conti
Johann Joseph Fux
Antonio Caldara
Joseph I

Pietro Andrea Ziani
Georg Muffat
Marc' Antonio Ziani
Johann Jakob Froberger
Johann Pachelbel

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Historical Context

During this period, Vienna's artistic inspiration primarily came from Italy, with Italian poets, painters, architects, and musicians being highly sought after at the Habsburg court.

Composition History

Emperor Joseph I, son of Leopold I, composed the aria 'Alme ingrate' with a lively trombone obbligato, intended as a 'substitution aria' for an untitled sepolcro (a sacred dramatic work) by another unknown composer.

Recording & Production

The album features two organs: the 'Zilveren Orgel' by J. B. Forceville (1660-1739) from Broechem for solo organ pieces, and an organ by Jos Moors (2013) from Herentals for ensemble recordings.

Historical Context

In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Vienna experienced significant economic prosperity after the lifting of the siege of Vienna in 1683 and the defeat of Turkish forces in Buda in 1686.

Compositional Technique

The trombone, despite being little known elsewhere, flourished in Vienna and the Habsburg lands, holding strong religious connotations for composers and featuring in over forty sacred dramatic works with florid obbligato parts between the 1680s and 1740s.

Performer Biography

Wim Becu, the artistic director of Oltremontano, has performed with prestigious musicians like Philippe Herreweghe and Gustav Leonhardt, and has recorded over 200 CDs.