The cover illustration for this album is "Rome. Piazza del Popolo with the Flaminio Obelisk and the twin churches" by Michelangelo Pacetti (1793-1855).
Historical Context
Colonna's Mass in E minor, featured on this recording, was composed for the feast of San Petronio on October 4, 1684, and was performed with a very large ensemble of singers and instrumentalists.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in the Namur Concert Hall from June 3-7, 2024.
Interpretation
The performers chose to use 'colla parte' practice (doubling vocal parts with brass instruments like cornets and sackbuts) for Colonna's Messa a 5 Concertata, a style typically reserved for 'archaic' pieces at San Petronio.
Composer Biography
Giovanni Paolo Colonna (1637-1695) was a Baroque composer who focused exclusively on sacred works, unlike most of his contemporaries who composed operas.
Compositional Technique
Handel's Dixit Dominus showcases his astonishing mastery at age 22, combining Germanic contrapuntal rigor with Italian lyricism, a transcultural blend that contributes to its accessibility.
Composition History
Handel's Dixit Dominus, dated April 1707, was a commission from one of his many ecclesiastical patrons, though the patron's identity and premiere circumstances remain uncertain.
