Nicola Fiorenza, a composer from Naples, was known for his difficult character and was eventually dismissed from his teaching post at the Conservatory of S. Maria del Loreto due to violence against students.
Compositional Technique
Nicola Fiorenza's instrumental works are characterized by great formal freedom, blending lyrical moments with strongly contrasting and often bizarre rhythmic passages.
Historical Context
Naples in the 17th and 18th centuries was a major European musical center, known for operatic experimentation and its four conservatories, which trained singers and instrumentalists like Farinelli and Porpora.
Composition History
All the works by Nicola Fiorenza on this album are world premiere recordings, meaning they have never been recorded before.
Interpretation
The ensemble Dolce & Tempesta aims to highlight the contrast in 18th-century music between continuous melodic expression and a strong Latin character driven by rhythm and virtuosity.
Recording & Production
The harpsichord on this recording was tuned using the Vallotti temperament at A=415 Hz, a historical tuning system.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Fiorenza's concertos for solo cello are more melodic and less experimental than his other compositions, possibly influenced by earlier Neapolitan models or written for noble amateurs with less 'extreme' tastes.
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