Francesco Cavalli (1602-1676), a virtuoso organist, acclaimed opera composer, and maestro di cappella at St. Mark's Basilica, spent six decades in leading musical positions in Venice.
Composition History
Cavalli's Missa pro defunctis (Mass for the Dead) was his artistic testament, composed in the last three years of his life, and he instructed it to be performed twice annually in his memory.
Interpretation
This recording features Francesco Cavalli's music with a unique blend of voices and wind instruments, a combination heard for the first time on this album.
Compositional Technique
Cavalli's Missa pro defunctis combines the subtleties of his operatic style with traditional vocal polyphony, notably in the "Dies irae" sequence, which alternates between learned counterpoint and homophonic writing.
Interpretation
Although Cavalli's Requiem score only specifies a continuo group, this recording incorporates instruments associated with the piffari or Stadtpfeifer, such as shawms and trombones, to reinforce or replace vocal sections.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The album's program, ending with the Easter sequence "Victimae paschali laudes," is about hope in difficult times, a theme relevant in the Renaissance and today.
Recording & Production
This album, titled "Transitions," is a special project closely linked to the coronavirus pandemic, as it was recorded after restrictions eased.
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