IDAGIO | Francesco Scarlatti: Dixit Dominus

Featuring

Christopher Monks
Armonico Consort
Francesco Scarlatti

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Compositional Technique

The instrumental parts include a single trumpet playing very high, violins playing in unison over the continuo bass, and one movement with an obbligato cello.

Compositional Technique

Scarlatti grouped many ensemble movements by voice part, allowing listeners to hear and compare similar voices to an unusual degree, rather than using standard solos and duets.

Recording & Production

This recording uses a new edition of the works that follows only Francesco Scarlatti's autograph scores, as earlier copies contained errors and omitted performance directions.

Composition History

Francesco Scarlatti's Messa and Dixit Dominus, composed in 1702 and 1703 respectively, survived because he moved to England, with autograph scores now in the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

Compositional Technique

These works feature a remarkable vocal scoring of 16 independent vocal lines, arranged in four sets of SATB, with Scarlatti maintaining complete contrapuntal independence.

Composer Biography

Francesco Scarlatti was the younger brother of the well-known opera composer Alessandro Scarlatti and uncle to Domenico Scarlatti, another prominent Baroque composer.

Performer Biography

Armonico Consort, led by Christopher Monks, began in 2001 with a passion for Renaissance and Baroque music, and is known for its engaging and imaginative concert programming.