Domenico Scarlatti, a future keyboard genius, was admitted into the Real Cappella (Royal Chapel) in Naples at the unusually young age of 16 in 1701, an institution then directed by his father, Alessandro Scarlatti.
Historical Context
The most important feast for San Gennaro, in September, included three nights of light shows with 'special machinery, music and fireworks,' culminating in the miraculous liquefaction of the saint's blood.
Historical Context
The devotion of Neapolitans to San Gennaro (Saint Januarius) has always been linked to disasters and calamities, such as plague epidemics and the eruption of Vesuvius.
Historical Context
The Tesoro di San Gennaro (Treasury of San Gennaro) chapel, richly adorned with frescoes, was inaugurated in 1646, the same year its vocal and instrumental musical establishment was officially founded.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in March 2012 in the Chiesa dei Servi di Maria (Church of the Servants of Mary) in Sorrento, Italy.
Composition History
Domenico Scarlatti's motet for five voices and instruments, Antra valles, Divo plaudant, dating from 1701, is his oldest-known sacred composition and was likely an 'entrance exam' for his engagement as an organist.
Album & Artwork
The album is titled "Il Tesoro di San Gennaro" (The Treasure of San Gennaro) and features sacred music from early 18th-century Naples.
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