The period ensemble Artemandoline and soprano Nuria Rial together explore the unique atmosphere of Venice in the Baroque era. The performers play seldom-heard and never-before-recorded music for mandolin, voice, strings and continuo, written by the likes of Traetta, Galuppi, Manna, Lotti and Vivaldi. They cast a particular spotlight on the Baroque mandolin, still an underappreciated instrument.
Featuring
Nuria Rial
Juan Carlos Muñoz
Mari Fe Pavón
Girolamo Bottiglieri
Alla Tolkacheva
Artemandoline
Tommaso Traetta
Antonio Vivaldi
Baldassare Galuppi
Gennaro Manna
Francesco Bartolomeo Conti
Carlo Arrigoni
Antonio Lotti
Anonymous (18th century)
Did you know?
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Composer Biography
Antonio Vivaldi, a famous Venetian composer, was an impresario, opera administrator, priest, violin teacher at Venice's Ospedale della Pietà, virtuoso, chorus master, and concertmaster.
Compositional Technique
The music on this album, particularly the arias, features brilliant, assured, and contrastive vocal writing, often with voice and mandolin in dialogue.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in August 2018 at the Romanesque church of Mont-Saint-Martin, France.
Cultural Impact
Despite Venice's musical brilliance, the careers of its female musicians were not fostered, which led to Naples, with its male conservatory students, dethroning Venice as a prestigious musical center.
Historical Context
By the early 18th century, the Italian peninsula was the musical heart of Europe, with Venice becoming a major center for singers, instrumentalists, and composers.
Instruments
The mandolin enjoyed a 'golden age' in the 18th century, becoming an integral part of Baroque instrumentation in operas, oratorios, and cantatas.
Historical Context
Venice's four 'Pii Ospedali' (pious hospices) trained young women as musicians, providing a significant experimental ground for composers like Vivaldi, Hasse, Lotti, and Tartini.
