| Review by Lute February 2, 2013 (2 of 2 found this review helpful)
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"Li Fiori" or "The Flowers" is a lovely collection of songs in praise of flowers and other sundry subjects. The hyacinth, narcissus, granadiglia, jasmine, anemone, amaranth, and white rose are among the garden delights celebrated here. Interlaced with these are other songs on the subjects of pearls, love, beautiful sirens luring sailors with their sweet voices, meditation, peace of mind... Tranquil interludes are provided by four instrumental works from Kapsperger's 1615 Libro primo di Sinfonie.
The songs, composed by Giovanni Girolamo Kapsperger, were first published in 1632. They are villanellas for 1-4 voices & basso continuo, and are based on the poems by Francesco Buti. At the time both Kapsperger and Buti were working in Rome under the patronage of the Barberini family. Kapsperger worked in the service of various members of the family, such as Cardinal Francesco Barberini, who was a friend of the arts and sciences. Even though he was on the Inquistion tribunal, Cardinal Francesco was one of the few who refused to condemn Galileo. (It's also interesting to note that this Cardinal was also involved in negotiations with another famous cardinal, Cardinal Richelieu. Anyone interested in Old Roses will surely recognize his name. As Kapsperger's songs are over 200 years older than that Old Rose, there is no direct connection. It's just an interesting piece of flower trivia.)
Giovanni Kapsperger (or Johannes Kapsberger) was probably born in Venice in 1580. His father was a high-ranking military officer in the Austrian imperial house. His family's royal connections helped Kapsperger move in various social circles in Venice and Rome. He was most active in Rome and lived near the Piazza Navona. Today, it's mostly his music for lute & theorbo which is performed and recorded with any regularity. So, this recording of his secular songs is a real treat.
These songs can be performed in a variety of arrangements. The 6-member ensemble Vivante performs them with the following voices & instruments:
Tenors: Tore Tom Denys & Erik Leidal
Theorbo / baroque guitar / colascione: Christopher Dickie
Harpsichord / organ: Anne Marie Dragostis
Viola da gamba / baroque guitar: Daniel Pilz
Triple harp / block-flute / viola da gamba: Reinhild Waldek
They are joined by 2 guest musicians:
Cornett: Gebhard David and Bork-Frithjof Smith
Their performance and arrangements are simply wonderful! The potpourri of moods & nuances of the different songs are expressed with feeling and dedication. At the risk of being overly romantic, I just have to say that...with such beautiful playing and haunting melodies, one feels as if one is eavesdropping on musicians playing in some renaissance garden enveloped by the fragrant perfume of li fiori.
Well, Getting back to reality...
The 96kHz - 24bit recording was made in December 2005 at Kartause Mauerbach. This "Charterhouse" is a former Carthusian monastery located near Vienna, Austria. It's a beautiful baroque structure that's seen its ups and downs...for example, it was attacked during the Seige of Vienna. Fortunately for us, it's now in the good hands of the Austrian Federal Monuments Office. And for this SACD, it provided the performers with an ideal recording location. As in many ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) recordings, the sound in multichannel is excellent ...with a wide sound stage. The rear speakers are used effectively to give a natural surround experience. I must say that I have had exceptional MC listening experiences with many of ORF SACDs. (However; it must also be said that their annual Resonanzen series SACDs are LIVE recordings for ORF's MC radio broadcasts. And...those are very live indeed! ...but also recommended.) This recording is not one of ORF's live recordings... and offers superb sound...(no coughs). For those using 2-channel, the sound is also first-class...full and clear.
The booklet is good and gives German and English translations of the Italian songs. It also provides an essay of Kapsperger and his works in German and English. I only wish they would have provided photos of the flowers. I guess they wanted to leave that to the music and our imagination.
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