I Mercanti Di Venezia

I Mercanti di Venezia is a collection of works by early-Baroque Italian composers. Salamone Rossi (whose Hebrew name was Me-Ha'Adumim) was born around 1570 to a noble family related to Azariah dei Rossi, a scholar and historian. In 1589, Rossi was appointed to the post of violinist and singer at the Mantua court. A cornetto virtuoso and unparalleled improviser, Giovanni Bassano was the principal instrumentalist at the Basilica di Saint-Marco in Venice from 1585 until his death in 1617. From 1550 until his death in 1604, Augustine Bassano was Musician in Ordinary for Recorders at the English court. He was also a lutenist, and left behind various manuscripts, including fantasies for viols and a handful of dances (pavanes, galliards, and allemands).

Notes & Reviews:

Recording information: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008).

Reviews

Superb Italian Baroque Music

Kudos to ATMA for passing up the obvious marketing hook on this terrific recording of instrumental music by early-Baroque Italian composers. The hook? The composers were Jewish. The fact that the information is communicated in François Filiatrault’s excellent liner notes rather than in blazing copy on the cover says something about this classy production: it’s understated and beautiful— I could only imagine what a label like Dorian Sono Luminus would do in similar circumstances. As you would expect there’s music by Salomone Rossi, the remarkable Mantuan violinist and singer whose vocal collection The Songs of Solomon opened many listeners ears to the world of Baroque Jewish music. This time out it’s Rossi’s superb instrumental music (the guy pretty much invented the trio sonata) in performances that feature some of the best string playing I’ve heard in quite a while. The crisp articulation in the Sonata sopra l’aria d’un balletto is brilliant and should do much to shut up the ninnies who still whine about period performance string playing. There’s also music by Giovanni and Augustine Bassano. The two composers share the same surname but there is no evidence that they were related. Jews were expelled from the city of Bassano del Grappa at the beginning of the 16th century and many took refuge in Venice where they assumed Bassano as their family name. The music from both is marvelous. Giovanni’s plaintive Ricercata ottava showcases Margaret Little’s gorgeous treble viol tone, and his Ricercare terza features Francis Colpron’s sweetly singing recorder. Augustine’s Pavanna & Galliarda is a model of elegance with some tasty cornet and recorder playing by Colpron and Matthew Jennejohn. Eric Milnes, who led New York Baroque in Rossi’s Songs of Solomon on the now-defunct PGM label, is at the helm of La Bande Montréal. This is an ensemble of A-list players from a city which has supplanted Boston as the epicenter of North American early music. This is a winner!
Submitted on 08/06/10 by Craig Zeichner

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Works Details

Rossi, Salomone : Sonata no 4 sopra l'aria dei Ruggiero, Libro 3

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 4 min. 2 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance
Written: 1613

Rossi, Salomone : Eyn Kelohienu, motet

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 1 min. 53 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Rossi, Salomone : Sonata Detta la Viena

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 4 min. 10 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance
Written: 1613

Rossi, Salomone : Sonata no 7 sopra l'aria d'un Balletto, Libro 4

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 2 min. 9 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance
Written: 1622

Bassano, Giovanni : Ricercata ottava (Ricercate/passagi et Cadentie)

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 3 min. 1 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Rossi, Salomone : Sonata no 5 sopra un aria Francese, Libro 4

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 3 min. 12 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Bassano, Giovanni : Ricercata terza

Performer: Francis Colpron (Recorder)
Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 2 min. 31 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Bassano, Giovanni : Ancor che col partire, for voice & chamber ensemble (after Cipriano de Rore)

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 6 min. sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Bassano, Giovanni : Un gay bergère, diminution after Thomas Crécquillon

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 4 min. 25 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Bassano, Augustine : Fantasia decima for violin & ensemble

Performer: Helene Plouffe (Violin)
Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 1 min. 47 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Rossi, Salomone : Bor'chu et adonoy, motet

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 1 min. 3 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Bassano, Giovanni : Ricercata seconda

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 1 min. 54 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Bassano, Augustine : Pavan and Galliard for 5 instruments

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 3 min. 5 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Bassano, Giovanni : Divisions on "Frais et gaillard"

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 5 min. 46 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Bassano, Giovanni : Divisions on Crecquillon's "Onques amour" for ensemble

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 3 min. 35 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Rossi, Salomone : Sonata a quattro

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 2 min. 49 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Rossi, Salomone : Sonata no 12 sopra la Bergamasca, Libro 4

Conductor: Eric Milnes
Ensemble: La Bande Montréal Baroque
Notes: Église Saint-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec), Canada (06/24/2008-06/26/2008)
Running Time: 2 min. 44 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Reviews

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