Luzzasco Luzzaschi: Concerto delle Dame

Claudio Cavina and La Venexiana now return to the end of the 16th century, following the 'Poppea' of Monteverdi with the 'Artemisia' by Cavalli.

They put their distinctively Italian mark on what was, for a long time, 'secret' music: that composed by Luzzasco Luzzaschi when he was serving the ducal court of Alfonso II of Ferrara. Alfonso brought together 'singing ladies', the Concerto delle Dame, virtuoso performers on instruments as well as with the voice, to delight and entertain the duke's wife, as well as privileged members of the court. Apparently rival courts sent composer-emissaries to find out what was going on! Kept under lock and key, the music written for the Dame by Luzzaschi and others was only released and published on the Duke's death.

With Emanuela Galli, Roberta Mameli and Francesca Cassinari, Claudio Cavina has assembled a superb modern-day trio of singers in a further display of La Venexiana's magisterial control of Italian music as it shifts gears from the Renaissance to the Baroque.

American Record Guide, July / August 2012
Notes, texts, translations. Notwithstanding the composer's stature and quality, there is little of Luzzaschi's music on record. John Barker praised La Venexiana's record of his Book 5 madrigals (Glossa 920905, J/F 2000); there are good aspects to Musica Secreta's recording of the 1601 collection (AmonRa 58, M/A 1993); and also a good amount of Luzzaschi on the very fine Consort of Musicke collection Concerto delle Donne (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77154, M/J 1992, p 176).

Financial Times
This is music of intimate emotion and subtle embellishment, with two or three voices intertwining above an instrumental accompaniment - in stark contrast to the usual a cappella style of madrigal singing...The sopranos Roberta Nameli, Emanuela Galli and Francesca Cassinari turn this almost-forgotten music into a strangely compelling feast.

The Guardian
As the three sopranos of La Venexiana show, they are wonderfully supple, ornamented settings, with striking contrasts between the single-voice numbers and the gorgeously rich textures of the three-voice ones, while the viola da gamba, lute and harpsichord provide the most tactful continuo support.

The Independent
The three sopranos are accompanied by a small ensemble who offer sombre settings for the ornamentation and serpentine monody of the romantic laments. Masterpieces such as "Troppo ben pu=" and "O dolcezz'amarissime d'amore" are the 16th-century equivalent of soul-diva showboating.

Notes & Reviews:

Recording information: Chiesa de S. Giovanni, Pinerolo, Italy (08/2009).

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Works Details

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : Aura soave, for voice and continuo

Performers: Roberto Mameli; Marta Graziolino (Harp)
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Running Time: 3 min. 53 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : O primavera gioventú dell'anno, for voice & continuo

Performers: Francesca Cassinari (Soprano); Gabriele Palomba (Lute); Davide Pozzi (Harpsichord); Cristiano Contadin (Viola da gamba)
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Running Time: 3 min. 19 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : Ch'io non t'ami cor mio, for voice & continuo

Performers: Emanuela Galli (Soprano); Davide Pozzi (Harpsichord)
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Running Time: 3 min. 53 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance
Form: Choral

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : Toccata, for harp

Performer: Marta Graziolino (Harp)
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Running Time: 2 min. 5 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : Stral pungente d'amore, for 2 women's voices & continuo

Performers: Emanuela Galli (Soprano); Cristiano Contadin (Viola da gamba); Roberto Mameli
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Running Time: 3 min. 1 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance
Form: Choral

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : Deh vieni hormai cor mio, for 2 voices & continuo

Performers: Emanuela Galli (Soprano); Cristiano Contadin (Viola da gamba); Roberto Mameli; Davide Pozzi (Harpsichord)
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Running Time: 3 min. 14 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : Cor mio, deh non languire, madrigal for 2 women's voices & continuo

Performers: Emanuela Galli (Soprano); Cristiano Contadin (Viola da gamba); Gabriele Palomba (Lute); Roberto Mameli; Marta Graziolino (Harp)
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Running Time: 3 min. 16 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance
Form: Choral
Written: 1595

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : I' mi son giovinetta, madrigal for 2 women's voices & continuo

Performers: Roberto Mameli; Francesca Cassinari (Soprano); Davide Pozzi (Harpsichord)
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Running Time: 3 min. 12 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance
Form: Choral

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : Ricercare for keyboard

Performer: Davide Pozzi (Harpsichord)
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Running Time: 1 min. 35 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : O dolcezz' amarissime d'amore

Performers: Roberto Mameli; Francesca Cassinari (Soprano); Emanuela Galli (Soprano)
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Ensemble: La Venexiana
Running Time: 4 min. 36 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : Troppo ben può, madrigal for 3 women's voices & continuo

Performers: Emanuela Galli (Soprano); Francesca Cassinari (Soprano); Roberto Mameli
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Ensemble: La Venexiana
Running Time: 4 min. 2 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance
Form: Choral

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : T'amo mia vita, madrigal for 3 women's voices & continuo

Performers: Francesca Cassinari (Soprano); Roberto Mameli; Emanuela Galli (Soprano)
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Ensemble: La Venexiana
Running Time: 3 min. 23 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance
Form: Choral

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : Canzon francese, for harpsichord

Performer: Davide Pozzi (Harpsichord)
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Running Time: 1 min. 29 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : Non sa che sia dolore, madrigal for 3 women's voices & continuo

Performers: Marta Graziolino (Harp); Emanuela Galli (Soprano); Cristiano Contadin (Viola da gamba); Francesca Cassinari (Soprano); Roberto Mameli; Gabriele Palomba (Lute)
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Running Time: 3 min. 5 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance
Form: Choral

Luzzaschi, Luzzasco : Occhi del pianto mio

Performers: Roberto Mameli; Francesca Cassinari (Soprano); Emanuela Galli (Soprano)
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Ensemble: La Venexiana
Running Time: 3 min. 15 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Agostini, Lodovico : Donna mentre vi miro, for 3 voices & continuo

Performers: Emanuela Galli (Soprano); Francesca Cassinari (Soprano); Roberto Mameli
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Ensemble: La Venexiana
Running Time: 2 min. 17 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

Virchi, Paolo : Segu'a rinascer l'aura, for 3 voices & continuo

Performers: Emanuela Galli (Soprano); Francesca Cassinari (Soprano); Roberto Mameli
Conductor: Claudio Cavina
Ensemble: La Venexiana
Running Time: 3 min. 51 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance

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