Celesti Fiori – Alessandro Grandi’s motets

linked to Grandi’s Project
CD a464 Arcana|Outhere

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[…] Scored for two, three, four or (for the final, magnificent Nisi Dominus) eight singers, accompanied by continuo only, or with resplendent independent parts for cornetts and sackbuts, these 15 sacred motets show a fecund creativity, and Rossi Lürig’s musicians immerse themselves stylishly in his alluringly expressive, dramatic sound world.
SP – The Sunday Times, July 29 – 2019

[…] Grazie alla armoniosa interpretazione dell’ensemble vocale Accademia d’Arcadia e del gruppo strumentale UtFaSol Ensemble diretti da Alessandra Rossi Lürig, la chiarezza espressiva dell’arte musicale di Alessandro Grandi risalta in tutto il suo affascinante e delicato equilibrio. Nella toccante cantabilità delle frasi vocali di “O quam tu pulchra es” e di “Plorabo”, e nella concertazione di “Date nomini ejus” e di “Bone Jesu verbum Patris” si avverte l’osmosi fra la musica sacra e quella profana, entrambi tese a muovere gli affetti.
Paolo Scarnecchia – Il Giornale della Musica – 07/2019

[…] Elettissimo il concerto di voci e continuo sotto l’etichetta Accademia d’Arcadia; si vorrebbe nominarli
tutti ma non si può evitare di segnalare almeno, accanto al soprano Laura Martinez Boj e al basso Renato Cadel, la tiorba di Giovanni Bellini e l’organo di Luigi Accardo. Con due cornetti e tre tromboni l’ensemble di sostegno UtFaSol svetta fra raddoppi e agili diminuzioni sul piede di un diapason a 465 Hz, insolito per la vulgata barocchista ma giustiﬁcato per l’ambiente veneziano. Scelte di prassi, procedure editoriali e contesto storico sono argomentati in modo impeccabile […]
Carlo Vitali – Classic Voice 08/2019 – 5 stelle disco del mese

[…] The music is astonishingly expressive and these performances really bring out these qualities to the full. The programme is so arranged that variety is achieved from track to track both vocal and instrumental. […]
This disc acts as a fascinating, well-engineered introduction to a composer whose reputation should be higher than it is at present. It has been recorded in a superb baroque church in Mantua and is sensitively performed with clarity and passion.
Gary Higginson – Musicweb International – 08/2019

[…] Grandi heeft binnen de wereld van de oude muziek een behoorliike reputatie, maar het gebeurt niet vaak dat een hele cd aan zijn muziek wordt gewijd. Het pas vorig jaar opgerichte ensemble Accademia d’Arcadia maakt hiermee een droomdebuut. Stemmen en instrumenten mengen perfect in de royale akoestiek van de Santa Barbara in Mantua waar deze cd is opgenomen. Een nog onbekend ensemble met zelden gehoorde muziek: het Italiaanse fijnproeverslabel Arcana durft het aan en het resultaat is wonderschoon.
Marcel Bijlo – Klassike Zaken – 08/2019

[…] At any rate, Grandi gives performers more than enough to sink their teeth into, and Accademia d’Arcadia and Ensemble UtFaSol respond enthusiastically. Each piece has something different to say about its materials, whether voices are heard with or without obbligato instruments, and when the forces combine at the end the effect is truly climactic. […] They make the most of the music’s extroversion – truly, this is early music … for people who think they don’t like early music.
Fabrice Fitch – Gramophone – 09/2019

[…] Celesti fiori (Fleurs célestes), titre de son cinquième livre demotets, a été choisi comme intitulé de ce premier disque qui lui est entièrement consacré, avec quinze motets qui ont le raffinement des madrigaux. Enregistrés dans la Basilique Santa Barbara, les voix de l’Accademia d’Arcadia et les vents de l’Ensemble UtFaSol, dirigés par Alessandra Rossi Lürig, servent cettemusique intense avec un équilibre parfait.
Nicolas Blanemont – La Libre Belgique – 04/09/2019

[…] Il tutto è stato eseguito dal complesso vocale Accademia d’Arcadia, coadiuvato dagli strumentisti dell’UtFaSol Ensemble, diretti con notevole rigore stilistico da Alessandra Rossi Lürig: adeguata ﬂessibilità nella condotta agogica, notevole chiarezza nella dizione, efficaci sottolineature verbali e coesione degli organici possono essere considerate le peculiarità di un approccio capace di valorizzare appieno ogni partitura, rendendo così giustizia ad un autore ﬁn troppo trascurato in sede discograﬁca. Notevole, in particolare, anche la qualità delle voci (soprattutto i tenori e i bassi), pienamente in grado di dar vita ad un amalgama timbrico denso e brunito, molto suggestivo.
Claudio Bolzan – Musica – 09/2019

[…] Ook een dialoog tussen God en gelovige, en tussen bruid en bruidegom in een vers uit het Hooglied, geeft het geheel een opera-achtige, dramatische kwaliteit, levendig en vol nuance uitgevoerd door de zangers van Accademia d’Arcadia.
Myrthe Meester – Luister – 10/2019

[…] une lecture par moments presque méditative, mais pétrie d’intentions justes et qui nous étreint profondément…[…]
Bernard Schreuders – 18/11/2019

[…] Alessandra Rossi Lürig dirige l’Accademia d’Arcadia e l’UtFaSol Ensemble con varietà e immaginazione, scegliendo con cura gli strumenti concertanti così da creare un giusto equilibrio tra canto e accompagnamento. Lavora molto sulla cura della parola e degli affetti che esprime, con tempi distesi e naturali come il respiro. Ogni mottetto è una storia narrata con chiarezza e stile impeccabile dai nove cantori che si alternano in formazione di due, tre o quattro elementi. Solo nel Nisi Dominus finale si unisco in coro e con il pieno degli strumentisti: organo e tiorba al continuo, due cornetti e tre tromboni. Il compact è stato registrato nel magnifico spazio della Chiesa di Santa Barbara a Mantova, luogo segreto nascosto tra i meandri del Palazzo Ducale, dotato di un’acustica eccellente, resa alla perfezione da una presa del suono particolarmente riuscita. E se è vero che la bellezza si trasmette, direi che la suggestione luminosa di quell’interno si è insinuata anche nel respiro degli interpreti.
Daniela Goldoni – Operaclick – 05/11/2019

[…] It is fabulous stuff and the nine singers, theorbo, organ, cornetti (some very fine virtuosi) and sackbuts in various delicious combinations on this disc are compelling. Some motets offer gripping, edge-of.the-seat stuff, expression and elegance, charming abbellimenti, and emotional depth that would draw tears from a marble statue.
Rebecca Tavener – Choir & Organ – 11/2019

[…] Alessandra Rossi Lürig dirige de main maître un disque exemplaire…
Denis Grenier – Ut pictura musica – Continuo (Radio Québec) – 01/12/2019

[…] En conclusion, un CD digne de figurer dans toutes les discothèques pour la reconnaissance d’un compositeur trop méconnu et une interprétation très vivante.”
Son: 9 Livret: 9 Répertoire: 10 Interprétation: 9
Crescendo Magazine – Jean-Pierre Saussus – 14/12/2019

[…] The performances are superb. The singers and players seem to understand this music from the
inside, and their technical standard leaves nothing to be desired. In his day, Grandi was widely
considered Monteverdi’s equal. We may stop short of that, but the present selection
demonstrates that his more than 300 surviving works are worthy of serious consideration.
William J. Gatens – American record guide – 01/2020

[…] La direction d’Alessandra Rossi Lürig est particulièrement analytique, cherchant à souligner les incessants contrastes d’écriture, de couleurs et d’affects qui émaillent ces pages aussi savantes qu’éloquentes.
Apréciation d’ensemble: ****
Denis Morier – Diapason – 08/2020

[…] This disc is a perfect musical portrait of the art of Alessandro Grandi. One could probably say that he made a virtue of necessity. We can only be happy with the fact that he wrote so many pieces for solo voices. These don’t require large ensembles of voices and instruments, and are tailor-made for small ensembles such as the one performing on this disc. I have heard some pieces by Grandi in the past, but more often than not I was rather disappointed about the way they were performed. That is entirely different here. I have very much enjoyed what the singers and instrumentalist are making of these motets. […] The singers have fine and flexible voices and master the art of declamation. The text receives maximum attention. The voices blend perfectly, and in the pieces with instruments, the balance is exactly right.
This is probably the best disc with music by Grandi that is available right now, alongside an older disc with performances under the direction of René Jacobs. I hope that this ensemble or other performers will delight us with more treasures from Grandi’s large output.
Johan van Veen (© 2020) – Musica Dei Donum – 30/01/2020

Das Vokal-Ensemble Accademia d’Arcadia hat sich wunderbar mischende Männerstimmen, […] sie werden abwechslungsreich von hervorragenden Solisten auf Zinken und Posaunen des UtFaSol Ensembles begleitet. Diese CD stellt großartige Musik eines zu Unrecht zu wenig bekannten Komponisten vor.
Elisabeth Richter – Fono Forum – 03/2020 – Musik Klang

Grandis Konzerte fallen auf wegen des hohen Masses an Expressivität, was vor allem seiner Textbehandlung zuzuschreiben ist. Und wo Instrumente im Spiel sind, werden auch diese zur Auslotung des Textes und der Affekte eingesetzt. In dieser Einspielung kommen diese Aspekte voll zum Tragen. Die Sänger beherrsehen die Kunst des sprechenden Singens, das Ideal jener Zeit. […] Insgesamt halte ich aber diese CD für eine der besten, die dem Schaffen Grandis gewidmet sind.
Sie ist ein klingendes Denkmal für einen zu Unrecht vernachlässigten Meister.
Toccata – Alte Musik aktuel – Juli 2020

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