Francesca Caccini: Sacred and Secular Songs

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Elena Cecchi Fedi delivers outstanding performances of the vocal parts. She deals impressively with the many melismatic passages and the ornamentation which is required...If you like this kind... — MusicWeb International, 11th July 2013 More…

Release Date: 25th Mar 2013
Catalogue No: 94461
Label: Brilliant Classics
Length: 64 minutes

Caccini, F: Il primo libro delle musiche

Work length17:27

$5.00

$6.50

Elena Cecchi Fedi
Cappella di Santa Maria degli Angiolini
Gian Luca Lastraioli

Ch'Amor sia nudo

Track length3:25

$1.00

$1.30

Io veggio i campi

Track length2:54

$1.00

$1.30

O che nuovo stupor

Track length7:28

$2.00

$2.60

Che t'ho fatt'io

Track length3:40

$1.00

$1.30

Caccini, F: Ciaccona

Work length4:35

$1.00

$1.30

Cappella di Santa Maria degli Angiolini
Gian Luca Lastraioli

Caccini, F: Il primo libro delle musiche

Work length8:42

$3.00

$3.90

Elena Cecchi Fedi
Cappella di Santa Maria degli Angiolini
Gian Luca Lastraioli

Dov'io credea le mie speranze vere

Track length3:21

$1.00

$1.30

O chiome belle

Track length2:39

$1.00

$1.30

Maria, dolce Maria

Track length2:42

$1.00

$1.30

Caccini, F: Romanesca

Work length5:06

$1.00

$1.30

Cappella di Santa Maria degli Angiolini
Gian Luca Lastraioli

Caccini, F: Il primo libro delle musiche

Work length29:08

$7.00

$9.10

Elena Cecchi Fedi
Cappella di Santa Maria degli Angiolini
Gian Luca Lastraioli

Non so se quel sorriso

Track length3:11

$1.00

$1.30

Dispiegate, guance amate

Track length4:08

$1.00

$1.30

Se muove a giurar fede

Track length4:58

$1.00

$1.30

Lasciatemi qui solo

Track length5:46

$1.00

$1.30

S'io men vo

Track length3:34

$1.00

$1.30

O vive rose

Track length4:45

$1.00

$1.30

Chi desia di saper

Track length2:46

$1.00

$1.30

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About

Francesca Caccini (no relative of the male composer with the same name) was a remarkable composer, singer, lutenist and poet in the Italian Baroque, serving at the prestigious court of the Medicis. She was a celebrated soprano, wrote a full scale opera (the first ever written by a woman) and excelled in her own works.

This recording features sacred and secular songs, music of deep emotional impact, dealing with the joys and sorrows of earthly and heavenly love.

New recording with the celebrated Italian soprano Elena Cecchi Fedi, accompanied by a colourful and rich instrumental group featuring cittern, theorbo, viola d’amore, guitars and strings. Francesca Caccini was certainly an exceptional woman.

Not only was she a ‘diva’ of the Baroque world who had the voice ‘of a nightingale’, but she was also a lutenist, poet, and the first ever female to compose a fullscale opera (La liberazione di Ruggiero). She first rose to fame at just thirteen years old when she performed in scenes of Peri’s Euridice to widespread acclaim, earning the nickname ‘La Cecchina’ (Little Francesca) by which she would be known for the rest of her life. The songs in this collection would more than likely have been performed by La Cecchina herself at the Medici court, where she was employed as a musician, and many are representative of her florid style of composition; Caccini was known to be meticulous in the notation of her works, ensuring that each emphasis, syllable and melisma fell in exactly the right place.

Fluid melisma and ornamentation are indeed characteristics of the works O vive rose, Non so se quel sorriso and Ch’Amor sia nudo, with those of the latter offset by lilting dance rhythms in the accompaniment. However, these are a stark contrast to the penitent Maria, dolce Maria, and pensive Dov’io credea.

A highlight of the recording is undoubtedly Lasciatemi qui solo, a dramatic jewel, in which a lamenting vocal line and false relation in the accompaniment are joined by a mournful, singing viola da gamba part. These songs are just a glimpse of the skill and versatility of this special composer. Soprano Elena Cecchi Fedi has performed in concert halls and festivals throughout Europe and has made several recordings.

Reviews

11th July 2013

Elena Cecchi Fedi delivers outstanding performances of the vocal parts. She deals impressively with the many melismatic passages and the ornamentation which is required...If you like this kind of music, there are good reasons to add this disc to your collection.

Francesca Caccini: Sacred and Secular Songs

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