Solo Vocal

Songs from the streets, taverns, theatres and countryside of 17th-century England

with original tablature

Barbara Strozzi's Cantata Sino alla morte for soprano (c'-b'' flat) and and basso continuo. Sino alla morte , the first Cantata of Op. 7, is an exhilarating, through-composed piece, lasting approximately 14 minutes, and asserting that the fires of love cannot be extinguished. It begins in 3 with a typical Passacaglia formula in the continuo which introduces a series of sequences on the first words, vowing eternal love “until death”. This first Refrain, ingeniously extended, continues for 49 bars. The Grave contains a series of contrasting arioso passages over predominantly falling bass lines, in which the lover describes the features of his beloved which he knows time will alter. Three 2-part Arias, all in triple time, follow, each concluding with the Refrain and the Passacaglia bass. The continuo lines of these arias imitate and complement the varied figures of the vocal line. The lover opens his heart to joy, undeterred even by jealousy and/or absence, adding vows to vows...”until death”. Strozzi then reuses the music of the first part of the first Aria to set Può la fortuna . The lover feels so invulnerable that he breaks off his challenge to Fortune at the end of the first part, to begin in the style of an instrumental canzona in C, with a dactylic rhythm in the voice, continuing with octave leaps and energetic passages imitated in the continuo. A final 2-bar ostinato, also based on the descending scale, is then introduced by the bass, occurring 12 times, over which the voice has tumultuous figures, leaps, and virtuoso scales, asserting that not even such a series of ‘tsunamis’ could put out the sparks of love!

for soprano (c’-b’’flat) & bc

medium voice (a -f'') and basso continuo

Volume 2 - Germany and England

Volume 1 - Italy and France

for 1–2 instruments (violins, recorders, flutes, oboes, trumpets in C) and piano (guitar), voices ad lib.

Four Motets for Bass and Basso continuo: Lamento di David sopra la morte del Gionata: Come, ahi come cadea O Vulnera Doloris! Lucifer: Lucifer coelestis olim Hierarchiae Princeps Domine Deus meus

11 Consort songs from Rosseter's Book of Airs (1601). For soprano voice and 3 viols or any combination of viols and voices. The words are included in all the part books so that any range of singers can join in with instruments doubling.

for bass (A- f’), two violins and bc

No 5 of 6 Scherzi for bass solo (G-e'), 2 recorders (flauti) and continuo

Cantata da camera for alto (c'-d''), recorder, two violins and bc

Télaïre's lament from Castor et Pollux for soprano, strings, bassoon and basso continuo

for bass (F#- f'#), violin and basso continuo

for soprano/tenor (c'-a''), recorder, and bc

A critical performing edition of both of the 17th century Italian manuscript sources for this striking vocal work

Recit & Aria from Acis & Galatea for bass (F- f''), recorder, two violins and basso continuo