Palestrina's Perfect Art (2020)
Folger Consort performed "Palestrina's Perfect Art" Feburary 7th to Febuary 8th 2020 at Washington National Cathedral.
The great nave of Washington National Cathedral was the perfect setting for the transcendent vocal counterpoint of the late Italian Renaissance. Famously represented by the works Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, this era is rich in music composed by women. These concert shined light on this worthy repertoire with music by Raffaella Aleotti, Maddalena Casulana, Suplitia Cesis, and Leonora d'Este. Heavenly voices offered sacred motets, instruments perform canzone and diminutions, and all joined forces for the sonorous polychoral works from the 17th century. With the Renaissance brass instruments of Tesserae Baroque and featuring British vocal ensemble Stile Antico.
Program:
Settings by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Regina coeli ; Stabat Mater ; Vestiva i colli
Sacred vocal music by Raffaella Aleotti: Exaudi Deus orationem meam ; Angelus ad pastores ait ; Sancta et immaculata virginatas
Vocal music by Maddalena Casulana: O notte, O ciel, O mar ; Vagh' amorosi augelli
Sacred vocal music by Sulpitia Cesis: Ascendo ad Patrem ; Cantemus Domino
Vocal music attributed to Leonora d'Este, daughter of Lucrezia Borgia: Veni sponsa Christi ; O salutaris hostia ; Sicut lilium inter spinas
Instrumental canzone by Francesco Cavalli, Giovanni Gabrieli, Claudio Merulo, and Lodovico Grossi da Viadana
Dimunitions on Palestrina settings by Francesco Rognoni (Pulchra es amica mea) and Bartolomé de Selma y Salaverde (Vestiva i colli)
Ave maris stella from Claudio Monteverdi's Vespro della Beata Virgine
Artist
Folger Consort
Artistic Directors
Robert Eisenstein: Viol
Christopher Kendall: Lute
Guest Artists
Liza Malamut: Sackbut
Alex Opsahl: Cornett
Mack Ramsey: Bass Sacbut
Kiri Tollaksen: Cornett
Webb Wiggins: Organ