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 is 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 concerts shine light on this worthy repertoire with music by Raffaella Aleotti, Maddalena Casulana, Suplitia Cesis, and Leonora d'Este. Heavenly voices offer sacred motets, instruments perform canzone and diminutions, and all join 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

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Artistic Directors

Robert Eisenstein: Viol

Christopher Kendall: Lute

Guest Artists

Stile Antico

Tessarae Baroque

Liza Malamut: Sackbut

Alex Opsahl: Cornett

Mack Ramsey: Bass Sacbut

Kiri Tollaksen: Cornett

Webb Wiggins: Organ