Kammerorchester Basel & Riccardo Minasi – Porpora: Il verbo in carne (Christmas Oratorio) (2018) [Official Digital Download 24bit/48kHz]

Kammerorchester Basel & Riccardo Minasi – Porpora: Il verbo in carne (Christmas Oratorio) (2018)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 01:06:55 minutes | 708 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Sony Classical

A new album based on the work of Neapolitan composer Nicola Porpora, so rarely recorded, is an exceptional event: here is the 1747 Christmas oratorio Il Verbo in carne (“Verb in the flesh”). One of the unique aspects here is how the birth of Christ is presented philosophically and allegorically, far removed from traditional nativity oratorios’ texts that borrow almost exactly from the Bible. Instead, four virtues are introduced in turn: humanity, justice, peace, and truth. The form remains rooted in the genre’s tradition, alternating between recitatives (dry for some, accompanied by an orchestra for others), arias and choruses. As always with Porpora, each number is particularly demanding, both in terms of expressivity and vocal virtuosity, breathtaking at times! The pre-classic orchestra relies on chords, a few wind instruments (flutes, bassoons, horns, the norm at the time, but the absence of the oboe, the trumpets and the timpani for the most striking moments is worth noting; maybe they weren’t available to Porpora at the time) and of course the continuous bass. The Basel Chamber Orchestra, led by Riccardo Minasi, lays a perfect foundation for the excellent panel of singers.

Tracklist:
1-01. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 1, Sinfonia avanti l’Introduzione (01:48)
1-02. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 5, Sinfonia avanti della prima parte (04:01)
1-03. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 6, Qui dal regno del tuono, e del baleno (Recitativo) (02:34)
1-04. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 7, Perche si breve allora (Aria) (04:21)
1-05. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 8, Ma che rammento! Ah! tu, Giustizia bella (Recitativo) (01:53)
1-06. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 9, Benche sia la prole ingrata (Aria) (07:02)
1-07. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 10, Mal non ti apponi – e giunto (Recitativo) (00:36)
1-08. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 11, Mira piu in la dal Sirio mar divisa (Recitativo) (03:26)
1-09. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 12, Pieta di quel bel core (Aria) (08:31)
1-10. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 13, Non piu – da’ monti cadono gia l’ombre (Recitativo) (00:34)
1-11. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 14, Dall’Austro vieni (Aria) (00:57)
1-12. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 31, Sinfonia di pastorali stromenti (01:51)
1-13. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 34, Le avventurose arene (Recitativo) (01:04)
1-14. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 38, Onnipossente dio! che veggio! e quella (Recitativo) (01:04)
1-15. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 39, Sentir quel teneri (Aria) (04:13)
1-16. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 40, O dilette, fra questi (Recitativo) (01:21)
1-17. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 41, Lascia ch’io veda almeno (Duetto) (09:04)
1-18. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 49, Mentr’ei dorme ti desta (Recitativo) (01:23)
1-19. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 50, Impallidisci ingrato (Aria) (04:30)
1-20. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 51, Ma che si tarda? Alla sagace cura (Recitativo) (01:28)
1-21. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 52, Gia il prevedo, che aduna (Recitativo & Trio) (01:56)
1-22. Kammerorchester Basel – No. 53 Dal mare d’Atlante (Coro) (03:08)

Personnel:
Roberta Invernizzi, soprano
Terry Wey, counter-tenor
Martin Vanberg, tenor
Kammerorchester Basel
Riccardo Minasi, conductor

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