Credits:

Clint Van der Linde, Le Muthi

Description:

The elite group Le Muffatti and the gifted singers and the quintessential composers of the heyday of the castrato, Hasse and Porpora were two of the most popular composers of Italian-language opera in the 18th century, between Handel and Mozart. Hasse, who became director of the Dresden Court Orchestra after a brilliant career on the Italian peninsula and was the only composer outside the court of Frederick the Great who was a favorite of his, and Porpora, a brilliant Neapolitan musician who, like Hasse, had an international career, were both at one time Handel's rivals in the London opera world. In the film "Castrato" (1994/95), their arias provided important scenes. The fact that their operas have been steadily increasing in the European opera scene in recent years, and that their recordings have been outstandingly successful, is a testament to the quality of their work. The solo motets for church with small ensembles that they composed in addition to their operas are masterpieces that clearly demonstrate their outstanding aptitude for vocal music. The elite Belgian ensemble Les Moufattis, which has contributed greatly to the restoration of important composers buried in history, has invited Ryo Terakobe as concertmaster for this recording, as they did for Bach's much-discussed organ concertos (RAM1804/NYCX-10044), and has selected two masterpieces each that convey the style of the two composers well. Selected.Porpora's "Unless the Lord Builds," for which the score was recently discovered and recorded for the first time, is an early work from 1712 and has a unique, old-fashioned flavor. The other three motets showcase the abilities of both composers, which can be compared to Handel's later, more substantial works. Although the Vivaldi works on the disc are chosen without soloists, the performance is a testament to the elite talent of Les Moufattis, who support the free and flexible singing of the new generation's prodigy, Van der Linde. Naxos Japan