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Home , Anna Guarini, Antonio Draghi, Claudio Monteverdi, Concerto delle donne, Giacomo Carissimi, Luigi Rossi

Foolish Heart

MADRIGALS FOR THREE Galàn Foolish Heart Galàn is a spirited young ensemble committed to rediscovering the exciting and often for Three Sopranos neglected sound world of three voices and continuo. Specialising in European and music, the group is accompanied by and , and takes its name from the old English term for ‘enchantment’ and ‘to sing’. Domenico Mazzochi 1592-1665 The group was originally inspired by the Delle Donne, at female trio 1. Folle Cor 1’43 7. Ohime Dove il mio ben 4’57 that performed in at the end of the sixteenth century. This ground-breaking ensemble led the way in gaining acceptance in Europe for the female voice as a worthy Antonio Draghi 1634-1700 instrument for respectable entertainment, as for centuries the perceived seductive 2. Lo Specchio 21’32 8. Non Sa che Sia Dolore 2’32 quality of a woman’s voice had been deemed to imply a shaky moral, and therefore social, status to any female who sang in public and outside convent walls. It was not Claudio Monteverdi 1597-1643 Angelo Michele Bartolotti 1615-1681 until the early baroque era that we find female singers as central to courtly life as their 3. O viva Fiamma 3’06 9. Preludio 2’54 male counterparts. A culture of patronage was particularly nurtured in , which established a fertile environment for the composition and performance of music that 1605-1674 Claudio Monteverdi would not only provide entertainment but also proclaim a court’s stature and wealth. 4. Siam Tre Miseri 7’38 10. Cantate Dominum 5’41 It was during the 1580s in the court of the Este family under of Duke Alfonso II in Ferrara that Livia d’Arco, , Laura Peverara and, later, 1583-1643 1597-1653 worked. They became known as the . As far as he could, Duke 5. Decima/Libro 1 3’39 11. Fan Battaglia 3’10 Alfonso jealously restricted their performances to private concerts for himself and specially favoured guests, but inevitably the fame of these remarkable singers spread Luzzasco Luzzaschi 1545-1607 beyond Ferrara. They attracted the attention of a number of who began 6. O Dolcezze 3’44 to write for this compelling and utterly original sound-world of purely female voices. The repertoire that emerged, firstly in the form of madrigals and later in , helped to establish the female voice as something distinct from the treble or , and the success of these “Ladies of Ferrara” helped pave the way for women to become Galàn musicians in their own right. Alison Hill · Katy Hill · Lucy Page sopranos The music composed for them is plaintive, passionate, and always dramatic. Manuel Minguillón theorbo It is music that cannot fail to capture the imagination and, thanks to the work of Christopher Bucknall harpsichord and organ music scholars and publishers through the intervening years, it has come down to this particular group of friends in the 21st century. And although little music has been composed in recent years for this rather unusual vocal combination, Galàn is In 1619 Monteverdi published his seventh book of madrigals, a startlingly delighted to continue in the Concerto’s footsteps in the way of receiving commissions expressive collection which he christened simply ‘Concerto’, owing to the from both established and up and coming contemporary artists. One of these makes a heterogeneous nature of this set of 32 numbers for four or fewer voices, of which his special appearance on this recording. chamber duets are possibly the best known. These are represented here by O viva The Ladies of Ferrara were fortunate indeed to be contemporary with so many Fiamma, a romanesca (a composition which repeats a fixed four chord sequence), and wonderful composers of the Italian Baroque. It was particularly happy timing that Ohimé, dov’è il mio ben, dov’è il mio core? which features such expressive dissonances brought them to Alfonso’s court at a time when the widely respected and between the two high voices as they sing Tasso’s sorrowful verse. Cantate Domino, organist Domenico Luzzaschi, was in residence. At least some of the Ladies’ ‘secret’ a two-voice , is the earliest published example of Monteverdi’s Venetian sacred repertoire is known to have been written by Luzzaschi, much of which can be found in music, and takes its text from . This duet establishes the pattern for many his most striking surviving publication, Madrigali per cantare et sonare a 1-3 soprani of Monteverdi’s later Venetian by contrasting a triple-time refrain (his setting - a work later published in in 1601, a safe four years after the Duke’s death and of ‘Cantate Domino’) with passages in duple time, which are in this case lavishly after the had lost Ferrara to the papacy. At this time, musical trends were ornamented in a manner reminiscent of pieces in the 1610 collection. turning towards a more florid style of composition in which dramatically expressive Domenico Mazzochi, a priest in Rome, was one of Monteverdi’s contemporaries. adherence to the text was considered paramount. One of the many examples of this Despite a lack of any formal musical training he enjoyed some success as a composer, can be found in O Dolcezze Amarissime d’Amore, where his slow and seductive and his Folle Cor is more than worthy of inclusion on this disc. Luigi Rossi was handling of the word ‘lusinge’ (to charm) contrasts starkly with his vivid rhythmic another near contemporary. In contrast to Monteverdi, who remained in Italy setting of ‘ride’ (to laugh). This emphasis on text driven style was followed by other throughout his career, Rossi led a cosmopolitan life, travelling frequently to , progressive composers of the day, among them the great Claudio Monteverdi. and Rome, writing for both the French Royal Court and the papal Monteverdi, now regarded as one of the Giants of his age, was hugely influential family. He was greatly admired throughout his prolific career, during which he amongst his contemporaries. His eight books of madrigals display both his mastery of composed over three hundred secular works, of which many were and the techniques refined by past masters of the Renaissance, and his ability to innovate . It is the versatility in his writing and the variety of influences, particularly of in a way that led music very much into the Baroque. He started life a precocious the dramatic and operatic operatic styles, that are evident in Fan Battaglia. The exact young man in , publishing his first collection at the tender age of 15 in 1583. date and place of Rossi’s birth is not known with any certainty, though is thought to Here he learnt from Marc’Antonio Ingegneri, the maestro di capella at the cathedral have been in 1597 or 1598 in Puglia. He reached the height of his success just before of Cremona, before earning his first position as / player to Duke Vincenzo his death as a very wealthy man in 1653. Angelo Bartolotti was also active in both Gonzaga in in the early 1590s. He remained for over twenty eventful years Italy and as a composer, guitarist and theorbo player, moving from to in Cremona where his first five books of madrigals were published before moving to Paris shortly after Rossi’s death. Saint Mark’s in as their new maestro di cappella in 1613. Giacomo Carissimi was born around 1604 near Rome. At the age of 20 he became maestro di capella at and in 1628 he obtained the same position at the church before he finally settled in Rome. Keyboard music occupies the most important of Sant’Apollinare at the Collegiun Germanicum in Rome. He held this position position in Frescobaldi’s extant oeuvre. Among his most important keyboard until his death, in spite of receiving several offers of posts in some very prominent compositions were two books of (from Book 1 of which the toccata played establishments, including that of succeeding Monteverdi at St Marks in Venice. on this disc is taken) and partitas (1615 and 1627). His toccatas could be used in In 1637 he was ordained as a priest, and died in Rome in 1674. Carissimi’s work masses and liturgical occasions, as preludes to larger works, or as stand-alone pieces. was paramount to the development of , introduced by Monteverdi, as a His contemporaries acknowledged Frescobaldi as the single greatest trendsetter of vital ingredient in dramatic music. He was a pioneer in the field of how to set text keyboard music of their time and all agreed that he was a genius both playing and and use speech rhythms, writing treatises on the subject which are crucial to our composing for the keyboard. His influence on the development of keyboard music modern understanding of historical performance practice. He also contributed to the extended beyond Italy and to later composers including and JS Bach. prevalence of the chamber , which had gradually evolved from the madrigals © Galàn of the late Renaissance. In addition, he was the first significant composer of , with Jepthe as his best known work. Another giant in his time. Just as Rossi’s fame was beginning to spread throughout France, Antonio Draghi was born in , probably in 1634. His career started as a singer in , after which he moved to Ferrara, singing with the Accademia della Morte where Luzzaschi had been organist half a century before. In 1685 he joined the of the dowager Empress Eleonora in , where he was to spend the rest of his life. There he became well known as a composer of works with a dramatic content, often operas. He eventually became at the imperial court, where this genre of composition was much in demand. The majority of his works were performed to commemorate the birthdays or name days of the imperial family, all containing a passage in homage to the celebrant in question. There is such a passage in Lo Specchio, clearly stating that it was written for the birthday of the Empress Leonora. The work is a dramatic cantata in which the characters take it in turns to eulogise the various properties of the mirror, using examples from mythology and making moral analogies. This unusual and fascinating piece is so far unpublished in the UK, and this is certainly its first recording. The great Girolamo Frescobaldi was a prolific composer of both religious and . A pupil of Luzzaschi’s, his career took him to Mantua and Galàn has flourished as Folle cor, ah non t'alletti Foolish heart, don't be bewitched lo splendor dei bei sembianti, by the radiance of pretty faces, an ensemble since its chè tra lievi pompe erranti which through fragile, changeable attributes formation in 2009 and spiran sol falsi diletti. emit only false delights. selection as Brighton Early Splende il dì, ma nell'Aurora The day shines, but after dawn Music Festival Young perde il vago de' suoi fiori the beauty of her flowers is lost, Artists the following e del sole a gli splendori and when the sun is brighter, langue l'Aura e manca Flora. the breeze drops and flowers faint. year. The group has since performed at the Brighton Scherza il mar; ma di procelle The sea plays joyfully, but its sapphires nidi sono i suoi zaffiri; are nests for storms, Festival on benché eterni abbian i giri and though the stars endlessly turn, several occasions, at the pur nel ciel moion le stelle. they too die in the sky. Three Festival Fuggi pur, che nat’appena Flee then, because the age of serenity and at the Winchester sparir suol l'età serena. usually vanishes quickly. Music festival. Other performances include Lo Specchio The mirror London’s Grosvenor Cantiam, cantiamo un poco Let us sing, let us sing a little, e in armonie canore and in singing Chapel and St Luke’s passiam gioconde l’ore let us joyfully pass the hours Church, Battersea, various di questo lieto dì. of this happy day. UK festivals and at a Cantiam, sì sì. Let us sing! private event in Spain. Io pronta m’apparecchio, I am ready, Early in 2012, a series of semi-staged concerts took place in the Palazzo Schinfonia ma il soggetto qual fia? Sarà lo specchio. but what will our subject be? It will be the mirror. Gentil material in vero! What a good subject! in Ferrara, in the very rooms where the original Concerto Delle Donne sang. Galàn È consigliero sincero, verace A sincere, true advisor has benefitted from the advice and expertise of Sir , Robert che mai non mentì, che mai non mentì. which never lied. Hollingworth and Dame . O dell’arte industriosa Oh! Gift granted to man Help with the funding of this, their debut recording, has been gratefully recently beneficio all’uom concesso, by industrious art, from the Musicians’ Benevolent Fund, Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni and members of che da un’ombra ufficiosa so that from a dutiful shadow ei conoscer può se stesso. he can know himself. Galan, all of whom are prominent performers in their own right, have benefited from Disegnollo la natura Nature first made it the advice and expertise of Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Robert Hollingworth and Dame da principio in gemme et acque, from gems and water, a l'huom frale in sua figura then man happily made it from glass, Emma Kirkby. farse'l poi di vetro piacque. frail in its form. Un ne fu d’alta torre One was located in a tall tower dove appare where the reflection su l’elevata cima, at the top of a hill, ch’un riflesso l’ombra sia is just a shade ove di quanti pini from where one could see how many ships del suo fulgor; of its brightness; gettaro adunco ferro entro quel porto, dropped anchor in the harbour: tal se stesso nello specchio so when man sees himself numero e qualità, tutto fu scorto. number and type, all could be known! l’uom s’adombra, displayed in the mirror, mira l’ombra, e la crede suo splendor. he sees the reflection and considers it his shining Uno da Siracusa One from Syracuse self. vibrò lontani incendi lit fires from afar da concavi riflessi using curved reflections, Perciò di sua virtute Therefore, since man has had knowledge in sin allor segreti, undiscovered before then, da ch’ebbe conoscenza of its virtue, e dell’oste latina arser gli abeti. and burnt the ships of the Latin enemy. egli fu posto in man della prudenza. it has been in the hands of Prudence. Ch’ei non finge, e non mente Everyone is well assured Con uno specchio a forza di riflessi Using the reflections of a mirror, ben ciascun s’assicura, that it does not pretend nor tell lies, caratteri distinti a wise man ei della veritate è la figura. that it is the image of Truth. fè comparir un saggio a Cintia in fronte, made characters appear on the moon's face, Lo specchio o lusinghier The mirror is not a flatterer ad amici lontani and so he communicated o adulator non è. or an admirer. così i suoi sensi ei disse: with distant friends. Semplice o veritier It brings simplicity or truth Cintia fu il foglio ed uno specchio scrisse. The moon was the paper, and the mirror wrote. a tutti si rende. to everyone. Ed è di fido core, It has a faithful heart, Vi sono pochi affè There are few things non falso o mentitore, it is not false, nor a liar, che siano com’egl’è, like a mirror, che sempre mostra il ver because it always shows the truth pochi affè giusti e felici: just and happy: di quanto chiude in se. of what is hidden in it. dice i difetti e non si fa nemici. it tells defects making no enemies. E consiglier verace, It is a true advisor Una tal qualità Jove gave it such a ch'esser non può mendace, which cannot lie. ch’al mondo alcun non ha virtue as nobody non simula i pensier, It doesn't falsify thoughts. Giove gl’ha dato: has in this world: non sa mancar di fè. It cannot be unfaithful. corregge tutti è da tutti amato. correcting everyone, it is loved by everyone. Anche di purità It has also always been D’apparenza mendace It does not cloud the esempio sempre fu, an example of purity, il ver ei non ingombra: truth with false appearances: nella schiettezza sta la sua virtù. and in its straightforwardness lies its virtue. chiaro favella eppur favella in ombra. it speaks clearly though it speaks indirectly. Un alito leggier It cannot stand soffrir nemmen ei può, even a light breath, De la Tigre cessa l’ira, A tiger’s fury is placated se poca polve egl’ha non splende più. and with just a speck of dust it shines no more. se rimira if she sees dentro il lampo d’uno specchio her anger Ha d’Astrea le qualità: It has the qualities of Astraea. il suo furor; in a mirror; con riflesso pari a ognuno With equal reflection for all, così ha scampo dalle Tigri so a hunter rende al sole il suo sereno, it shows the sun its serenity più adirate dell’Eufrate may escape from the rende all’angue il suo veleno, and the snake its poison: il cacciator. fiercest tigers of Euphrates. ciò che devessi a ciascuno that which is due to each thing E’ del sole specchio il mare For the sun, the sea is a mirror, così render egli sa. it can return. La costanza è sua virtù, Constancy is its virtue. o voi, leggiadri ed amorosi spirti, oh you, sprightly and amorous spirits, ne' perigli vil non riesce, In difficulty it is not cowardly; s’alcun vive qua giù nel basso mondo, if any of you live down in this low world, par che in Idra egli si cange, it seems to change into a Hydra. pietà vi prenda del mio acerbo pianto! have pity on my bitter ! se un imagin se le frange, If the image is broken, egli tosto in molto cresce, its ugliness quickly multiplies: nel suo mal costante più. there lies its constancy. Siam tre miseri piangenti, We are three miserable weepers, che tributi ognor cresciamo who increase our plaint hourly Ma forse non è caso But is it not appropriate ai più torbidi torrenti, to the most turbulent torrent, che nel natal di Leonora Augusta that on the birthday of Leonora Augusta e sfidando a guerra andiamo and challenging fortune and the elements dello specchio si canti, we sing of the mirror, la fortuna e gli elementi. we go to war. poiché se di giustitia, because it is a figure of Justice, Siam tre miseri piangenti. We are three miserable weepers. di purità e prudenza, Purity, Prudence, di verità e costanza egl’è figura, Truth and Constancy? Prima) Io sospiro un ben distante. (First) I sigh for a distant love. nella gran Leonora, All these virtues have always been found (Seconda) Idolatro ingrata amante. (Second) I idolise an ungrateful lover. specchio d’eroiche e pretiose tempre, in the great Leonora, (Terza) Et io seguo un re de’ venti. (Third) And I follow a thing of the winds. queste virtù si ritrovaron sempre. a mirror of heroic and precious values. Dunque s’applauda a dì così felice, Therefore we applaud the happy day (Prima) Tesoro posseduto e poi rapito (First) A treasure possessed and then snatched in cui benigno fato on which kind fate da subita distanza, away specchio sì luminoso al mondo ha dato. gave such a bright mirror to the world. ahi che di pene il cor di Tizio avanza. by sudden distance, alas, how much it exceeds the pain of Titius! Dì felice, dì giocondo, Happy, joyful day, il più bel non vide il mondo, the world has never seen (Seconda) Mirar che la fera (Second) Marvel at how the cruel one mai di te any more beautiful than you. a fiamma sì vera laughs, as a joke il più lucido non splendè. The brightest day that has never shone. sorrida per gioco, at such a true flame; son lente, son poco the rages of Dis le rabbie di Dite, are slow, are few, O viva fiamma, o miei sospiri ardenti, Oh feisty flame, oh my ardent sighs, germogli Averno let Avernus conceive o petto pien di duol, o spirti lassi, oh breast full of pain, oh weary spirits, pur Furie infinite! unnumbered Furies! o pensier d’ogni speme ignudi e cassi, oh thoughts of all kinds, desperate, broken, o strali nel mio cor fieri e pungenti, oh arrows in my heart, fierce and piercing, (Terza) Ch’ad ogni sembiante (Third) Since at every new face sua fede vacille, his faith wavers, o bei desir de l’onorate menti, oh grand desires of high minds, moltiplica nell’alma hells are multiplied in my soul o vane imprese, o dolorosi passi, oh vain efforts, oh anguished pacing’s, inferni a mille. by the thousand. o selve, o piagge, o fonti, o fiumi, o sassi, oh woods, oh banks, oh springs, oh rivers, oh o sola mia cagion d’aspri tormenti, rocks, Trio Trio oh the only cause of my harsh torments, Ahi, che non è bastante Alas, this is not enough, né mente più fonda, nor is the mind profound enough, o vaghe erbette, o fiori, o verdi mirti, oh lovely fields, oh flowers, oh green myrtles, né lingua faconda nor the tongue loquacious enough o loco un tempo a me dolce e giocondo oh once sweet and joyful place, a capir, e ridir tanti tormenti! to understand and describe such torments! ov’io già sparsi dilettoso canto, where I once sung sweet songs, Siam tre miseri piangenti etc. We are three wretched weepers etc. O dolcezze amarissime d’Amore! O sweet bitterness of love! Cantate Domino , Sing to the Lord a new song, Quest’è pure il mio core, This is my heart, cantate et benedicite nomini ejus: sing and give praise to his name: quest’è pur il mio ben; che più languisco? this is my happiness: how could I languish more? Quia mirabilia fecit. for he has done marvellous deeds. Che fa meco il dolor se ne gioisco? How can sorrow harm me, if I enjoy it? Cantate et exultate et psallite Sing and exult and praise in cythara et voce psalmi: in songs with the and the voice: Fuggite amore, amanti: Amore amico? Lovers, flee Love: love, an ally? Quia mirabilia fecit. for he has done marvellous deeds. Oh che fiero nemico! What a cruel enemy! All’hor che vi lusinga, all’hor che ride Now flattering you, now laughing at you, condisce i vostri pianti Love seasons your tears Fan battaglia i miei pensieri My thoughts are waging war con quel velen che dolcemente ancide. with that venom which sweetly kills. et al cor dan fiero assalto. and fiercely assaulting my heart. Non credete ai sembianti, Don’t believe appearances: Un mi dice: in van tu speri, One says to me: you hope in vain, ché par soave, ed è pungente e crudo, it appears sweet, but is piercing and cruel, perché Filli ha il sen di smalto. because Filli has a heart of enamel. ed è men disarmato all’hor ch’è nudo. and is even less disarmed when naked. Un poi con baldanza One then with boldness il corpo ribatte counterattacks e'l cor mi combatte and batters my heart Ohimé dov’è il mio ben, dov’è il mio core? Alas, where is my love, where is my heart? gridando: speranza. shouting: hope. Chi m’asconde il mio ben e chi me’l toglie? Who hides my happiness from me and takes it ….si vincerà ….If it wins Dunque ha potuto sol desio d’onore away? ….si perderà. ….if it loses. darmi fera cagion di tante doglie? So, was my mere desire for honour Fuggi, fuggi, timor, fuggi sù sù! Flee fear, flee away. Dunque ha potuto in me più che’l mio amore enough to give me harsh cause for so much pain? Taci, taci speranza tu, non più! Silence, hope, no more of you. Ambiziose e troppo lievi voglie? Did ambitious and too trifling desires hold sway Fermate, tacete, Stop, quiet, Ahi sciocco mondo e cieco, Ahi cruda sorte, over me, pensieri, non più. no more thoughts. Che ministro mi fai della mia morte! more than my love did? Così al core empi guerrieri So crowded warriors Ah, foolish, blind world, ah cruel fate, dan battaglia, fan guerra i miei pensieri. battle against my heart, my thoughts are waging how you make me minister of my own death! war.

Non sa che sìa dolore He doesn’t know grief, chi dalla vita sua parte e non more. who parts from his own life and does not die. Cari lumi leggiadri, amato volto, Dear bright eyes, beloved face, ch’Amor mi diè sì tardo, e fier destino which love gave me so late, and proud destiny sì tosto hoggi m’ha tolto. has so suddenly taken from me. Viver lungi da voi tanto vicino Living far from you, I am close son di mia vita al termine fatale; to the end of my earthly life; Se vivo torno a voi, torno immortale. If I return to you alive, I’ll return immortal.

Recording: 14, 15, 16 October 2013, St John the Baptist North Luffenham, United Kingdom Producer, engineer and digital editor: Andrew Mellor Italian coach: Rita De Letteriis Cover: RedHeadsRule/Pixabay Artist photo: © Claire Hammett p & © 2020 Brilliant Classics