April 23, 2012 | New Release

Alessandro Scarlatti
Cantatas

Awards:
- FANFARE WANT LIST (Fanfare)
- 10 KLASSIK HEUTE (Klassik Heute)
- 5 STELLE (Musica)

Press review (partial):

“The interpretation is, in my opinion, practically flawless. The tempos reflect the changes of the mood of the text, now raucous, now plaintive, and Di Lisa allows for a continuous flow of the music that rivets one’s attention to the drama. Indeed, the variations keep one’s attention and focus in anticipation of what comes next, the true method of subsuming the listener into the music. To say Scarlatti comes alive is an understatement, and this is due mostly to Di Lisa’s finely nuanced interpretation. [...] As this is the second disc of this year’s crop, both equally top class, I personally would have difficulty not putting both into my Want List for the year. [...] This is one disc that everyone must have.”
Fanfare

"Marcello Di Lisa presents three cantate con stromenti that explore the anguish of abandoned lovers; his erudite booklet-note discusses the literary tradition behind the stories of the shepherd Aminta (a stock Arcadian character with roots in Hellenistic poetry), Ariadne abandoned by Theseus on Naxos, and the forsaken Olimpia (heroine of cantos 9-11 of Ariosto's Orlando furioso), and also provides a penetrating commentary on the musical content of Scarlatti's cantatas.
Concerto de' Cavalieri's sinewy violins depict tension in the whirling E minor fugato that introduces the narration [...], Adriana Fernandez sings emotively. [...] The spirit of Concerto de' Cavalieri's performances feel spot-on."
Gramophone

"Después de un convincente monográfico dedicado a la producción sacra de Alessandro Scarlatti, Marcello Di Lisa y su Concerto de’ Cavalieri ponen el listón todavía más alto y, con la complicidad de una excelente Adriana Fernández, firman un registro que puede valer como inmejorable introducción al universo de las cantatas de Scarlatti, con versiones que se sitúan entre lo más destacado de la discografía scarlattiana. Un gran disco."
Diverdi

"Aus der schier unüberblickbaren Menge von Solokantaten Alessandro Scarlattis hat der Cembalist und Ensembleleiter Marcello Di Lisa drei besonders gute ausgewählt und mit seinem Concerto de' Cavalieri für cpo eingespielt. Die drei Kantaten, die hier mit einer exzellenten Kommentierung vorgelegt werden, stehen sämtlich unter dem Motiv der verlassenen Liebhaberin; [...] es ist gut zu hören, dass man sich mit den Stücken so intensiv beschäftigt hat, dass sich die Phantasie entzünden konnte. Die Streicher können geradezu perkussiv zupacken, kontrapunktische Pracht entfalten oder sehr expressiv im Nichts verlöschen."
Klassik Heute (10 KLASSIK HEUTE)

"The instrumental playing of Concerto de' Cavalieri is superb. Pointed, expressive, displaying just the right amount of anticipation of the rhetorical moments without ever either "spiking" them, nor affording them undue accent, the ensemble's players, with Di Lisa himself playing harpsichord, don't miss a beat. Their sound is also rounded, full, rich; it makes the most of Scarlatti's intriguing use of theorbo, guitar and harp as well as strings. The music on this CD is more than a trio of curiosities. It's full of substance and is worth a listen."
Classical Net

"Concerto de’ Cavalieri è brillantemente diretto da Marcello Di Lisa. Molto efficace la resa strumentale […], capace di tradurre con leggiadra eleganza e sorgiva freschezza la composita e finissima trama delle tre partiture."
Musica (5 STELLE)

"The instrumental work is vividly rendered by Concerto de’ Cavalieri, led by Marcello Di Lisa from the keyboard. The musicians have explored every means to add rich texture to each score. Su le sponde del Tebro also features spectacular work by Gabriele Cassone on the baroque trumpet."
Musical Toronto

"De hoog oplopende emoties worden hier ten gehore gebracht door de Argentijnse sopraan Adriana Fernandez, hartelijk opgevangen door het ronduit verrukkelijk spelende barokorkest Concerto de’ Cavalieri. [...] Scarlatti breidt het orkest triomfantelijk uit met een virtuoze trompet."
Klassieke Zaken

"Tutta l'esecuzione è di gran pregio, sia per i colori di un dinamismo esacerbato per la ricchezza degli affetti, sia per il canto della Fernandez, soprano dal bel timbro, dalla tecnica sicura, e dalla forte carica drammatica con cui dispiega i vari accenti. Credo proprio di essere nel giusto affermando che Marcello Di Lisa con il suo ensemble Concerto de' Cavalieri si stia ponendo come un interprete di riferimento per la musica di Alessandro Scarlatti"
Sala del Cembalo