Arno Raunig

performs

castrato arias

 

Concilium musicum Wien on authentic instruments

 
First recordings!


sound samples
reviews
works


order no. CCD 333
EAN 4028183003331

about this recording:

The publication of this CD finally makes my dearest wish come true: A collection of my favourite arias, accompanied by the Concilium musicum Wien on original instruments. The compilation includes some of the most famous castrato arias. I have intensively studied the subject of the “song of art of castrates” and the more contemporary counter-tenor voice for 20 years, and indirectly since I was a boy (Vienna Boys’ Choir). Today’s listeners can merely get a vague idea of the voices the castratos had – the singing starts of the Baroque era.

During the many years of my soprano career, I have developed a technique that allows my voice to depart from the timbre of a “counter” and manages to come closer to the “castrato sound”. The innumerable descriptions of voices from the time of Farinelli and his contemporaries (they mention silver clarity and purity, trumpet-like, metal power and a range to the sweetest and most delicate pianissimo), the audio-examples from the last castrato Alessandro Moreschi create an idea of the castrato voice in my ears that I aim to approach with the above-mentioned technique. Leaving the “counter-tenor” behind – towards a soprano, a “castrato”, towards “bel Canto”.

Works:

Alessandro Stradella (1642 - 1682): 1 Pietà signore, Aria di chiesa; Johann Joseph Fux (1660 - 1741): 2 ouverture C major from „Concentus musico-instrumentalis“;  Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759): 3 Frondi tenere, Rezitativ and 4 Ombra mai fu aus „Xerxes“; 5 Lascia ch’io pianga, from „Rinaldo“; 6 Verdi prati, from „Alcina“; Johann Joseph Fux: 7 from the Ouverture C major: Aire; Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714 - 1787): 8 Che farò senza Euridice from „Orfeo ed Euridice“; Johann Joseph Fux: 9 from the ouverture C major: Menuet; Johann Adolph Hasse (1699 - 1783): 10 Eja stellæ, Arie; 11 Torrente cresciuto from „Siroe, re di Persia“; Johann Joseph Fux: 12 from the Ouverture C major: Marche des Ecurieus; Wolfgang Amadé Mozart (1756 - 1791): 13 Se l’augellin sen fugge from „La finta giardiniera“ KV 196; 14 Ma qual virtù from „La Betulia liberata“ KV 118; 15 Parto: Nel gran cimento from „Mitridate, Rè di Ponto” KV 87; Johann Joseph Fux: 16 from the Ouverture C major: Aire de Volage;  Ignaz Joseph Pleyel (1757 - 1831): 17 Se ti consiglia amore from „Ifigenia in Aulis”; Johann Joseph Fux 18 from the Ouverture C major: L’inegalité; Gioachino Rossini (1792 - 1868) 19 Perché mai, Arie from „Aureliano in Palmyra“.

sound samples (mp3):

Alessandro Stradella 1 Pietà signore; Georg Friedrich Händel: 3 Frondi tenere, Rezitativ und 4 Ombra mai fu; 5 Lascia ch’io pianga; 6 Verdi prati; Christoph Willibald Gluck: 8 Che farò senza Euridice; Johann Adolph Hasse: 10 Eja stellæ, Arie; 11 Torrente cresciuto; Wolfgang Amadé Mozart: 13 Se l’augellin sen fugge; 14 Ma qual virtù; 15 Parto: Nel gran cimento; Ignaz Joseph Pleyel: 17 Se ti consiglia amore; Gioachino Rossini: 19 Perché mai.

reviews:
© Cavalli Records 2006 zum Seitenanfang