Ensemble Pygmalion, Raphaël Pichon
Late sixteenth-century Florence was a theatre: first and foremost a political one, in the eyes of the dynasties that wished to use the arts to display their power. A humanist one too, as is shown by these intermedi (interludes) that sought to achieve the perfect blend between music and poetry, the ideal of a certain Renaissance. Inserted into plays imitating the ancient writers, these entertainments were presented with lavish visual and musical resources. After reaching an initial peak in 1589 with the intermedi composed for Bargagli’s La pellegrina, this tradition was prolonged in the burgeoning genre of opera by such composers as Peri, Caccini (Euridice, 1600) and, very soon, Monteverdi (L’Orfeo) and Gagliano (Dafne).
Rather than aiming for the impossible ideal of a reconstruction, Raphaël Pichon has devised a sort of imaginary intermedio by selecting the finest gems from this repertory, featuring the figures of Apollo, Orpheus and Eurydice, and above all Cupid: Love, Love, Love!
- Allegri, Gregorio (1582–1652)
- Allegri, Lorenzo (1567-1648)
- Brunelli, Antonio (1577-1630)
- Buonamente, Giovanni Battista (late 16th century-c.1642)
- Caccini, Giulio (c.1545-1618)
- Cavalieri, Emilio de (c.1550-1602)
- Fantini, Girolamo (1600-75)
- Gagliano, Marco da (1575-1642)
- Malvezzi, Cristofano (1543-99)
- Marenzio, Luca (1553/4-1599)
- Orologio, Alessandro (c.1550-c.1633)
- Peri, Jacopo (1561-1633)
- Striggio, Alessandro (c.1540-1592)
Works
- Allegri: Primo ballo della notte d'amore
- Allegri, L: Primo Ballo
- Brunelli: Non havea Febo ancora
- Buonamente: Ballo del Gran Duca
- Caccini, G: Al canto, al ballo
- Caccini, G: Funeste piagge
- Caccini, G: Ineffabile ardore (Il Rapimento di Cefalo)
- Caccini, G: O che felice giorno
- Caccini, G: Trionfi oggi pietà
- Cavalieri: O che nuovo miracolo
- Fantini: Toccata 'La Renuccini'
- Gagliano: Bella ninfa fuggitiva
- Gagliano: Ohimè che vegg’io a 5 'La Dafne'
- Gagliano: Poi giacque estinto al fine 'La Dafne'
- Gagliano: Un guardo, un guard’appena
- Malvezzi: A voi reali amanti
- Malvezzi: Coppia gentil
- Malvezzi: Dal vago e bel serono
- Malvezzi: Dolcissime sirene
- Malvezzi: O fortunato giorno
- Malvezzi: O qual rispelnde nube
- Marenzio: Donne il celeste lume
- Marenzio: La dipartita e amara
- Marenzio: O mille volto
- Marenzio: Qui di carne si sfama
- Marenzio: Udite, lagrimosi spirti d'Averno, udite
- Orologio: Apollo affronta il serpente
- Peri, J: Cruda morte - Sospirate aure celesti
- Peri, J: Giote al canto mio (from Euridice)
- Peri, J: Lassa, che di spavento
- Peri, J: Ma che più?
- Peri, J: Non piango e non sospiro
- Striggio: O giovenil ardire
October 2017
Harmonia Mundi's production has all the sumptuousness of the original Medici spectacle...The performances are highly polished, chorus and ensemble, producing a glossy and liberally embellished sound while the dozen soloists give fine and well-balanced contributions. Pichon's approach is certainly creative and, though ultimately it's something of a hodge-podge of genres and periods, it's all very stylishly done.
14th July 2017
A new, imaginary, Florentine entertainment is the result, performed with flair, and sumptuously packaged and annotated
Awards Issue 2017
Pichon has ingeniously encouraged structured listening across composers and genres of a kind that rarely occurs on record; the results are fascinating and, at times, revelatory...there is some spectacular improvised instrumental ornamentation (just occasionally a little exaggerated), while the whole is expertly underpinned by a rich array of continuo instruments.
Opera NowJuly-August 2017
Raphael Pichon has created an original and entertaining compiliation of musical fragments … joyous stuff … there’s a suitably festive air to proceedings … it is fun, and the luxurious presentation book is hugely informative
Record Review29th July 2017
It’s an intoxicating set of performances … the singing is sublime; stylish soloists, lively chorus, everything ornamented with a natural exuberance that seems absolutely fitting. The recording is equally impressive and the lavish presentation is fitting
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