Corsi: Bass Cantatas

- Giuseppe Corsi, known as Celani, was one of the most important composers of the Roman school active in the second half of the 17th century. After his studies in Rome with Giacomo Carissimi he became active as a Maestro di Cappella in Gallese (Altemps family), Città di Castello (Cattedrale di S. Florido), Naples (Montalto family), Rome (several important churches), furthermore in Loreto, Ancona and Parma. Accused by the Inquisition for having "deflowered" a spinster, he was tortured and imprisoned for a few years on the orders of Pope Innocent XI in the Albornoz fortress of Narni.

- Because of his posts at important Italian churches he is primarily known for his output of sacred vocal works: masses, motets and oratorios. This new recording however presents secular cantatas for bass solo and basso continuo, mainly based on Greek mythology. The cantata Dalle balze sicane is about the mythological giant Enceladus who, having been plunged by Athena into the bowels of Mount Etna, invokes Jupiter to placate the outrage against him: the giant's bitter afflictions, combined with the screams and hisses of the souls of the underworld, will cause the Earth to tremble, provoking, "with deep thunder" and "with fire", the reawakening of the volcano. Corsi is a master in evoking this drama in vivid and realistic tone-painting of daring dissonances.

- Beautifully sung by Mauro Borgiono, one of the most prominent young baritones of the moment. As a specialist in Early Music he worked with Jordi Savall, Rinaldo Alessandrini and Diego Fasolis.