International Record Review (February 2009)

ITALIANS FROM THREE CENTURIES

The earliest of three Italian composers in this section is Giovanni Bononcini (1670-1747), represented by the oratorio San Nicola di Bari, which concerns the early life of St Nicholas. Its four characters are Nicholas, his parents and his friend Clizio, a pleasure-loving young man apparently added by the librettist Silvio Stampiglia. Alternating recitative and aria is the structure. The oratorio  was first performed in 1693. Although three of the characters are male, only Epifanio, the father, is sung by a man. He is Furio Zanasi, frequently encountered in Baroque music. He facilitates his part, as in the allegro ario 'Se cinto di costanza', with a well-focused sound. Nicola and his mother, Giovanna, are sopranos. Between the respective singers' voices is enough contrast to differentiate them, helped by a libretto, with English, French and German translations. Lavinia Bertotti as Nicola has the largest role. Her tone is lighter, more silvery, than that of Elena Cecchi Fedi as the mother. Both sopranos manage their assignment skilfully. There is little occasion for vocal fireworks, despite many arias being designated 'allegro'. One that does contain spirited fioritura is 'Anche il Cielo', which is given to Clizio, enabling us to hear agile contralto voice of Gabriella Martellacci. Like Bertotti, she is new to me, and I look forward to hearing both again. Bertotti traces a good line in 'D'un bel ciglio', a lovely slow aria that is the only one to extend beyond four minutes. The recording is full but somewhat bass heavy: the four lower-stringed instruments and the harpsichord are too much to the fore, sometimes more prominent than Les Muffatti's 11 violins plus violas. Peter Van Heyghen's group, named after the composer Georg Muffat, includes no winds here. Note how filled this CD is.