Lo Sposalizio: The Wedding of Venice to the Sea [Import]

Recorded Sound (Composer), Traditional (Composer), Girolamo Fantini (Composer), Andrea Gabrieli (Composer), Gioseffo Guami (Composer), Johannes Hieronymus Kapsberger (Composer), Giovanni Gabrieli (Composer), David / Sayce, Lynda / Carter, William Miller (Composer), Cesario Gussago (Composer), Lodovico Viadana (Composer), Italian Anonymous (Composer), Tiburtio Massaino (Composer), Gregorian Chant (Composer), Claudio Monteverdi (Composer), Robert King (Conductor), King's Consort (Orchestra), James O'Donnell (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: James O'Donnell
• Orchestra: King's Consort
• Conductor: Robert King
• Composer: Recorded Sound, Traditional, Girolamo Fantini, Andrea Gabrieli, Gioseffo Guami, et al.
• Audio CD (August 11, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Hyperion UK
• ASIN: B00000AE0A
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #363,796 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Single Tolling Bell Of San Marco

2. Drums

3. Rotta: Trumpet Fanfare

4. Vieni, vieni Himeneo: Madrigal a 8

5. Canzona XXIV a 8

6. Kapsberger

7. Cantiam de Dio: Madrigal a 12

8. Drums

9. La Battaglia: Canzona

10. Lieto godea sedendo: Madrigal a 8

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Tolling Church Bell

2. Imperiale Seconda: Trumpet Fanfare

3. Kyrie a 12

4. Gloria a 16

5. Intonatione Settimo tono

6. Canzon per otto tromboni

7. Sursum corda (Plainsong)

8. Sanctus a 12

9. Intonatione Primo tono

10. Christe, adoramus te: Motet a 5

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes me wish I could play the sackbut..., September 7, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (The Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lo Sposalizio: The Wedding of Venice to the Sea (Audio CD)

I have a lot of CD's with Renaissance/Gabrieli music, so I have become rather hypercritical and I didn't dare to expect too much. But thanks to Robert King both 'uncle' Andrea and 'nephew' Giovanni again have moved me deeply (for those who understand Portuguese: saudade...). No CD or book is a 'must', but this performance makes me wish I could play the sackbut (at all/this well).

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First recordings of some of this music, August 16, 2002

By 

Steven Guy (Croydon, South Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lo Sposalizio: The Wedding of Venice to the Sea (Audio CD)

This recording is very impressive. It features a range of sacred and secular vocal and instrumental music by the Gabrielis and their contemporaries. The music is well sung and well played and the whole experience is very impressive. I do agree that Paul McCreesh often does this kind of 'reconstructed event' in music a little better but this is a fine effort.
There are some fabulous pieces here that are rarely recorded and I suspect that some of these works have received their recording debut here.
The vast madrigal by Giovani Gabrieli - 'Udite, chiari e generosi figli' and Andrea Gabrieli's polychoral madrigals 'Cantiam de Dio' and 'Vieni, vieni Himeneo' are beautifully performed here and I know of no other recordings of these works.
The Canzon per otto tromboni by Tiburtio Massaino is a deep and dark piece and suggests that this composer deserves further exploration.
A couple of minor criticisms - the madrigal Lieto Godea is taken at a snail's pace and it is hard to believe listening to this performance that this piece inspired so many composers! Also, the performance of the Sonata XX à 22 is a all right but the recording made by the Taverner Consort & Players under the direction of Andrew Parrott is vastly superior.

Overall, a very entertaining CD with a couple of interpretations that did not impress me very much. Buy with confidence!

5.0 out of 5 stars Venice, the Bride of the Sea!, March 7, 2009

By 

Rev. Ben Cox "revben" (Orlando, Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lo Sposalizio: The Wedding of Venice to the Sea (Audio CD)

The is a stellar recording, based on events that took place on Ascension Day, 1600, and every year around that time in Venice. Venice, of course, has an economy and culture that are based on the sea, being built on a lagoon that enters into the Adriatic Sea. Over the years the fishermen would bless their boats, their catch, etc and it evolved into something quite spectacular! The bishop would lead the fleet of ships across the lagoon to the entrance to the Piazza San Marco, marry Venice to the Sea, then there would be a solemn Mass held in San Nicolo. All this is accompanied by tolling of the bells of San Marco, drums, fanfares, music of the Gabrielis and it became quite the ceremonial event! This recording is a reconstruction of that event and is extremely well recorded and the progress of the event is exciting to follow. This cd is a terrific experience of the Venetian tradition.