Customer Reviews

Pasquini: Caino E Abel

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Bernardo Pasquini was born in 1637 in Tuscany (now Italy). He spent much time in Rome, where he often worked with Alessandro Scarlatti and Arcangelo Corelli. As a composer, he is particularly known for keyboard works and for opera. This is the first recording of his Caino e Abele, a religious oratorio. It clocks in at just under an hour.

Caino e Abele is comprised of arias, recitatives, parts for two and three voices, an opening sinfonia, and another sinfonia halfway through. Five instrumental pieces by Corelli are interspersed inside the oratorio. Another instrumental piece by Alessandro? Stradella opens the whole performance. Oratorios were performed without scenery. To compensate for this lack of visual support, composers inserted instrumental music, sometimes by other composers, to reinforce the feelings expressed in the oratorio.

Il Teatro Arminico is a period instrument orchestra directed by Alessandro De Marchi. Its members have a good, professional sound. Caino e Abele was recorded in the Church of St. Salvatore at the Laurels in Rome. The engineers did an excellent job - the sound is warm and immediate. You feel like you are there, in a small cozy venue.

The libretto is included, in Italian only.

If you enjoy early opera, you will likely enjoy Caino e Abele. It has drama. The orchestra is small so the individual performances stand out. It is one of the many obscure works that are worth exploring.