Customer Reviews

A. Scarlatti: Humanita e Lucifero / La Maddalena / Corelli: Sonatas / Europa Galante / Fabio Biondi

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

This edition is a combimation of two previous discs in one package. Any Alesandro Scarlatti oratorio has beauties, but the Magdelena is one of the best and sweetest. This is a great bargain in the two-for-one package. A single star is missing from the rating because there are no supplimentary materials included at this price. I mean none: no track listing, no libretto, let alone a translation. ON the plus side, here is one more good reason to learn Italian. The performance is excellent. Which I expected from Europa Galante.

'Maddalena, or TheTriumph of Grace'by Alessandro Scarlatti may seem on the surface to be little more than an early inspirational subject oratorio, brought to perfection a 100 years later by Handel. But, looking just below the surface, we discover that the libretto for the work was written by a Roman cardinal Benedetto Pamphili. And, an examination of this libretto shows a level of theological sophistication you don't find in Handel, who was more interested in the drama than in inspiring text. The last verse almost seems to jump straight out of Paul's letter to the Romans 'Human desires wander from error to error, and grow peaceful only when they return to God'.
A very nice find!

Biondi gave us more excellent Scarlatti again in these discs. I could say that he show more operatic expression of Scarlatti, it would let listeners receive Scarlartti easily. Why is it important? I mean Scarlatti should get more appreciation and honor because of his beautiful music. Biondi did it and continously deliver more to us, so I support it.