Crescentini Giuliani Songs for soprano and guitar

1. 12 Ariettas: III. Languir d’amore
2. 12 Ariettas: V. Ecco quel fiero istante
3. 12 Ariettas: IX. Non v’e piu barbaro
4. 12 Ariettas: II. Dove rivolgo, oh Dio?
5. 12 Ariettas: VIII. Numi, se giusti siete
6. 12 Ariettas: XI. Per valli, per boschi
7. 12 Ariettas: XII. Se spiegar potessi appieno
8. 12 Ariettas: IV. Oh teneri pensieri
9. 12 Ariettas: I. Tu mi chiedi, oh mio tesoro
10. 12 Ariettas: VI. Dal di ch’io vi ammirai
11. 12 Ariettas: X. Ch’io mai vi possa
12. 12 Ariettas: VII. Clori, la pastorella
13. 12 Valzer, Op. 57: No. 1 in A Minor
14. 12 Valzer, Op. 57: No. 6 in E Major
15. Six Ariettas, Op. 95: I. Ombre amene
16. Six Ariettas, Op. 95: II. Fra tutte le pene
17. Six Ariettas, Op. 95: III. Quando sara quel di
18. Six Ariettas, Op. 95: IV. Le dimore amor non ama
19. Six Ariettas, Op. 95: V. Ad altro laccio
20. Six Ariettas, Op. 95: VI. Di due bell’anime

Today’s concept of bel canto is founded primarily on the beautiful melodies of the brilliant virtuoso opera arias of La sonnambula, L’elisir d’amore etc; this recording aims to challenge the listener’s understanding of this term by introducing another, much lesser-known facet: that of chamber bel canto, or bel canto da camera. Ariettas by two Italian 19th-century composers Mauro Giuliani and Girolamo Crescentini are thus included, and while neither of these names are normally counted among the ‘bel canto’ greats, such as the opera-centric Bellini and Donizetti, both composers’ chamber works in fact reveals the “subtlety of the human soul much more deeply,” argue the artists, “than in the brightest operas arias.”

Crescentini was at one point employed as a Singing Master to Napoleon’s family, and in his day Giuliani was counted among the greatest virtuoso guitarists of his generation, reaching the height of his performing-composing career in Vienna during the early 1800s. At hand to perform each composer’s works is soprano ‘sfogato’ Veronica Amarres – a graduate of St Petersburg Conservatory whose competition successes include first prize at the Athens’ Maria Callas Grand Prix – and the guitarist Sandro Volta, winner of the Grand Prix Du Disque in Paris in 1994 and whose performances have been praised by the likes of The New York Times and Early Music magazine for their originality of interpretation.