“listening to these exceptional singers and instrumentalists deliver Scarlatti's glorious creation is an unqualified joy.”
“Ars Lyrica brings out the best of Scarlatti’s La Sposa Dei Cantici...a large-scale work of striking beauty...both delightful and captivating. This is a wonderful recording that deserves to be heard by all"
Matthew Whitfield, The WholeNote
“A Marriage of Music and Mastery: Dirst brilliantly brings all it to life throughout, in masterful choices of continuo groupings…in this historically informed and compelling performance of…this rarely heard work.”
Jeffrey Baxter, Early Music America
“The artists sing with a freshness, even in the recitatives, which suggests they were delighted to discover the music…strings and continuo, have a delightful timbre, touching in lyrical moments and athletic in the execution of swifter passages… Matthew Dirst is a very alert, sympathetic director.
John Holiday’s remarkable voice is at times closer to a true male soprano. …His musicality is as impressive as his pure sound, and the effect of two voices which sound as one is captivating: lovers at this exalted level aspire not merely to be together but to become one another.”
Roy Westbrook, MusicWeb International, Recommended
Images, left to right: Meghan Lindsay, soprano: Sposa. John Holiday, countertenor, Sposo (photo credit Shervin Lainez.) Ars Lyrica ensemble (photo credit Lynn Lane.) Matthew Dirst, conductor. Jay Carter & Ryland Angel, countertenors.
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La sposa dei cantici, Alessandro Scarlatti
Ars Lyrica Houston, Matthew Dirst
APL: 53721
Total Time: 88:37
Disc One (41:03)
1 1. Sinfonia, Largo-Presto
2 1. Sinfonia, Allegro
3 2a. "Se la fiamma che m’avviva"
4 2b. "Lumi dolenti, lumi"
5 3a. "Dorme la mia diletta"
6 3b. "Qui fra tanto ai fiori in seno"
7 4a. "S’ama sì la tua sposa e se tu l’ami"
8 4b. "Come il sol nei rai nel fonte"
9 5a. Largo e staccato: Orrido
10 5b. "Ohime qual tormentosa"
11 5c. "Fide amiche donzellette"
12 6a. "De passati tormenti, in sogno ancora"
13 6b. "Tu paventi e ancor non senti"
14 7a. "Vicino è il mio conforto"
15 7b. "Non fidarti del tuo ciglio"
16 8a. "Per monti e valli"
17 8b. "Dunque fa ch’al alto impero"
18 9a. "Se a parte fosti del mio duolo in vita"
19 9b. "Mi dirai tutte le pene"
20 10. "Meco al pari e chi disprezza"
21 11a. "Ne’ chiusi Regni mie"
22 11b. "Al lieto grido"
23 12a. "Sant’Amor, se pur sei"
24 12b. "Venga e regni, se regina la destina"
Disc Two (44:34)
1 13. "Qual colomba al caro nido"
2 14a. "Del deserto natio dove gran tempo"
3 14b. "Che costei ch’oltre il costume"
4 15a. "Sì quella appunto, ch’il pudico petto"
5 15b. "Chi ad amarla destinò"
6 16a. "Pria che l’estremo giorno"
7 16b. "Vieni, vieni, e porta al cielo"
8 17a. "Morte non già la mia catena ha sciolta"
9 17b. "Quando il tutto era in te solo"
10 18a. "O voi, che l’universo"
11 18b. "Ecco già ch’ella s’en viene"
12 19a. "Fra le angeliche schiere"
13 19b. "Come al crine d’eroe"
14 20a. "Vi son pur giunta, oh cara, cara, cara"
15 20b. "Fortunati miei sospiri"
16 21a. "Tutto sparso di raggio il real manto"
17 21b. "Se l’invitta mia guerriera"
18 22a. "S’apran le chiuse porte"
19 22b. "Sciolta è già l’aspra catena"
20 23a. "E voi, ch’in notte oscura"
21 23b. "Come il sole fra nubi celato"
22 24a. "Vergine fortunata, i tuoi bei lumi"
23 24b. "Dolce nome, amato figlio"
Links: Ars Lyrica, Houston | Matthew Dirst, conductor
Meghan Lindsay, soprano | John Holiday, countertenor
Jay Carter, countertenor | Ryland Angel, countertenor