Choeur de Chambre de Namur & Leonardo García-Alarcón - Giorgi: Ave Maria (2011) [Official Digital Download]

This recording is devoted to the works of a composer about whom we know practically nothing — neither his date of birth nor even his origins. All that we do know is that Giorgi held the position of maestro di cappella in San Giovanni Laterano in Rome in 1719 and that he ended his career in Lisbon, dying there in 1762.

The discovery of his music was a life-changing experience for the young Argentine conductor Leonardo Garcia-Alarcon, music director of Clematis and the Cappella Mediterranea and now also of the Choeur de Chambre de Namur.

Giorgi’s music contains many characteristic traits of Renaissance polyphony such as the use of the polychoral style as well as madrigalesque effects, although these older techniques are nonetheless put at the service of a new style of richly imaginative music with new harmonic colours.

A concertante Mass with soloists and instrumental accompaniment forms the centrepiece of this recording, although several motets from Giorgi’s immense body of work are also included; one of these is the deeply moving Ave Maria that also provides the CD with its title.

Tracklist:

Giovanni Giorgi (?-1762)

01. Ave Maria a 4
02. Angelus Domini descendit de caelo, Offertorio per il 2° giorno di Pasqua à Otto voci
03. Improperium expectavit cor meum, Offertorio per la Domenica delle Palme a 4
04. Dextera Domini, Offertorio per il Giovedì Santo a 4
05. Tui sunt caeli, Offertorium in Circumcisione Domini octonis vocibus
06. Ascendit Deus in jubilatione, Offertorium in Festo Ascensionis Domini octonis vocibus
07. Messa a due Cori tutti piena, fatta per la Capella Reale di Lisbona per S. Pio V: I. Kyrie
08. Messa a due Cori tutti piena, fatta per la Capella Reale di Lisbona per S. Pio V: II. Gloria
09. In omnem terram a 4, Offertorio nella festa di S. Giacomo Apostolo: I. Prima pars
10. In omnem terram a 4, Offertorio nella festa di S. Giacomo Apostolo: II. Secunda pars
11. In omnem terram a 4, Offertorio nella festa di S. Giacomo Apostolo: III. Credo
12. In omnem terram a 4, Offertorio nella festa di S. Giacomo Apostolo: IV. Sanctus
13. In omnem terram a 4, Offertorio nella festa di S. Giacomo Apostolo: V. Agnus Dei

Personnel:
Cappella Mediterranea & Choeur de Chambre de Namur
Leonardo García-Alarcón (direction)