exceptional!
This program begins at the turn of the 17th century, when the cornetto was at the absolute summit of its development. Both singers and cornettists were expected to be astonishing improvisers, and while singers took the lead in defining the style of ornamentation. This virtuoso ornamentation soon found its way into solo music in the new style with basso continuo as well. In these pieces cornettists would have carried on a musical conversation with singers, constantly imitating and echoing their musical phrases and their embellishments so that the voice and the instrument seem “entwined”.!!The third part of our program explores the final phase of this story. At the very end of the 17th century, especially in Rome and Naples, the cornetto enjoyed a late flowering, playing obbligato parts of often astounding difficulty in operas and oratorios by such composers as Alessandro Scarlatti, Giovanni Battista Bononcini and Giacomo Antonio Perti. It is literally the last breath of the cornetto!
Needless to say that Hana Blazikova is yet again a revelation of musicality and stylistic refinement, as for Bruce DIckey, he proves again to be one of the greatest cornetto players around. Both are surrounded by the finest musicians of the early music scene.
