Post Description

Baroque ensemble Il Giardino Armonico take a step away from Bach, Biber, and Vivaldi to create this intriguing disc of lesser-heard 17th century compositions from Italy. These short instrumental pieces--Dario Castello's Sonata IV is the longest, at over seven minutes, while Monteverdi's Sinfonia de Il ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria clocks in at under a minute--were all composed during the era of Monteverdi's operatic output, and they each seem to mimic the drama and intonation of the human voice. But the young ensemble's creative programming doesn't stop in the selection of compositions. This disc seamlessly melds Tarquino Merula's multilayered Ciaccona to a harpsichord improvisation (there are also wonderful improvisations for solo lute and violin scattered about the disc). From the jazzy opening of Uccellini's weird Aria sopra "la Bergamasca" for flute, cello, harp, and citerone to the slow-paced melancholy of Giovanni Battista Riccio's Sonata a 4, there's a treasure trove of great Baroque music here. These left-field works sound completely fresh and vibrant, a testament both to the composers and the sprightly playing of Il Giardino Armonico. Highly recommended. --Jason Verlinde