Fabio Biondi's immense curiosity for characterful music - especially of forgotten scores from the Baroque - yields another fabulous surprise with Francesco Feo's oratorio San Francesco di Sales. Feo's reputation is at last starting to wax after having waned dramatically in the nineteenth century and thenceforward: in his own age he was compared very highly with Bach and Handel, and Charles Burney was moved to describe his vocal music as being "full of fire and invention and force in the melody and expression of the words"; Feo was also a boon companion of Pergolesi. He wrote both operas (such as Siface - which had a libretto by Metastasio) and church music, with compositions which demanded significant vocal virtuosity from his performers. San Francesco di Sales: apostolo del Chablais is a set of reflections and imagery on the work of this inspirational Catholic Bishop of Geneva from the turn of the seventeenth century, and the oratorio probably saw the light of day in 1734. This new release, further evidence of Glossa's commitment to the music of the Neapolitan Baroque, presents Fabio Biondi directing the highly-versatile forces of the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester and four of today's brightest and most stylish voices as the oratorio's soloists: sopranos Monica Piccinini and Roberta Mameli, contralto Delphine Galou, and bass Luca Tittoto. Ample opportunity is also provided in Feo's score for instrumental virtuosity, and Biondi's own abundant violinistic flair is much to the fore here.

Tracklist:

San Francesco Di Sales: Sinfonia
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Eccoci Giunti Al Fin
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Nel Verno Più Severo
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Colla Celeste Guida, Signor
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Queste Dolanti Lagrime
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: E Quai Pensier Funesti
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Già Colla Pallid' Ombra
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: E Puoi Temer
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Questo Che Spirano
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Vedi, Francesco
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Deponi Un Tanto Orgoglio
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: E Tu, Che Fai
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Tu Serbi Accolto
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: E Chi Sei Tu
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Se Dalla Chiara Fonte
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Se Che Gli Stessi
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Tu Sei La Nube Impura
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: E Qualia Noi D'avante
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Quando Più S'alza
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 1: Tu Me Paventa Intanto
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Padre, Ravvisi Come Di Francesco
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Tutte Dell'erebo
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Se Già Disperi, Oh Dio
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Serbi L'ardire Istesso
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: O Dio Delle Vendette
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Sommo Dio, Dal Ciel Discenda
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Oh Come Lieto
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Con La Virtude Istessa
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Ch'il Crederebbe Mai
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Pallid'ognora In Volto
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Empii, Conosco Il Vostro Reo
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Intendi I Sensi Miei
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Tu Colle Fole Tue
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Come Stridente Fulmine
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Quale Improvvisa Luce
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Voi Dell'eterno Pianto
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Noi Fuggiremo
San Francesco Di Sales, Pt. 2: Già L'eresia

UPC: 8424562234093
Label: Glossa
Release Date: 3.23.18
Format: CD

Feo / Galou / Biondi - San Francesco Di Sales (2 CD)