Fabrizio Callai

Fabrizio Callai, Francesco Meli – Messa Solenne (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 01:16:10 minutes | 724 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Dynamic

In the last decade, a number of important manuscripts have been discovered in the archives of Genoa, including the Messa solenne by Saverio Mercadante. This magnificent score calls for four vocal soloists, a male choir – women were forbidden to sing in church at the time – and a large orchestra with extensive concertante parts for cor anglais and violin. First performed in January 1868, two years before Mercadante’s death, it shows the composer’s artistic maturity at its peak: opulent orchestration, extensive counterpoint, intricate instrumental textures, rich lyricism, and fugal mastery. This world premiere recording underscores the importance of the Genoese musical tradition.

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