The collective artistic endeavours of Glossa have recently been recognized with an award of Label of the Year for 2014 by a Europe-wide panel of classical music media organizations – print and online magazines, as well as radio broadcasters – who form the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) jury. This is to be presented at the Award Ceremony and Gala Concert in the Philharmonic Hall in Warsaw in April 2014. The Glossa adventure began back in 1992, led by two pioneering Spanish instrumentalists – brothers José Miguel Moreno and Emilio Moreno – who set about creating a treasure trove of recorded excellence, notably in the ever-developing field of “early music”. To this day, the label remains focused on its artists, supporting their musical journeys and inclinations, with the artistic direction entrusted to Carlos Céster. With a small team around him Céster operates from San Lorenzo de El Escorial, surrounded by the abundant natural riches of the mountains around Madrid and with an austere Monasterio in sight to ever encourage him in the rigour of his work. [read more...]

Glossa always follows “microphone in hand” where creative musical ideas are developing, especially in early music, and over the label’s two decades this has often meant turning its attention to the length and breadth that is Italy: think Fabio Bonizzoni in music from Rome, the coverage of the madrigalian repertory from La Venexiana and La Compagnia del Madrigale, the subtle violin mastery of Enrico Gatti, the dazzling vocal virtuosity of Roberta Invernizzi (and not forgetting Paolo Pandolfo’s unique style). In recent years, Antonio Florio and I Turchini have also found a home at the label with their command of Neapolitan repertory. Now, two multi-faceted artists (both of whom have worked with Florio) have joined forces to produce Siciliane: the songs of an island, a journey into the traditional songs of Sicily, using collections brought together by Giacomo Meyerbeer as the basis. The singer is that powerhouse of mood, both vocal and theatrical, Pino De Vittorio (who hails from Puglia), graced with a talent to bring into the present voices from the past across the regions of Italy, whilst the accompaniment is led by Franco Pavan, theorbo and baroque guitar player, director of Laboratorio ’600, music scholar and performer in many fine recordings over the years. [read more...]