FRANCESCO GASPARINI (1661-1727)
Alto Arias

Francesco Gasparini (1661 - 1727)
1 Aria (Ernesto) Verrò tuo punitor (Engelberta, Venice 1709) * 2:33

F. Gasparini or A. Ariosti (1666–1729) or C. I. Monza (c 1680–1736)
2 Aria (Leonato) Se sciolto il rivoletto (Eumene, Naples 1715) * 5:05

F. Gasparini
3 Aria (Cefalo) Qui ti scrivo (Oracolo del Fato, Vienna 1719) 2:32
4 Sinfonia in F major Allegro. Largo. Allegro * 3:19
5 Aria (Piacere) Di quest’onde (S. Maria Egeziaca, Roma 1718) 2:01
6 Aria (Tolomeo) Mentre servo alla mia fama (Antioco, Venice 1705) * 3:37
7 Aria (Ambleto) D’ire armato il braccio forte (Ambleto, London 1712) 1:54

Arcangelo Corelli (1650–1713)
Concerto Grosso op. 6 No. 8 per la Notte di Natale
8 I. Vivace, Grave 1:59
9 II. Allegro 2:33

F. Gasparini
10 Aria (Amor Divino) Se piange l’aurora * 5:10
(La Penitenza gloriosa nella conversione di S.ta Maria Egiziaca, Ancona 1722)

A. Corelli
Concerto Grosso op. 6 No. 8
11 III. Adagio. Allegro. Adagio 3:27

Padre Pier Jacopo Bacci (18th c.)
12 Aria (S. Andrea) Già al mio cor * 2:37
(L’Umiltà Gloriosa overo S. Andrea Corsini, Arezzo 1726)

F. Gasparini
13 Aria (Tolomeo) Vede anche il nido (Antioco, Venice 1705) * 3:41

A. Corelli
Concerto Grosso op. 6 No. 8
14 IV. Minuetto 1:19

F. Gasparini
15 Aria (Piacere) Del tuo bel volto (S. M. Egeziaca, Roma 1718) 1:51

A. Corelli Concerto Grosso op. 6 No. 8
16 V. Allegro. Pastorale [Largo ad libitum] 5:36

F. Gasparini
17 Aria (Vanlieo) Padre addio (Il Tartaro nella Cina, Venice 1715) * 3:46
18 Aria (Andronico) No, non discende no (Bajazet, Modena 1719) 3:29
19 Aria (S. Giovanni) Non sa chi non è amante (Erode, Pistoia 1727) * 8:08

* world premiere recording

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About this album

Francesco Gasparini was held in high esteem by his contemporaries, as can be easily seen from his curriculum vitae: In Rome he was in the service of the great patrons of the arts Cardinal Pamphili, Marchese Ruspoli and the Borghese family, and in between he was music director at the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice for twelve years, at the same time as Antonio Vivaldi. Gasparini wrote a total of almost 60 operas and nearly 30 oratorios, which were performed in many Italian cities. The countertenor Filippo Mineccia has cherry-picked the repertoire that suits his voice and presents a portrait of Gasparini's alto arias. He was very careful to select arias with different affects in order to present Gasparini's broad dramatic palette. Slow arias are interspersed with furioso pieces and contrapuntal pieces. Particularly brilliant are the rage arias, in which Mineccia is able to display all his vocal prowess. In the richly orchestrated and harmonically exciting arias from Gasparini's oratorios, the Orchestra Nazionale Barocca dei Conservatori Italiani can shine with its qualities.