Greghesche (A musical treasure of the Venetian renaissance) (VRT Muziek Edition) Zefiro Torna

• Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi:
• 1Manoli Blessi (1495/97 - 1571): Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Dedicatie "Alli eccelenti musichi" (VRT Muziek Edition)01:57
• 2Annibale Padovano (1527 - 1575): Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Mi ho scritto e sembre scrivo (VRT Muziek Edition)01:45
• 3Bartolomeo Spontone (1530 - 1592): Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Li modi varij (VRT Muziek Edition)04:20
• 4Cipriano de Rore (1516 - 1565): Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Madonn'hormai mi vedo (VRT Muziek Edition)02:34
• 5Gioseffe Guami (1542 - 1611): Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: La Todeschina (VRT Muziek Edition)02:21
• 6Adriaan Willaert (1490 - 1562): Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Dulce padrun (VRT Muziek Edition)03:51
• 7Paolo Vergelli: Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Pavolo come'l polo (VRT Muziek Edition)02:42
• 8Giovanni Antonio Terzi (1580 - 1600): Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Canzon di Claudio da Corregio a duoi liutti (VRT Muziek Edition)04:21
• 9Andrea Gabrieli (1533 - 1585): Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Sassi Palae (sopra la morte d'Adriano) (VRT Muziek Edition)03:44
• 10Claudio Merulo (1533 - 1604): Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: La Gratiosa (VRT Muziek Edition)01:45
• 11Alvise Willaert (1490 - 1562): Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Pianza'l Grego Pueta (VRT Muziek Edition)05:28
• 12Claudio Merulo: Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Donna se l'occhio mio (VRT Muziek Edition)01:57
• 13Andrea Gabrieli: Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Como viver mil posso? (VRT Muziek Edition)02:58
• 14Giaches de Wert (1535 - 1596): Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Chel bello Epithimia (VRT Muziek Edition)02:25
• 15Claudio Merulo: Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: La Leonora (VRT Muziek Edition)01:56
• 16Andrea Gabrieli: Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Saranda volde (VRT Muziek Edition)01:58
• 17Ivo De Vento (1544 - 1575): Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Cando la bun caval (Bataglia strathiotesca) (VRT Muziek Edition)01:50
• 18Annibale Padovano: Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: Benedetta el gregaria (VRT Muziek Edition)01:20
• 19Il primo libro delle Greghesche di Manoli Blessi: O Vui Greghette belle (VRT Muziek Edition)02:32
• Total Runtime51:44

Info for Greghesche (A musical treasure of the Venetian renaissance) (VRT Muziek Edition)

The collection Di Manoli Blessi il primo libro delle Greghesche is the work of the well-known poet Antonio Molino (pseudonym Manoli Blessi). He wrote in a made-up language, a mixture of Venetian dialect and elements of Greek that was given the name of ‘greghesca’. The volume contains music set for four to eight parts. Most of the composers whose works are found there belonged to the highest level of Venetian musical life at that time and were requested by Molino to set his texts to music. Their greghesche first refer to simpler and more popular genres with their chordal and homophonic style and repetitive structures, and then go on to adopt the refined style of the contemporary Italian madrigal.

The sequence of the greghesche is well-considered and deliberate. It is thanks to the subtle narrative lines and to the richly variegated character of Molino’s poetry and the many intertextual connections with existing poetry that Molino’s carefully-assembled volume is revealed as such an unusual undertaking. This collection of greghesche unfolds before the spectator and listener in all its linguistic and musical richness as a tale complete in itself, an absorbing proof of the many layers of cultural life in 16th century Venice.

Zefiro Torna consists of musicians who have won their spurs in ensembles such as the Huelgas ensemble, Collegium Vocale, Capilla Flamenca en Het Muziek Lod. They bring the cultural heritage to life in a unique fashion, departing from a deep respect for the past. Authenticity is combined with creativity. The ensemble opts for historical instruments and a historical approach to performance practice. They incorporate literature, theatre and contemporary or ethnic music in their productions. Zefiro Torna was offered the Tech-Art prize by the Flemish Chamber of Engineers, meant to stimulate innovative realisations and entrepreneurship. Their album El Noi de la Mare won the ‘Klara Muziekprijs’ for the best Flemish production of classical music; the album De Fragilitate was awarded the prestigious ‘Diapason d’Or’.

Zefiro Torna:
Cécile Kempenaers, soprano
Els Van Laethem, soprano
Els Janssens, mezzo-soprano
Stephan Van Dyck, tenor
Matthew Baker, bass
Marleen Leicher, cornet
Hannelore De Vaere, harp
Liam Fennelly, viola de gamba
Ivanka Neeleman, viola de gamba

Zefiro Torna
The vocal-instrumental ensemble Zefiro Torna brings to life the cultural heritage from the middle ages, renaissance and baroque in a unique way. The ensemble does not limit itself to a merely historical approach but combines it with other musical traditions, as well as literature, science, philosophy and current art expressions in the field of fine arts, theatre and dance. This results in fascinating pieces of ‘Gesamtkunst’ around a variety of symbolic or allegorical themes.

Therefore, the ensemble entered into dialogue with individual artists, directors, choreographers, composers and performers as Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven, Bram Bosteels, Brody Neuenschwander, Dick van der Harst, Ghalia Benali, Ief Spincemaille, Jeroen d’Hoe, Martin Valcke, Mauro Pawlowski, Sigrid T’Hooft, Stefaan Degand, Stevie Wishart, Timo Van Luijk, Tom Hannes and with ensembles as Abattoir Fermé, ARSENAAL/LAZARUS, Antwerps Kathedraalkoor, Figurentheater De Maan, Frank Vaganée Trio, Ialma, LOD, Pantalone, Psallentes, Ultima Thule, Vlaams Radiokoor/Hervé Niquet, Vocalconsort Berlin, ZOO/Thomas Hauert.

Through this approach, Zefiro Torna has gained international renown. The ensemble is a welcomed guest in prestigious (inter)national concert venues as Amuz, Bozar, Concertgebouw Brugge, De Bijloke, De Singel, Flagey, Handelsbeurs, Kaaitheater, Muziekgebouw aan ‘tIJ Amsterdam, Philharmonie Haarlem, Radialsystem V/Berlin, Vredenburg Utrecht, Wilminktheater Enschede and art and music festivals as Brosella, Charleroi Danses, Festival de Wallonie, Festival van Vlaanderen-Mechelen, Klarafestival, Laus Polyphoniae, MAfestival Brugge, Zomer van Antwerpen, Banchetto Musicale/Vilnius, Biennale Alter Musik/Konzerthaus Berlin, Concentus Moraviae, Festival de Musica Antigua de Sevilla, Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht, Festival Seviqc-Brezice Slovenië, Frysk Festival, Gergiev Festival Rotterdam, Internationale Orgelwoche Nürnberg, Landshuter Hofmusiktage, Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci, Operadagen Rotterdam, Theaterfestival Boulevard ’s-Hertogenbosch en Zeeland Nazomer Festival.

Their creations are regularly awarded and several of them have been released on the labels Et’Cetera, Warner Classics and Homerecords.

This album contains no booklet.