Following an acclaimed first release in a series called Conversazioni, exploring the wealth of vocal and instrumental music presented at the artistic gatherings of 18th century Rome’s Arcadian Academy,? harpsichordist extraordinaire Julian Perkins and his period-instrument ensemble Sounds Baroque follow with an equally scintillating concept album, Duelling Cantatas. Soprano Anna Dennis and countertenor Andrew Radley engage in a contest of style and beauty in cantatas by Handel, Gasparini and Alessandro Scarlatti, likewise the virtuoso instrumentalists in works by Caldara and Domenico Scarlatti. Breathing vibrant life into these spirited scores, Sounds Baroque suitably lives up to its motto, “Music for Then, Living Now.”
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Reviews
"... these are musically appealing readings of varied material, both rarely heard and all but forgotten. Recommended, with hopes for more from these same artists - and with a greater flair for the theatrical."
Barry Brenesal - Fanfare - November/December 2014
"... their [Dennis and Radley] singing is mellifluous, nimble and gracefully shaped, with Dennis nicely catching Amaryliiis’s mix of playful caprice and dismissive spite. In the solo violins entwined soulfully and spar exuberantly by turns. As ever, Avie’s presentation is first-rate, with full yexts and translations, and informative essays by David Vickers and Perkins himself."
Richard Wigmore - Gramophone magazine - May 2014
"This is a lovely disc, ingeniously programmed and lovingly performed by some outstanding musicians. The booklet essays are superb, while the recording is a model of clarity and warmth ..."
Marc Rochester - International Record Review - May 2014
" Sounds baroque have put together a fine programme. The Gasparini cantata has a ravishing pastoral duet at its heart, with pifferarian drone-effects; Caldara’s trio sonata is elegantly and elegiacally contrapuntal, while Alessandro Scarlatti’s cantata a due has characteristically smotth and subtle word-setting - note the beautifully-handled "dying" close These performances are wholly alluring; I especially enjoyed Anna Dennis’s hard-to-get Amarilli. The continuo team are spot on, both supportive and stimulating under Julian Perkin’s expert direction. David Vicker’s scholarly sleevenotes admirably complete a splendid recording."
Alastair Harper - Early Music Review 159 - April 2014
" Singularly characterful works, they are delivered with stylish aplomb by the soprano Anna Dennis and the countertenor Andrew Radley."
Stephen Pettitt - The Sunday Times (Culture magazine) - 16 March 2014
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