C. Caresana - La Veglia (L'Arpeggiata)

Soprano : Céline Scheen Countertenor: Valer Sabadus Mezzo-soprano: Luciana Mancini Male Alto: Vincenzo Capezzuto Tenor: Zachary Wilder Tenor: Alessandro Giangrande Bass: João Fernandes L'Arpeggiata: Conductor: Christina Pluhar Cornett: Doron Sherwin Violin: Judith Steenbrink, Catherine Aglibut Viola da Gamba: Rodney Prada Cello: Josetxu Obregon Double Bass: Leonardo Terrugi Baroque Guitar: Josep Maria Marti Duran Percussion: David Mayoral, Sergey Saprychev Harpsichord: Yoko Nakamura Alla Napoletana 29 October 2021 --------------------------------------------------- [01] Duetto "Una dama, la più fortunata": 0:00 [02] Ballo detta Barrera: 1:28 [03] Recitativo "Basti, sospenda il ballo": 3:48 [07] Aria "Dormi o ninno": 4:34 [08] Recitativo "Silenzio o voci": 8:10 [09] Coro "Gioca al ombre il mio bel sole": 8:39 --------------------------------------------------- La Veglia, Cantata a 6 voci con violini “Per la Nascita di Nostro Signore” (For the birth of Our Lord) – a proper 17th century Christmas cantata by Cristofaro Caresana, a Venetian in Spanish Naples and proud composer of the earliest complete tarantella melody in the history of music. --------------------------------------------------- English: [01] The most blessed of all ladies who had given birth, to the world’s acclamation, with a full heart prayed for a noble diversion. To music, to songs and to dances, harmonious, happy bands, come set, come set in motion hand and voice and foot: acclaim, revere the newborn King. Whirl, come whirl around, light-tripping dancers, and skipping in a circle, bend your feet to reverence the Sun. [02] - Dance known as the Barrera No, truly this cannot be night, since at the end of the day bright dawn appeared, bearing a Sun so estimable that he appears in the sign of Virgo. So rare a beauty you could never see. No, truly this cannot be night. On currents of nectar streamlets flow to the newborn King; in milky babblings may they swear fealty at the Royal feet. [03] Enough! Withhold the dance’s fleeting bounds: check your feet, not your joy; and today when humility triumphs, destined for the cold reality of a hollow rock, let the care of the Baby be in the hands of the humble. [04] - [06] Skipped [07] Sleep, little baby, sleep, dear heart, close your eyes while I sing to you. Man sleeps while God keeps watch, for love cannot sleep for loving. [08] Be silent, O voices, O strings. Now that the Royal Babe is sleeping, let singing end and the game begin. [09] He is playing ombre, my fair Sun made man, born on earth, he only joined the game to start a war and his aim is to vanquish Hell. He is playing ombre, my fair Sun. 2.a He has great strength, yet is a Child, the matador of Hell; handing the sinner the winning cards, the divine King stakes his all. He has great strength, yet is a Child. 3.a – a 2 He was the loser at the start, when he played an apple for mankind, but he is wholly without faults, the man who came into the world to win. 4.a – a 2 To win the prize he plays alone, the fearless Nazarene, and playing rozzo fieno robs Pluto of thousands of victims. To win the prize he plays alone. 5.a – a 4 He always holds the Ace of Spades to trump his opponent’s defenceless Knave, and the winning Club, the bastion of the Cross. He always holds the Ace of Spades. 6.a – a 2 When the game ends he dies on seeing the demise of death, but the wager is always won when love holds the trumps. When the game ends he dies. 7.a – Tutti Applaud, O loving hearts, the courage of the gambler, for the winner’s reward is to present bystanders with a gift. Applaud him, O loving hearts. *Note ombre, mattatore, godiglio, faglio, spadiglia, rozzo fieno, poglia, maniglia: all Spanish-influenced terms relating to the ancient card game of Ombre. Their precise meaning is still a matter of speculation. Sources differ. --------------------------------------------------- Composed by Cristofaro Caresana in 1674