Maria Antonietta Cancellaro - Mazzone: Il Primo libro delle canzoni a quattro voci (2016)

Marco Antonio Mazzone (1556-1626) was a composer, musician, clergyman and a man of letters, author of several literary works. In his book of Madrigals for 4 voices he places the text and the music on the same level, the consanguinity of these two arts: notes are the body of music and words are the soul, and as the soul must be followed and imitated by the body to be more worthy of it, so the notes must follow and imitate the words. The first Madrigal book contains both secular and sacred songs. The performance by the ensemble Le vaghe ninfe follows the performance practice of the period, in which much importance was laid on variety: a cappella, voice and organ, tablature for guitar or harpsichord, alternating voices and instrumental ensemble. When the madrigal is performed with instruments only the music is preceded by the reading of the poem.

Tracklist:
01. Come la vaga Aurora
02. Cantando gía la vaga pastorella
03. Donna, sei pur crudele
04. Giva cogliendo fior una mattina
05. Rinova, amor, questa Fenice altiera
06. A la dolce ombra degli ameni faggi
07. Se d'amoroso foco
08. Udite, amanti, come suol Amore
09. Il cor languisce ognora
10. Vola nel bel sereno
11. Un novo sol al cielo
12. A guisa di smarrita pecorella
13. Fiorite valli amene
14. A guisa di nocchier afflitto e stanco
15. La vita nostra è una continua guerra
16. Crudel, perché non senti
17. Onde prendesti, amore
18. Un fior almo e giocondo
19. Deh ferma, amor, costei
20. Ne' miei gravosi affanni
21. Gradisci, alma e divina