An exceptional amount of musical activity took place in the court of Ferrara during the latter years of the 16th century, in particular thanks to a remarkable trio of female voices who had been trained by Luzzasco Luzzaschi, the court’s maestro di cappella. To hear them was a privilege that Alfonso d' Este allowed his guests only briefly and infrequently. Their repertoire was kept secret and was finally published — and then only in part — in 1601. The singers of La Néréide here devote their first recording to this collection in its entirety, reconstructing the conditions in which these works were created with harpsichord, viol and lute accompaniment: the harpsichord would have been played by Luzzaschi himself, whilst the three singers mastered the other instruments with as much skill as their voices.
Works:
• Luzzasco Luzzaschi: T'amo mia vita
•Luzzasco Luzzaschi: O dolcezze amarissime d'Amore
•Luzzasco Luzzaschi: Stral pugente d'Amore
•Luzzasco Luzzaschi: Aura soave
•Luzzasco Luzzaschi: Deh vieni ormai cor moi
•Luzzasco Luzzaschi: Troppo ben puo
•Luzzasco Luzzaschi: Cor mio deh non languire
•Luzzasco Luzzaschi: Ch'io non t'ami cor mo
•Luzzasco Luzzaschi: Non sa che sia dolore
•Luzzasco Luzzaschi: O Primavera; Io mi son giovinetta
•Luzzasco Luzzaschi: Occhi del pianto moi
• Claudio Monteverdi: Come dolce hoggi l'auretta
• Francesca Caccini: Le tre sirene
• Francesca Caccini: Le tre damigelle
• Francesca Caccini: Coro delle piante incantate
• Luca Marenzio: Belle ne fe' natura