Strozzi: Voices of Longing Ceruleo

• Barbara Strozzi (1619 - 1677): Il primo libro de madrigali, Op. 1:
• 1 Strozzi: Il primo libro de madrigali, Op. 1: No. 1, Sonetto proemio dell’opera 05:44
• Cantate, ariette, e duetti, Op. 2:
• 2 Strozzi: Cantate, ariette, e duetti, Op. 2: No. 18, La riamata da chi amava 05:04
• Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583 - 1643): Canzona quinta detta la Tromboncina, F 8.06a:
• 3 Frescobaldi: Canzona quinta detta la Tromboncina, F 8.06a 03:31
• Barbara Strozzi: Cantate, ariette, e duetti, Op. 2:
• 4 Strozzi: Cantate, ariette, e duetti, Op. 2: No. 2, Begl’occhi, bel seno, bei crini, e bella bocca 04:19
• Cantate, ariete a una, due, e tre voci, Op. 3:
• 5 Strozzi: Cantate, ariete a una, due, e tre voci, Op. 3: No. 11, Desideri vani 04:52
• Tarquinio Merula (1595 - 1665): Toccata del secondo tono:
• 6 Merula: Toccata del secondo tono 04:06
• Barbara Strozzi: Arie, Op. 8:
• 7 Strozzi: Arie, Op. 8: No. 6, Che si può fare 09:09
• Alessandro Piccinini (1566 - 1638): Partite variate sopra quest’aria Francese detta l'Alemana:
• 8 Piccinini: Partite variate sopra quest’aria Francese detta l'Alemana 04:56
• Barbara Strozzi: Cantate, ariette, e duetti, Op. 2:
• 9 Strozzi: Cantate, ariette, e duetti, Op. 2: No. 16, L’Amante segreto 06:44
• Tarquinio Merula: Canzoni overo sonate concertate, Op. 12:
• 10 Merula: Canzoni overo sonate concertate, Op. 12: No. 11, La bianca 02:40
• Barbara Strozzi: Cantate, ariette, e duetti, Op. 2:
• 11 Strozzi: Cantate, ariette, e duetti, Op. 2: No. 23, I baci 03:13
• 12 Strozzi: Cantate, ariette, e duetti, Op. 2: No. 25, La sol, fà, mi, rè, dò 04:51
• Biagio Marini (1594 - 1663): Affetti musicali, Op. 1:
• 13 Marini: Affetti musicali, Op. 1: No. 25, Gagliarda a2 "La caotorta" 02:13
• Barbara Strozzi: Ariette a voce sola, Op.6:
• 14 Strozzi: Ariette a voce sola, Op.6: No. 14, Amante ravveduto 06:59
• Cantate, ariete a una, due, e tre voci, Op. 3:
• 15 Strozzi: Cantate, ariete a una, due, e tre voci, Op. 3: No. 9, Begli occhi 04:20
• Total Runtime 01:12:41

Info for Strozzi: Voices of Longing

Ceruleo celebrate the music of Barbara Strozzi, one of the greatest composers of the seventeenth century, and the most published composer of secular song of her time. Her distinctive style is characterised by virtuosic vocal lines, sophisticated interplay between voices and accompaniment, and a dramatic approach to text setting that went above and beyond that of her influences Claudio Monteverdi and Francesco Cavalli.

This is music of passion and desire; for love – both in general and in the specific form of another person – but also a longing for an answer to life’s questions or for relief from life’s burdens.

With two sopranos, viola da gamba, harpsichord and lute, Ceruleo bring to life the music of this extraordinary composer, combining a selection of her finest works with instrumental pieces by her contemporaries.

Emily Owen, soprano (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 14 & 15)
Jenni Harper, soprano (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12 & 15)
Toby Carr, theorbo & baroque guitar
Kate Conway, viola da gamba
Satoko Doi-Luck, harpsichord

Ceruleo
Formed in 2014 at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Ceruleo create dramatic programmes using spoken text alongside music for two sopranos and continuo. Every member of the group performs as a soloist, and they use all available combinations of instruments and voices to create innovative and captivating performances. They specialise in the music of Restoration England and Seventeenth Century Italy.

They released their first album, ‘Love Restor’d - Songs from Restoration England’ in December 2022 and throughout 2023 brought the programme to audiences around the UK, with concerts in London, at the York Early Music Christmas Festival, and from Exeter in the south up to Helensburgh in Scotland.

Their staged show about Henry Purcell, written by Clare Norburn and directed by Thomas Guthrie, toured around the UK in 2018-20. ‘Burying the Dead’ was performed at Festivals including the Buxton International Festival, Lake District Summer Music, Brighton Early Music Festival, Ryedale Festival and Baroque at the Edge at LSO St Luke’s. They also created ‘Rival Queens’, an immersive operatic experience for Handel & Hendrix in London.

They were selected to be part of the prestigious Brighton Early Music Festival’s Live! Scheme and have given recitals at venues including St John's Smith Square, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Handel & Hendrix in London, the Courtauld Gallery and for Newbury Spring Festival, the London Handel Festival, the Folkestone Literature Festival and live on BBC Radio 3's 'In Tune'.

★★★★ “Burying the Dead at LSO St Luke’s – this is one show that deserves greater exposure…” Richard Morrison, The Times

★★★★ “The group feels more like a Baroque chamber ensemble than voices and accompaniment. Instrumental and vocal lines interweave, so that the purely instrumental numbers feel like a continuation of what has gone before. A lovely disc, and an engaging introduction to the world of Restoration song.” Planet Hugill

★★★★ “Sopranos Emily Owen and Jenni Harper are at their best in the duet from Dioclesian, ‘O the sweet delights of love’, where they control the waves of ecstasy with technical aplomb and conviction, and they blend impressively in the reflective ‘O dive custos’ on the death of Queen Mary… The instrumentalists are very good.” BBC Music Magazine

Booklet for Strozzi: Voices of Longing