Amor Profano / Amor Sacro

On this release the Italian ensemble Eridanus brings to light the lesser-known vocal music of an unjustly neglected 17th-century composer, Maurizio Cazzati (1616-1678). While his instrumental music has enjoyed resurgence in the recent period music revival, this album represents a pioneering interpretation of Cazzati's large and varied vocal output (which forms a substantial part of the oeuvre of this very prolific composer) featuring numerous world premieres. The music is divided on the album into secular music (cantatas and canzonetta written, though unusual for the period, for the tenor voice) and sacred music (motets, antiphons and cantatas, also for solo voice). Interspersed among the vocal music are instrumental works including dances, ostinato compositions and several sonatas, a genre Cazzati played an important role in developing. The Eridanus ensemble is formed of eminent soloists in their fields, each of them active in other ensembles of note and much sought-after on the early music scene in Italy and abroad.