COMPOSERS: Rosenmáller
LABELS: CPO
WORKS: Funeral Songs; Trio Sonatas
PERFORMER: Ingrid Schmithüsen (soprano)Parnassi Musici
CATALOGUE NO: 999 387-2
The Lamentations of Jeremiah the Prophet hold an important place in the Catholic liturgy during Holy Week. Rosenmüller’s monodic settings – that is, for solo voice, partly in recitative style, with basso continuo – are poignantly expressive and very well sung by soprano Ingrid Schmithüsen. These pieces, seldom if ever before recorded, are interspersed with others which show off contrasting facets of Rosenmüller’s creative talent. Five of these are trio sonatas played with delicacy and technical finesse by members of Parnassi Musici. The remaining three items are small-scale sacred concertos for solo voice taken from the composer’s two collections of ‘Kern-Sprüche’.
Here are gently sympathetic performances by artists with a good understanding of the varied influences and structures which contribute to Rosenmüller’s sensuously affective style. Nicholas Anderson