I Fagiolini rediscovers Colossal Baroque with the new album of Benevoli’s Missa Benevola
Missa Benevola to be released on CORO
4 October 2024
New album featuring three premiere recordings
Missa Benevola is the second instalment of I Fagiolini’s album series exploring Benevoli’s masses
On the day of the release, I Fagiolini will perform at St Martin-in-the-Fields featuring Benevoli’s Missa Benevola, Carisimmi’s Jephte and Monteverdi Motets for solo voice, duets and ensemble
CORO, The Sixteen’s award-winning record label, launches the second album celebrating Orazio Benevoli’s masses with the world premiere of Missa Benevola from I Fagiolini conducted by Robert Hollingworth, released on 4 October.
With a first performing edition by Robert Hollingworth of Missa Benevola, audiences will have a chance to hear this multi-choir Colossal Baroque from the great churches of 17th century Rome. I Fagiolini showcases the expansive polyphony and magnificent vocal and instrumental colours of four choirs in this new recording.
The album not only features the four-choir Missa Benevola, but also Carissimi’s Jephte, one of the 17th century’s most renowned works packed with visceral emotions, virtuosic solos and its famously heart-wrenching final chorus. The album reflects the differing musical scales and sonorities of the time and is an explosion of aural textures and colours. Alongside these works the album includes two further world premiere recordings of Carissimi’s Paratum, cor meum and Super flumina Babylonis.
I Fagiolini is set to release further Benevoli albums exploring Colossal Baroque masses, rediscovered and edited by Robert Hollingworth in partnership with CORO, ahead of the groups’ 40th anniversary in 2026.
Robert Hollingworth, Director of I Fagiolini, says:
“Benevoli’s Missa Benevola is a Marian mass composed in the 1640s for 4 choirs - perhaps for Michelangelo’s recently-completed St Peter’s Basilica or, more likely, Santa Maria Maggiore. Considering that in Benevoli’s day, the choirs would have been expected to sight-read the music, these must have been quite adrenaline-fuelled performances. We are thrilled to be performing this awe-inspiring work with augmented forces to maximise the sonic spectacle.”
On the day of the release, Friday 4 October, I Fagiolini will perform at St Martin-in-the-Fields featuring Benevoli’s Missa Benevola, Carissimi’s Jephte and Monteverdi’s motets for solo voice, duets and ensemble – augmented by the Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields and The Lyons Mouth - conducted by Robert Hollingworth.
Track Listing:
Orazio Benevoli (1605-72)
Missa Benevola (For Four Choirs)*
Giacomo Carissimi (1605-7)
Jephte
Paratum, cor meum*
Super flumina Babylonis*
*premiere recording
Album Launch Concert
St Martin in the Fields, London, 4 October 2024:
I Fagiolini: From Venice (to Rome) with Love
Baroque Venice was a musical powerhouse, where Monteverdi created choral music of unimagined splendour amid the glittering surroundings of St Martin’s. But over in Rome Benevoli and Carissimi were giving the Venetians a run for their money – turning Biblical stories into heart-rending sonic dramas and using multiple choirs to set Michelangelo’s recently finished basilica of St Peter’s ringing with vibrant, soul-shaking song. I Fagiolini is a virtuoso ensemble without limits, never happier than when singing the impossible and the larger-than-life. Today they travel back to that extraordinary age, and we get to travel with them!