Rossi: The Songs Of Solomon
) | Label: Pan classics Catalog: PC10343 Format: CD Profeti Della QuintaSalomone Rossi was born in Mantua and lived there all his life. He was the first Jew to compose, perform and publish polyphonic settings of synagogue liturgy for mixed choir. He also made significant contributions to instrumental music; his four books of instrumental works include 116 pieces. In 1623, Rossi published his album of 33 songs titled “Hashirim Asher Lish’lomo” (The Song of Solomon) for various vocal ensembles ranging from 3 to 8 voices. The Song of Solomon focuses mainly on the Jewish music of Mantua and Venice at the period ending the Renaissance – and beginning the Baroque period. Being flancked by excerpts from his instrumental music, the present programme provides a portrait in sound of this great, but little known, composer. The ensemble Profeti della Quinta was founded in the Galilee region of Israel by singer and harpsichordist Elam Rotem. From its inception in 2003, it has focused on sacred and secular 16th-century acappella repertoire. Its members' background and training range from church-choral and Jewish-cantorial singing to opera and oratorio. For this project, the native Hebrew-speaking ensemble is unique in offering an unmediated grasp of both text and music in the historically individual style of Rossi's “Hashirim Asher Lish'lomo”.  Price: $27.98 |