Search - Caspar Kittel, René Jacobs, Bernarda Fink :: Kittel: Arias and Cantatas

	Caspar Kittel, René Jacobs, Bernarda Fink Kittel: Arias and Cantatas Genres: Pop, Classical Caspar Kittel (1603-1639) was a German musician who trained in Italy and returned to work at the Dresden Court, deputizing for his colleague Heinrich Schütz when the latter spent a period in Denmark. His sole public... more » « less
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CD Details

All Artists: Caspar Kittel, René Jacobs, Bernarda Fink, Jeremy Ovenden, Guido Balestracci, Attilio Cremonesi, Gerd Türk, Pablo Valetti, Johanna Stojkovic, Martin Snell
Title: Kittel: Arias and Cantatas
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
Release Date: 6/13/2000
Album Type: Import
Genres: Pop, Classical
Styles: Vocal Pop, Opera & Classical Vocal
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 794881504022

Synopsis

Amazon.com

Caspar Kittel (1603-1639) was a German musician who trained in Italy and returned to work at the Dresden Court, deputizing for his colleague Heinrich Schütz when the latter spent a period in Denmark. His sole publication, the 1638 collection of arias and cantatas, apparently was conceived as exercises for the choirboys whose musical education he superintended. There is nothing scholastic about the selection heard here, however, and the pieces are sung by a group of skilled adult singers. Countertenor-turned-conductor René Jacobs directs them and the small accompanying instrumental group with flair, ensuring that these delightful pastoral settings come over to the best possible effect. Most of the texts are by the German poet Martin Opitz, their mood ranging from the amorous to the spiritual. In terms of style, they're not so far from contemporary works by Monteverdi or Schütz, and anyone seeking something vocal and unusual from the Baroque period would find them rewarding. --George Hall

CD Reviews

A voice teacher and early music fan

George Peabody | Planet Earth | 10/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"JACOBS LEADS AND CAN DO NO WRONG, AS LONG AS HE DOESN'T SING THE SONG!

Casper Kittel was a pupil of Heinrich Schutz, and a representative of one of the most important traditions in 17th century German music. In 1638 he published his volume of 'Arias and Cantatas' of German-language secular songs in the style of Caccini and Peri. He was a singing teacher in Dresden,and actually wrote these as vocal exercises for choir boys. Martin Opitz, a well-known poet, wrote the text for most of these songs; his poems had previously been used by Shutz for some of his compositions.

Besides love songs, Kittel also offers several moral songs. All 30 pieces can be considered 'arias' because of the structure of the texts and their compositional premise, which exceeds considerably that of a simple song.

One of the interesting aspects of this disc is the varied combinations of voices; there are solos, duets, trios and quartets, all of which give us another perspective on Kittel's very clever and new way of mixing Italian and German musical elements.

There are five excellent singers on this recording: Johanna Stojkovic(soprano), Bernarda Fink(Soprano and alto), Gerd Turk and Jeremy Ovenden (tenors) and Martin Snell, basse. There are eleven arias in all consisting of five duets, two trios, one quartet and three solos. Just great ensemble singing with the outstanding instrumental group 'Schola Cantorum Basiliensis'.

And let me say I am very happy that Rene Jacobs decided to conduct instead of sing. However, he certainly knows how to interpret the music at hand. This disc presents the Early Music listener with some refreshing music!"