Albert Recasens, La Grande Chapelle - Cristóbal Galán: Canto del Alma (2011)

Tracklist

CD1
01. Salmo: Laudate Dominum
02. Motete a Nuestra Señora: Stella Coeli
03. Antífona: Salve Regina
04. Secuencia: Stabat Mater
05. Motete a Nuestra Señora: Ave sanctissima Maria
06. Juan del Vado: Obra de Lleno de Primer Tono
07. Responsorio de difuntos: Ne recorderis
08. Salmo: Credidi
09. Responsorio para la Ascención: Ascendo ad patrem meum

CD2
01. Villancico al Santísimo Sacramento: !Querubes de la impírea!
02. Jácara al Santísimo Sacramento: Al Valiente enamorado
03. Solo de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción: !Vuele la flecha!
04. Villancico al Santísimo Sacramento: Oigan a dos sentidos
05. Dúo y Cuatro a la Purísima Concepción: !Bellísima hija del sol!
06. Tonada al Santísimo Sacramento: Mariposa, !No corras al fuego!
07. Villancico al Santísimo Sacramento: !Oíd, troncos; oíd fieras!
08. Tono al Nacimiento de Cristo: Fénix, que en llamas de amor
09. Dúo al Santísimo Sacramento: Fuentecillas lisonjeras
10. Villancico al Santísimo Sacramento: Vivir para amar
11. Tono Humano: Veneno de los sentidos
12. Solo al Santísimo Sacramento: A la luz más hermosa
13. Responsión General: No temas, No receles



The first monograph recording of one of the most important Spanish composers of the 17th century: Cristóbal Galán, chapel master at the Descalzas Reales Monastery in Madrid (1667-1680) and the Spanish Royal Chapel (1680-1684) during the reign of Carlos II.

Cristóbal Galán (c.1625-1684) is one of the key figures in Spanish music during the second half of the 17th century and, paradoxically, one whose works are least heard in concert. After a period of time in Cagliari (Sardinia) he figured as one of the musicians in the Palace of the Buen Retiro in Madrid in 1660, where he took part in the celebrated comedies and zarzuelas that enlivened the reign of Felipe IV. In 1664 he was named as chapel master at Segovia cathedral, where he remained until 1667. By the express wishes of the Queen Regent Mariana of Austria, widow of Felipe IV, he was then transferred to Madrid, where he took over at the Convent of the Descalzas Reales before finally moving into his majesty’s service at the Royal Chapel. Galán collaborated with the great dramatists of the court: Juan Bautista Diamante, Antonio de Solís and Pedro Calderón de la Barca, adding music to their comedies, royal celebrations, zarzuelas and autos sacramentales.

However, the larger part of his musical output was religious in nature, predominantly written for two choirs and basso continuo, the exuberance of the chorus - with its playful counterpoint and daring expressiveness - contrasting with the melodic simplicity of the coplas. Galán was one of the principal adaptors of modern Italian techniques to traditional Spanish genres.

This double CD comprises a selection of the composer’s best religious works in Latin and in Castilian Spanish - mostly solos, duets, cuatros and villancicos - all of which have been brought to light once again by adhering as closely and as rigorously as possible to original sources, and performed by La Grande Chapelle with close attention to historical detail. The recording was the result of months of archival and musicological research on the part of the Consolidated Research Group “Aula Música Poética” (University of Barcelona, CSIC and Lauda Música) in one of the most ambitious musical recovery projects undertaken in the last few years.

DOWNLOAD ALBUM [flac]