India: Da l’onde del mio pianto

Anthony Rooley writes: ‘“Amorous Dialogues” perfectly describes this unusual repertoire – although the variations on the theme of erotic love familiar to all of us tells the basic story of amatory exploits, desires and dreams in fresh ways. For example, can we be expected to believe that “He” doesn’t know what a kiss is and asks “She” to teach him step by step? None of us is fooled by his pretended ignorance, yet every one of us is delighted with the humour of the unfolding “game”.

‘Since I first began my exploration of the “dialogue” repertoire of the seventeenth century in the mid-1970s, we have had occasion to use this material on innumerable occasions for teaching purposes (singing and performing teaching, not amatory!). Its vitality and freshness, its humanity, humour – and dignity, too – has fired so many young performers, focused their enthusiasm and honed their performing skills.

‘We might be unfamiliar with some of the social graces of the seventeenth century nobility as they played their games of Arcadian Shepherds and Nymphs, but we can still be mightily entertained by the music and poetry created for them.’

Featuring leading singer Emma Kirkby and Martyn Hill, this L’Oiseau-Lyre recording makes its first appearance on CD on this Decca Eloquence reissue. Also issued on CD for the first time is Pastoral Dialogues, the companion recording to Amorous Dialogues. The extensive booklet includes the original notes, a new introduction by Anthony Rooley and full texts and translations.

“The singing is of a very high order, the accompaniments are managed with real sympathy, and the balance is ideal. An unusual and highly enjoyable record.” Gramophone

Emma Kirkby has enchanted audiences with her almost supernaturally clear and agile soprano ever since she first appeared on the Early Music scene in the 1970s. As the art of historically informed performance has become more and more widely appreciated, so has her style of singing to the extent that she was included in a listing of ‘the 20 greatest sopranos ever’ made by the BBC Music Magazine in 2007.

Released on the occasion of her 60th birthday, the present collection celebrates her collaboration with BIS and includes highly acclaimed performances of works from her repertoire such as Handel solo cantatas (with London Baroque) and Dowland songs (with Anthony Rooley and Jakob Lindberg) as well as pieces by less familiar composers, such as Ariosti and Amodei, de Lalande and Schimmelpfennig. This collection provides an opportunity to sample the work of an exceptional singer in all its variety.

The accompanying booklet includes a personal appreciation of the performer by music critic Brian Robins, as well as the texts – in the original languages with English translations where applicable – of all the works featured.