Una Stravaganza Dei Medici (1)

This is the music composed for an extravagant wedding ceremony between Ferdinando de' Medici and Christine of Lorraine on May the 2nd 1589. These musical sections were intermezzi's for a showing of the comedy La Pellegrina by Girolamo Bargagli. The visual aspect of the spectacle was entrusted to Bernardo Buontalenti. We are lucky to have contemporary accounts both of the staging and of the musical performance which made a video such as this possible. This spectacle was one of the turning points in the transition from renaissance to baroque aesthetics in the world of music and theatre.

In this 1986 recording the Taverner Consort, Choir & Players are conduced by Andrew Parrott. The extensive cast of wonderful early music specialists includes Emma Kirkby, Tessa Bonner, Emily Van Evera, Evelyn Tubb (sopranos), Mary Nichols, Terry Anderson, Catherine Woolf (altos), Nigel Rogers, Andrew King, Mark Padmore, Charles Daniels, Rogers Covey-Crump (tenors), Alan Ewing, John Milne, Richard Wistreich (basses) and many more marvelous singers which I will omit for want of space.

The 1st video (out of 8) features this music:

Intermedio I - The Harmony of the Spheres
Antonio Archilei / Emilio de' Cavalieri: Dalle piu alte sfere
Cristofano Malvezzi: Noi, che, cantando a 8
Malvezzi: Sinfonia a 6

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Category:

Music

Tags:

• una
• stravaganza
• dei
• medici
• emma
• kirkby

[ypofero86]

Wonderful!

Cool video dude!

Where did you find it?

[lalagonegaga]

Ever heard of the Yahoo! Group (mailing list) called OperaShare? :) All sorts of out-of-print and live recordings get posted there. Most videos on my channel are from that place. :)

[christiaandhooghe]

Tried to get on it...refused..:(

[lalagonegaga]

You need to be invited by a person who is a member and an active uploader. I am a member, but haven't uploaded much in the past year or so, so I cannot send you an invitation. :(((

[tistalis]

finally someone with taste...

[ricardofrantz]

OMG this is wonderful!!!!!!!!!! THANKS for sharing!!!

[arielgarello]

1. Dalle più alte sfere di celesti sirene amica scorta son l'armonia, ch'a voi vengo, mortali poscia, che fino al ciel battendo l'ali l'alta fiamma n'apporta, che mai si nobil coppia 'l sol non vide qual voi nova Minerva, e fort'Alcide. [Antonio Archilei, testo di Giovanni de Bardi] 2. Noi, che cantando, le celeste sfere dolcemente rotar facciam intorno in così lieto giorno lasciando 'l Paradiso; meraviglie più altere cantiam d'una bell'alm' e d'un bel viso.

[arielgarello]

2. Noi, che cantando, le celeste sfere

dolcemente rotar facciam intorno

in così lieto giorno

lasciando 'l Paradiso;

meraviglie più altere

cantiam d'una bell'alm' e d'un bel viso.

[arielgarello]

1. Primo intermedio: L'armonia delle sfere L'Armonia discende sulla Terra accompagnata dalle Sirene, Parche e dai Pianeti; i mortali sono invitati a festeggiare con la coppia dei fidanzati. 1. Dalle più alte sfere di celesti sirene amica scorta son l'armonia, ch'a voi vengo, mortali poscia, che fino al ciel battendo l'ali l'alta fiamma n'apporta, che mai si nobil coppia 'l sol non vide qual voi nova Minerva, e fort'Alcide. [Antonio Archilei, testo di Giovanni de Bardi]

[arielgarello]

buenisimo!

[JLorz84]

I live in Florence.. this city was the New York of XVI-XVII century! We ruled! The best european and italian artists, musicians, actors and singers lived and worked here!! If you come and visit Florence, please think about that: poliphony, madrigals, modern theatre, opera, everything was born and developed in these courts, streets and palaces!!

[Zloticzko1]

Thank you so much for posting this! This project deserves to be circulated, and it can be--easily--thanks to you!

[ikkuna]

Thanks so much for uploading it, I had no account that such video existed, even though I'd repeatedly listened to the music!

[MarcoBocoure]

come bella sta musica!

[exitdogger]

I cant tell you how much I appreciate being able to access and view this. I once had this on a laser disc imported from Japan. I never expected to see this again.

[CarldeReims]

I remember taping this off Channel 4 around Christmas 1989. One of the most beautiful music experiences I have ever had. I never forgot this performance. Wonderful!