COLOSSAL BAROQUE
ORAZIO BENEVOLI
MULTI-CHOIR PROJECT
Rome – 1650
In mid-17th century Rome, Orazio Benevoli brilliantly invigorated the multi-choir style. I Fagiolini’s new project presents the greatest of these in:
- World premiere recordings on CORO
- Performances
“Benevoli’s Mass is remarkable… Sonic bliss…
awash in gloriousness… both subtle and shocking…
Like Italian sunshine… musical magic”
Gramophone
Maestro of the Cappella Giulia, Benevoli wrote these flamboyant masses for the finest churches in Rome. The most splendid occasions required doubling or even tripling the four choirs along the nave of a cathedral, each extra ensemble on a specially-built platform (carpenter payment records still survive!)
★★★★★ RECORDING OF THE MONTH
CD No.1
World premiere on CORO
CD No.2
World premiere on CORO
CD No.3
Missa Angelus Domini (3 choir)
Missa Dum complerentur (4 choir)
Released February 2026
Missa Tu es Petrus - Kyrie 1
From ORAZIO BENEVOLI - MASS FOR FOUR CHOIRS
2023 / CORO / 2:07
Missa Benevola - Kyrie II
From ORAZIO BENEVOLI - MISSA BENEVOLA
2024 / CORO / 3:06
Recording Benevoli 1 - Behind the scenes
From ORAZIO BENEVOLI - MISSA TU ES PETRUS
Recording Benevoli 2 - Behind-the-scenes
From ORAZIO BENEVOLI - MISSA BENEVOLA
HOLDING THE MULE
The choirs were kept together by a maestro conducting with a roll of paper. That beat was relayed by special sub-conductors (their sole job) to the other choirs.
A surprising feature of these Roman masses was known as ‘TENERE LA MULA’, HOLDING THE MULE. In it, the sopranos of all four choirs - spread out around the church - sang a slowly changing melody (stubborn as a mule, refusing to move from the note it was on) while more frantic lower parts move rapidly underneath.
Did Handel borrow this idea on his visit to Rome for the second part of the Halleluiah Chorus (‘King of Kings’ etc)?
“…this ravishing new disc… Benevoli’s seamless architecture, his free-flowing polychoral expansionism, takes extravagant flight… theatricality inspired by such colossal basilicas as St Peter’s in Rome.” The Scotsman
PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
With such ‘new’ repertoire, a performance can be a territory premiere and also programmed with (for example) Carissimi’s Jephte or works of Monteverdi.
I Fagiolini can perform on its own but also with a suitable local ensemble / youth or university choir. Contact us to discuss how this could work for you - mail@ifagiolini.com
Robert Hollingworth has already conducted performances at the University of York, Stour Music and Dartington Summer School with more planned in Oxford and Berlin. Connections with food (Benevoli's father was a French pastry chef) and art/achitecture of the period are also possible.
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From the team that made the Gramophone award-winning recording in 2011 of Striggio’s 40-part Mass and ‘Super-Excellent’ - the Venice/Spain/South America/UK multi choir programme.
CD 1 - SESSIONS
Click to enlarge
CD 2 - SESSIONS
Click to enlarge
Gramophone Feature
OCTOBER 2023
