Certain composers get all the attention, and Giacomo Carissimi isn’t one of them. The 17th century Italian (1605-74) served as maestro di cappella in a couple of Roman churches and wrote vast quantities of music, including sacred motets, masses, and oratorios in addition to more than 100 secular cantatas. This disc features six of the motets and a three-part mass that show a rather unremarkable, formulaic style based on functional melodic material and straightforward harmonic structures. The statements of the texts take a declamatory approach characterized by relatively short phrases and occasional solo passages followed by ensemble responses. The three male singers of The Consortium Carissimi have exceptionally strong, resonant voices that they use to maximum expressive effect, and their accompanying partners on theorbo, gamba, violone, organ, and harpsichord fully satisfy a supportive role as well as adding color and flavor to the sound. A quick glance is all that’s required to notice that Carissimi is next to totally ignored in the CD catalog, and indeed one of this recording’s greatest benefits is its recognition of the work of a worthy early Baroque composer who, even though his own music does not hold high esteem today, was revered in his own time and whose teaching influenced many composers (A. Scarlatti, Charpentier) and contemporary performers. The sound gives clear and dynamic presence to voices and instruments, all of which is well balanced, if just a little too close and resonant for my taste. Full texts and translations are provided along with useful information regarding the manuscripts used in these performances.
