CIMAROSA: Dixit Dominus – Cinzia Rizzone, soprano/ Sylvia Rottensteiner, mezzo-soprano/ Gregory Bonfatti, tenor/ I Musici Cantore Choir of Trent/ Voci Roveretane Choir/ Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano and Trent/ Fabio Pirona, conductor – CPO 999 988-2, 54:20 **** [Distr. by Naxos]:
The contributions of Domenico Cimarosa (1749-1801), whose over 80 operas and numerous religious works established him as one of the foremost composers of the late 1700s, and elevated him high in the eyes of people like Mozart and Haydn, have largely taken a slide into obscurity in our day. Even in his 200th anniversary year in 2001 there were hardly a spate of recordings celebrating him, and he was competing with Verdi for that same honor. This is a shame, for while he most assuredly is not on the level of his aforementioned admirers, there is still much to appreciate, and his music almost always proves engaging and tuneful.
One of the first things I noticed about this late (1797) work (and hence important, as most of his sacred music was written in his younger years) are the operatic predilections of the piece. Though the work is in complete accord with the traditional sacred style of his Neapolitan environs, its scoring (three soloists, four-voice chorus, and four pairs of wind instruments) and the great demands made on the solo voices elevate it almost into the realm of the stage, at least in hindsight, though Cimarosa would be horrified to hear such a thing, and was certainly well within the strictures laid upon him for the composition of a sacred work at that time.
Keeping within the tradition, he alternates the movements between solo pieces and choral work. The effect is really quite winning, and Cimarosa’s penchant for enchanting melody is found all through the piece. One can easily discern why he was so popular in his day—he gave folks what they wanted to hear, and did it in a way that met church guidelines and ingratiated his listeners’ ears. There are no profundities here—this is not the Mozart Requiem, or even Handel’s work of the same name—but taken on its own terms proves quite satisfying and is worth a go if you want to expand your sacred choral collection. The modern-instrument orchestra plays very well (and they look to be about 60 strong), and the soloists, while not the top grade, are all very competent Italian provincials who know the music very well and are quite attuned to the idiom. CPO provides resonant and excellently placed sound.
— Steven Ritter
