Alessandro Scarlatti: Christmas At The Bethlehem Of The West ‘Music From Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome) – Giulio Prandi

Alessandro Scarlatti laissa une empreinte profonde au coeur de la Rome baroque notamment dans le répertoire de Noël, célébré dans la basilique Sainte-Marie-Majeure avec une solennité particulière.

Alessandro Scarlatti heeft een diepe indruk achtergelaten in het hart van het barokke Rome, met name in het kerstrepertoire, dat in de basiliek Santa Maria Maggiore met bijzondere plechtigheid wordt gevierd.

“In the heart of Baroque Rome, the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is the principal Marian sanctuary of the Eternal City. For centuries it has guarded not only the relics of Jesus’s cradle and swaddling-clothes, but also the celebrated marble Nativity Scene by Arnolfo di Cambio (1291), the first of its kind in the history of art, thus earning it the title of “Bethlehem of the West”. Here, in 1707, Alessandro Scarlatti was employed as maestro di cappella. Though a brief appointment – it lasted little more than a year – it was long enough to leave a deep impression, above all on the repertoire for Christmas, which was celebrated in the basilica with particular solemnity. For the 300th anniversary of the composer’s death, Giulio Prandi and Coro e Orchestra Ghislieri dedicate their fifth album for Arcana to Scarlatti’s unique, splendid music for a Roman Christmas.”