Jessica Gould & Diego Cantalupi - I Viaggi di Caravaggio (2017)

The unifying principle of this CD eludes me, partly because I think the link between the famous painter and any of the music is tenuous to say the least, but also because the English translation, by the soprano soloist herself, is not a little impenetrable. However, suffice perhaps that the painter and the mainly Italian composers of the early 17th century represented here demonstrate the same impassioned sense of drama in their creative enterprises. This is technically challenging music for the singer, and I’m afraid Jessica Gould rarely sounds completely comfortable or in control and occasionally suffers from fairly eye-watering lapses in intonation and tone. This is unfortunate as her partner on the lute, Diego Cantalupi, displays a consistent mastery of the music, and Gould herself has a fine sense of drama. However, track after track she undercuts notes and elsewhere wanders from the pitch frequently enough to make this programme very difficult to listen to. I was hoping to find something to enthuse about in the packaging of the CD, but finding the programme notes perverse, I then discovered that the package has nowhere to store the booklet – kind of symptomatic.

TRACKLIST

01. Cantata spirituale, Musiche varie a voce sola libro secondo - Diego Cantalupi, Jessica Gould
02. Præambulum, Thesaurus harmonicus divini Laurencini romani - Diego Cantalupi
03. Canzonetta spirituale sopra alla nanna - Diego Cantalupi, Jessica Gould
04. Libro di liuto: Vestiva i colli - Diego Cantalupi
05. Stabat Mater: I. Pianto della Madonna - Diego Cantalupi, Jessica Gould
06. Fantasia, per liuto - Diego Cantalupi
07. Ave Regina cælorum, Mottetto a voce sola - Diego Cantalupi, Jessica Gould
08. Libro primo d'intavolatura di lauto: VI. Toccata - Diego Cantalupi
09. Lagrime amare, dialoghi e sonetti - Diego Cantalupi, Jessica Gould
10. Libro primo d'intavolatura di lauto: III. Toccata - Diego Cantalupi
11. Libro secondo di villanelle: Figlio dormi - Diego Cantalupi, Jessica Gould