Emilio de’ Cavalieri (1550-1602) might be one of the most interesting figures of his time. A diplomat; choreographer; organist and composer; his few surviving compositions are groundbreaking; and place him at the forefront of musical development; especially in terms of his connection to the new stile rappresentativo and early opera. Cavalieri's Lamentations and Responsories are extremely innovative when compared to other settings from the time: the expressive setting of the dark biblical text combines old and new musical styles - beautiful and complex polyphonic sections alternating with highly expressive monodies and duets. Profeti della Quinta has been researching and performing Cavalieri’s Lamentations over the past ten years; and are extremely happy to finally share this recording of it.

Between 2000 and 2005, L’Arpeggiata and Christina Pluhar opened up new ways in the rediscovery and interpretation of the Baroque repertoires. The five recordings made for Alpha are some of the greatest disc successes in these repertoires and still stand as references, thanks to the exceptional quality of their artistic and sound achievement.

This recording transports us to Rome’s Chiesa Nuova, the Oratory Church where in 1600 the premiere took place of the first spiritual opera, La Rappresentatione di Anima e di Corpo by Cavalieri. That pioneering spirit has inspired this programme devised by InAlto. Among the manuscripts in the church’s library is an anonymous source, probably dating from the very beginning of the 17th century, containing a complete cycle of settings of those seven psalms that ever since the time of Saint Augustine have been called the ‘Penitenial Psalms’. This Roman score is absolutely unique of its kind, being monodic, and composed in the early operatic melodic narrative style of recitar cantando.

The changes in musical style that were taking place in Italy in the late 16th century came to a head in 1600, with the performance and publication of three path-breaking works: two settings of Rinuccini's libretto for Euridice by Giulio Caccini and Jacopo Peri, and Cavalieri's Rappresentatione. All three composers were associated with the Medici court in Florence, and they were bitter rivals in their claims to the "marvelous invention" of drammi posti in musica per recitar cantando, dramas in music in recitative style. Emilio de' Cavalieri (c1550-1602), a Roman nobleman who had been appointed superintendent of Lorenzo I's musical establishment, had lost ground in Florence to the other two and the Rappresentatione was first produced in Rome, probably as a challenge to the others, and its innovative nature was immediately recognized and warmly received.