Silentium!

Description

In the second half of the seventeenth century, Kromeriz was one of the leading musical centres of Central Europe. At the court of Bishop Karl II von Liechtenstein-Castelcorn of Olomouc, the work of local musicians mingled with repertoire from imperial Vienna. The new SILENTIUM! ensemble, under the direction of Tomas Netopil, invites listeners into this world through a selection of works preserved in the Kromeriz music collection. Sances's double-choir psalm setitngs from Salmi brevi, Vejvanovsky's Vesperae de Confessore, and the Missa Orientalis attributed to him reveal the rich variety of Baroque sacred music, ranging from intimate expression to festive sonic splendour. The programme is complemented by Rittler's Ofefrtorium de Confessore and Salve Regina, as well as Biber's Sonata IX in G major from the collection Fidicinium Sacro-Profanum, which highlights the richness and colour of the string ensemble. Uniting the expressive force of the vocal works with instrumental inventiveness, the recording reveals the Kromeriz archive as a treasure trove of extraordinary musical discoveries.