Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera - Rasi: La cetra di sette corde (2021)

The first monographic recording entirely dedicated to Francesco Rasi is released for the 400th anniversary of his death (30 November 1621). The first interpreter of Monteverdi’s Orfeo, an astonishing tenor and poet with a life studded with triumphs, constant travels, debts and murders, this native of Arezzo was fought over by all the courts of Italy and Europe. The pieces, on texts by Petrarch, Guarini, Chiabrera and Rasi himself – including ten world premieres – are taken from the Vaghezze di Musica (1608) and the Madrigali (1610). Tenor soloist Riccardo Pisani explores their extraordinary poetic and musical power, in a kaleidoscope of affects divided into seven ‘strings of the lyre’. He is accompanied by the Ensemble Arte Musica, directed by harpsichordist Francesco Cera. The two artists have been collaborating for years on rediscovering the Italian vocal repertory of the seventeenth century, as witnessed by the recent success of their set of Frescobaldi CDs, released on Arcana.

Tracklist
1. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Il pianto d’Orfeo: Indarno Febo (02:29)
2. Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Aria di Fiorenza (01:56)
3. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Filli mia, Filli dolce (01:35)
4. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Un guardo, ohimè (01:56)
5. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Occhi sempre sereni (01:37)
6. Francesco Cera – Canzona Seconda (03:02)
7. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Canzoniere: S’una fede amorosa (02:54)
8. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Cor mio, mentre vi miro (02:54)
9. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Hor ch’a noi rimena (01:59)
10. Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Ballo di Mantova (02:26)
11. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Filli, deh mira (01:41)
12. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Ahi, fuggitivo ben (03:00)
13. Giovanni Bellini & Francesco Cera – Toccata Seconda (04:02)
14. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Nell’altrui braccia (01:47)
15. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Deh, come in un momento (03:52)
16. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Scherzi: Schiera d’aspri martiri (01:28)
17. Giovanni Bellini & Francesco Cera – Aria di Romanesca (02:22)
18. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Ferma Tersilla mia (06:03)
19. Silvia de Maria, Giovanni Bellini & Francesco Cera – Canzona detta “La Tromboncina” (03:25)
20. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – O rimembranza amara (03:12)
21. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – Sento l’antica fiamma (02:32)
22. Riccardo Pisani & Francesco Cera – I trionfi: Or so come da sé (02:09)
23. Chiara Granata – Toccata Quarta (04:10)
24. Riccardo Pisani & Chiara Granata – O pura, o chiara stella (03:14)
25. Riccardo Pisani, Ensemble Arte Musica & Francesco Cera – O che felice giorno (01:49)