Muera Cupido

The Catalan soprano Nuria Rial has recorded her new album with the brilliant Spanish viol player Fahmi Alqhai and his young, sensational ensemble Accademia del Piacere. The focus of the recording are works by the Spanish Baroque composer Sebastián Duron (1660-1716), who worked as an organist and composer in Seville and was considered as the most important composer of theatrical music at that time. In his Zarzuelas he has masterfully combined the so-called Italian style of the time with elements of Spanish folklore. In the album, especially the Arietta ytaliana "Quantos teméis al rigor" from the Zarzuela "Las nuevas armas de Amor" shows Durón's successful attempt to adapt to the Italian style, while the aria "Sosieguen, descansen" from the Zarzuela "Salir el Amor del Mundo" and the chosen instrumental interludes contain typical flamenco rhythms and elements of traditional Spanish music.

"Muera Cupido" also contains outstanding pieces by other composers of Spanish Baroque music: The music of José de Nebra (1702-1768), another leading late-Baroque composer of Spanish opera and zarzuela (Aria "Selva Florida" and Fandango "Tempestad grande, amigo"), and pieces for baroque guitar by Francisco Guerau (1649-1722), arranged by Fahmi Alqhai in this album. Furthermore, the two selected Italian cantatas "All'assalto de pensieri" (Anonymous) and "Pastorella che tra le selve" by Giovanni Bononcini (1670-1747) are examples of the music, which was described as the "fiery Italian style" and inspired Duron at that time. The result is a diverse repertoire with entrancing melodies, elegant rhythms and rich instrumentation, which is more than worth discovering.