Andrea Gabrieli has always been something of a textbook composer, whose reputation falls under the shadow of his more famous nephew, Giovanni, the composer par excellence of the grand Venetian polychoral manner. Though Andrea's music may not plumb the depths of Giovanni's best pieces, his compositional range displays a versatility that the writing of his more considered relation surely lacks. Whereas Giovanni concentrated on liturgical composition, Andrea explored the gamut of contemporary styles and forms, from madrigals and lighter secular writing to dialect texts, church music, instrumental works, experimental theatre-pieces and music for Venetian festivities.
This imaginatively constructed disc, punctuated by instrumental items, presents as a main course a selection of Andrea's settings of Italian texts. These reveal an unexpected emotional complexity, robust and lively works being contrasted with more reflective ones. The former are characterised by an energetic rhythmic drive and bright sonorities in the upper registers, the latter by a mellifluous and sensitive approach.
There are also a few oddities, notably 'Asia felice', composed for an outdoor celebration of the Battle of Lepanto in 1571 – suitably enlivened here with unscripted interventions of organ, sackbuts and cornets – and the boisterous rendition of the dialect text 'Chi'nde darà la bose al solfizar', which evocatively breathes the air of the streets and squares of Renaissance Venice.
Anyone smitten with the musical traditions of this most fascinating of all cities, shouldn't hesitate to buy this record.