Lelio Colista was born in Rome in 1629. Raised as a choirboy the child prodigy took Rome by storm, the “Orpheus of the city of Rome” played the guitar, lute, theorbo and harp, as well as being a dancer in the staged performances at the famous Palazzo Barberini. He worked at the courts of several Italian cities (Bologna, Firenze) before settling in Rome again, becoming a sought-after composer and teacher (one of his students was Gaspar Sanz).

This new recording contains Colista’s Sinfonias in three parts (Sinfonie a tre), played here by two violins, cello, guitar and organ. They all feature a well-structured slow first movement that is richly expressive and melodious, along with the strict counterpoint typical of the Roman School, where the fugue is often placed in the second-to-last movement. It is thus possible that they formed a model that influenced composers such as Stradella, Mannelli, Lonati and Corelli in their concepts of the Trio Sonata.

Played on period instruments by the Early Music group Ensemble Giardino Di Delizie, who already successfully recorded Sinfonias by Lonati (BC 95590) and Gems of the Polish Baroque (BC 95955) for Brilliant Classics.