There’s an excellent
precedent for this Caldara cantata disc
and that’s Max Emanuel Cencic’s previous
outings for Capriccio, of which I’ve
heard the Scarlatti but not the Vivaldi.
He’s clearly a more than useful addition
to the roster of international counter-tenors
and one with a full command of the Italianate
tradition. He essays here five cantatas
– an instrumental Chiacona divides them
– and shows considerable poise throughout
allied to a strong and fluid technique.
That’s vital in the
second Aria of Amante recidivo (Che
speravi), which has a series of
treacherous divisions that could cause
a real pile-up. But, backed by the characterful
and colourfully individualistic winds
of Ornamente 99, Cencic proves imperturbable.
There’s particularly fine playing from
the flautist in this work. One admires
the airiness of textures in Non v’è
pena, the aria of which gives its
name to the cantata but also the sense
of melancholy conveyed. Cencic’s pure
toned soprano-countertenor has no strain
in the upper part of the voice or spread
in the middle or lower down - and certainly
no trace of the dreaded hoot. It’s cultivated
and very musicianly singing; it doesn’t
have the glamorous projection or tone
of David Daniels when he essays this
repertoire but Cencic comes from a different
tradition entirely (he was in the Vienna
Boys’ Choir).
Though not all these
works are consistently engrossing, at
their finest they make a marked impression
– try the Aria con violini Peno è
ver from Sempre mi torna in mente
for an example of wistful harmonies
floated with perfect judgement. Both
Cencic and Ornamente 99 are generously
subtle in their responses and praise
must go to Karsten Erik Ose for his
adept ear for balance and colour. Sound
quality is attractive and there are
texts with translations into English,
German and French.
Jonathan Woolf