la festa musicale vol5

La festa musicale concludes the five-part documentation of Gregor Joseph Werners compositional oeuvre with magnificent church music. The crowning of the series is formed by two large-scale masses, which are interspersed with musical surprises ranging from harmonic drama to radiant exuberance. They captivate with elaborate fugues, attractively focused arias and profound ensembles. Werner proves himself a keen connoisseur of Palestrina's tradition and a pioneering innovator for the forthcoming Viennese classical period. The program is supplemented with the motet "Iam hyems transiit". It premiered as part of the mass of the same name and is, like the latter, written for two trumpets and timpani, violins and basso continuo. The fourth discovery on this album full of premiere recordings is a small, lively string symphony. The vocal part of the vocal works is performed by a double quartet under the direction of internationally renowned soloists. Under the musical direction of Anne Marie Harer, this is a goodnatured testament that Werners music, which has long fallen silent and been overshadowed by Haydn, urgently belongs back in the daylight and in the concert repertoire of church music.