It is likewise important to bring all the still unknown works back to life through performance and recording. It comes without saying that this CD, entirely dedicated to Fedele Fenaroli, represents both a just acknowledgement of one of the greatest figures in the Neapolitan school, as well as an attempt to rescue such a deeply interesting repertoire from oblivion. Listening to the Stabat Mater – a piece quoted by every historiographer of Fenaroli – makes us realize how diminishing it is to speak of Fenaroli only in terms of his didactic production. The perfection of the pieces and the religious inspiration emanating from them merge with the composition technique of the Italian tradition, that had created such beautiful patterns and, above all, unparalleled melodies. Fenaroli is doubtless one of the best representatives of this tradition. Morevoer, listening to the pieces included in this CD confirms his value and urge us to learn more about this composer, who has been neglected for so long, but who has left us a cultural legacy we want to reassess fairly.

Arvo Pärt’s Stabat Mater (1985), composed for a soprano, countertenor (or contralto), tenor, violin, viola and cello, was commissioned by the Alban Berg Foundation to celebrate the centenary of Alban Berg, for which ten composers were invited to write a piece for a string trio. To get a better balance, Arvo Pärt had the idea of using two trios in his work: an instrumental trio and a vocal trio. Based on the trochaic rhythm of the text, the relationship between long and short syllables became the key element of music. The text comes from a liturgical sequence, where the grieving Mother of God weeps next to the cross of her crucified son. The composer described the piece as follows: “It is just like the contact of opposite elements, such as lava erupting from a volcano, flowing into water. It seems impossible that such different elements could ever be encountered; however, exactly what happened in this piece. The text presents us with the simultaneous existence of immeasurable pain of this event and potential consolation.”