Per la notte di Natale: Italian Christmas Concertos Concerto Copenhagen & Lars Ulrik Mortensen

• Arcangelo Corelli (1695 - 1764): Concerto grosso in G Minor, Op. 6 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto":
• 1Concerto grosso in G Minor, Op. 6 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto": I. Vivace - Grave01:18
• 2Concerto grosso in G Minor, Op. 6 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto": II. Allegro02:42
• 3Concerto grosso in G Minor, Op. 6 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto": III. Adagio - Allegro - Adagio03:22
• 4Concerto grosso in G Minor, Op. 6 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto": IV. Vivace00:53
• 5Concerto grosso in G Minor, Op. 6 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto": Va. Allegro02:03
• 6Concerto grosso in G Minor, Op. 6 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto": Vb. Pastorale. Largo04:00
• Giuseppe Torelli (1658 - 1709): Concerto grosso in G Minor, Op. 8 No. 6 "Pastorale per il Santissimo Natale":
• 7Concerto grosso in G Minor, Op. 8 No. 6 "Pastorale per il Santissimo Natale": I. Grave - Vivace02:05
• 8Concerto grosso in G Minor, Op. 8 No. 6 "Pastorale per il Santissimo Natale": II. Largo01:44
• 9Concerto grosso in G Minor, Op. 8 No. 6 "Pastorale per il Santissimo Natale": III. Vivace01:37
• Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): Violin Concerto in E Major, RV 270 "Il riposo, per il Santissimo Natale":
• 10Violin Concerto in E Major, RV 270 "Il riposo, per il Santissimo Natale": I. Allegro04:08
• 11Violin Concerto in E Major, RV 270 "Il riposo, per il Santissimo Natale": II. Adagio00:55
• 12Violin Concerto in E Major, RV 270 "Il riposo, per il Santissimo Natale": III. Allegro02:27
• Francesco Onofrio Manfredini (1684 - 1762): Concerto grosso in C Major, Op. 3 No. 12 "Christmas Pastorale":
• 13Concerto grosso in C Major, Op. 3 No. 12 "Christmas Pastorale": I. Largo04:10
• 14Concerto grosso in C Major, Op. 3 No. 12 "Christmas Pastorale": II. Largo01:39
• 15Concerto grosso in C Major, Op. 3 No. 12 "Christmas Pastorale": III. Allegro01:50
• Pietro Locatelli (1695 - 1764): Concerto grosso in F Minor, Op. 1 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto":
• 16Concerto grosso in F Minor, Op. 1 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto": I. Largo - Grave01:59
• 17Concerto grosso in F Minor, Op. 1 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto": II. Vivace - Adagio01:29
• 18Concerto grosso in F Minor, Op. 1 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto": III. Grave - Adagio01:35
• 19Concerto grosso in F Minor, Op. 1 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto": IV. Largo andante02:39
• 20Concerto grosso in F Minor, Op. 1 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto": V. Andante - Adagio01:37
• 21Concerto grosso in F Minor, Op. 1 No. 8 "Christmas Concerto": VI. Pastorale ad libitum03:55
• Total Runtime48:07

Info for Per la notte di Natale: Italian Christmas Concertos

Christmas celebrations are thought to go all the way back to the formidable feasting of the Vikings at midwinter, when in true Nordic fashion yuletide was ‘toasted in'. The celebration of the birth in Bethlehem is more subdued and spiritual, but it is of a far more recent date. We do not know if the Vikings celebrated yuletide with music, but music at Christmas has been a popular tradition since the Middle Ages. Today, practically all peoples around the world celebrate midwinter with special religious and cultural rituals; the precise times vary, but gifts, decorations, festivities, candles, bells and special Christmas music are apparently always part of this. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Christmas was the busiest time of the year for church composers. The congregation expected to hear new Christmas music in church which often involved instruments, choirs and soloists. Here you'll hear the Concerto Grosso - starting with A. Corellis version becoming template for the composers G.Torelli, A.Vivaldi, F. Manfredini and P. Locatelli following the trend of music concertos for Christmas Celebrations.

Concerto Copenhagen
Lars Ulrik Mortensen, conductor

Concerto Copenhagen
played its first concert in 1991 and has since developed into Scandinavia’s leading early music ensemble, joining the league of the world’s most exciting and innovative Baroque orchestras. Original interpretations and a strong ability to communicate with the audience are among Concerto Copenhagen’s hallmarks – making old music vital, relevant and contemporary.

In 1999 the internationally acclaimed harpsichordist and chamber musician, Lars Ulrik Mortensen, became the ensemble’s chief artistic director, and was awarded the coveted Léonie Sonning Music Prize in 2007.

Scandinavian origins: The collaboration between Concerto Copenhagen and Lars Ulrik Mortensen has led to an exciting artistic and musical journey, appreciated and praised by audiences and critics worldwide, and combining a repertoire of well-known European music with less familiar works of Scandinavian origin.

Over the years Concerto Copenhagen has collaborated with many internationally renowned artists in the Early Music scene, including Emma Kirkby, Andreas Scholl, Anne Sofie von Otter, Sonia Prina, Vivica Genaux, Andrew Manze, Andrew Lawrence-King, Reinhard Goebel, Ronald Brautigam, Jordi Savall, and Alfredo Bernardini, the orchestra’s principal guest conductor. Beginning in 2015 the Danish composer Karl Aage Rasmussen will be composer-in-residence and accompany the orchestra on an adventurous expedition into the world of contemporary music.

International attention: Concerto Copenhagen’s CD recordings for CPO, Deutsche Grammophon and BIS, as well as DVD productions for Harmonia Mundi and Decca have attracted worldwide attention and won several international awards. This has led to invitations from many of Europe’s leading concert venues and festivals, as well as extensive tours to the USA, Japan, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. International reviews reflect the experience of a cosmopolitan orchestra at the highest level.

Concerto Copenhagen’s collaboration with Italian opera director Deda Cristina Colonna has led to highly successful opera productions in the orchestra’s hometown Copenhagen. In 2016 Concerto Copenhagen will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a wide range of projects and events.

This album contains no booklet.