Invocazioni Mariane is a new CD from counter-tenor Andreas Scholl and his long time collaborators the Accademia Bizantina and their conductor Alessandro Tampieri.  It consists of 18th century music from Naples; all of which is in some way connected with the Virgin Mary and is mostly drawn from oratorios or similar pieces designed to be performed during Holy Week.  Back in the day, with women not permitted on the stage in Naples (or the Papal States) the high parts would have been sung by castrati.  That, of course, is where Scholl comes in.

It’s all worthwhile music full of the melodic invention characteristic of the Neapolitan School.  It’s also quite beautifully performed.  I particularly enjoyed Vincvi’s Oratorio Maria Dolorata of 1715, which combines some very beautiful melodies with considerable attack.  Also Vivaldi’s majestic Stabat Mater.  But really all the vocal music; from Porpora and Anfossi as well as the two previously mentioned is very good.  Scholl’s singing is text book.  It’s just very beautiful and controlled baroque singing from a true master.

Besides the vocal pieces the album also contains Pergolesi’s Concerto per Violin.  Here Tampieri steps up as soloist and plays really well.  It’s also an opportunity to hear the Accademis Bizantina without Scholl.  They are a really skilled, small band playing period or reproduction instruments.  There are eleven strings, archlute, two recorders and keyboards.  They also close out the album with a very sweet version of Ragazzi’s Sonata IV in do minore “Imitatio in Salve Regina Mater Misericordiæ”.  All in all there’s 82 minutes of music.

It’s very well recorded and comes with an informative booklet with full texts and much more.  It will be released n 8th March 2024 as a physical CD, MP3 and FLAC; CD quality and 96kHz/24 bit.  I listened to the hi-res version.

Catalogue information: Naive Records V5474