Giovanni Legrenzi - Compiete con le lettanie & antifone (Ensemble Polyharmonique)

Information

Composer: Giovanni Legrenzi

• Compiete con le lettanie & antifone, Op. 7

Ensemble Polyharmonique

Alexander Schneider, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: CPO

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Throughout the history of church music, ecclesiastical debates have continuously pitted austere asceticism against lavish, operatic splendor. In his 1662 collection Opus 7, Venetian composer Giovanni Legrenzi masterfully transcended these opposing extremes, harmonizing sacred reverence with theatrical vibrancy. Originally composed for monastic night prayers (compiete) and Marian chants, the works balance meditative contemplation with an uplifting, almost playful joy. Unbound by rigid theological constraints, Legrenzi’s vibrant polyharmonic compositions demonstrate how opposing spiritual philosophies can synthesize into a profound, unified artistic expression, delivering a timeless contribution to the sacred repertoire.

Venetian composer and priest Giovanni Legrenzi (1626–1690) stands as a towering master of the late Baroque era, excelling equally in opera, sacred music, and chamber compositions. Rising from early posts in Bergamo and Ferrara to become the esteemed maestro di cappella at San Marco in Venice, he expanded the basilica's orchestra and earned a global reputation. Celebrated for his advanced polyphonic church works and 19 operas, Legrenzi left his greatest mark on instrumental music; his forward-looking trio sonatas fundamentally shaped the structural development of the genre, directly influencing icons such as Corelli, Scarlatti, Vivaldi, Handel, and Bach.

Founded in Berlin, Ensemble Polyharmonique is a flexible European vocal collective (ranging from 4 to 13 soloists) dedicated to Renaissance and Baroque music. Informed by historical performance practice, the ensemble blends German and Franco-Flemish vocal traditions to deliver lively, poetic interpretations of both famous masterworks and forgotten 17th- and 18th-century gems. Regularly featured at prestigious international festivals like Bachfest Leipzig and Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht, they collaborate with leading period orchestras—such as Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin—for major works by Bach, Handel, and Monteverdi. Their acclaimed discography on labels like CPO and Raumklang highlights pioneering recordings of Schütz, Cavalli, and Briegel.