Gloria!

The proposed programme traverses three different declinations of Italian sacred and instrumental music of the early 18th century, bringing into dialogue liturgical function, concertante writing and choral dimension.
The Litanies of St. Francis Xavier by Giovanni Alberto Ristori open the concert with a page of extraordinary historical and musical interest. A composer active at the court of Dresden, Ristori combines in his writing the Italian sacred tradition with a refined theatrical sensibility, resulting in a score in which the alternation of choir, soloists and orchestra creates a musical discourse rich in contrasts and expressive tension. Dedicated to one of the most emblematic figures of the Jesuit spirituality, the work reveals an intense and communicative language, combining devotion and spectacle.
The Concerto for oboe and orchestra in D minor by Alessandro Marcello follows, one of the most famous pages of the Baroque instrumental repertoire. In this masterpiece of formal balance and cantabile expressiveness, the oboe takes on an almost vocal dimension, dialoguing with the orchestra in a continuous play of chiaroscuro. The celebrated slow movement, in particular, represents one of the pinnacles of Marcellis' poetics, suspended between lyrical introspection and nobility of style.
The concert concludes with Gloria RV 589 by Antonio Vivaldi, one of the best-known and best-loved sacred works of the Baroque repertoire. Here the choral and orchestral writing achieves a luminous synthesis of rhythmic energy, timbral brilliance and spiritual intensity. The alternation of choral movements and solo arias gives shape to a sonorous fresco of great expressive variety, in which Vivaldi's theatricality is placed at the service of the liturgical text, transforming praise into a true collective celebration.
Taken together, these three works outline an itinerary that highlights the richness and plurality of Italian musical language in the 18th century, between devotion, virtuosity and communicative power, restoring to the public a lively and articulate image of the sacred and instrumental music of the period.

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