"Giuseppe Porsile is by no means a well-known figure today, but his contemporary prominence was reflected in a career that took him from his native Naples to Barcelona and thence to Vienna, the court of Habsburg Emperor Charles VI. This fine sounding music stands witness to his skill as a composer, and with the excellent musicianship of La Cicala this is an enticing prospect with premiere recordings as an added attraction. The recorded balance has the solo voice at more or less the same level as the instruments, making for a glorious ensemble effect. The majority of these works “represent the mature phase of Porsile’s style” and are beautiful examples of this genre. Those seeking to explore fine Baroque music beyond the most familiar, will find much to enjoy here. The rich acoustic of the Oude Kerk in Zwijndrecht adds its generous resonance to the sound but there is plenty of detail in the recording, and you’ll greatly appreciate La Cicala’s crisply translucent and authentic sound." (musicweb-international)
"The cantata did not make its appearance in France until 1706, with Morin. However, the genre had a skillful precursor in the person of Michel Pignolet de Monteclair, who did not have to wait for the 18th century before publishing (in 1695) a "scene avec recitatif." Midway between the classicism of the Grand Siecle of Louis XIV and the Italian model, the cantata was one of his favorite forms. This predominately orchestral composer, who became famous with his opera Jepthe (which made a deep impression on Rameau) wrote no fewer than 25 cantatas, 5 of which are recorded on this disc." (Amazon)
