Ensemble Salomone Rossi
Jewish Baroque Music

From the 17th century onwards, Jewish cultural life has produced many examples of musical practices based on extra-Jewish models such as the introduction of vocal and instrumental polyphony, but at the same time incorporated into an unequivocally Jewish context. These manifestations always have two elements in common: in the first place, all the compositions we have received have direct reference to Jewish life; festivals, circumcisions, anniversaries, and important events were highlighted by musical compositions commissioned by communities to musicians from all over the world. Secondly, it is evident that such compositions are based on styles identical to those of the music of the surrounding non-Jewish world. This consideration allows us to draw an important conclusion, that is the direct correspondence between the assumption of foreign musical language and the process of assimilation from the Hebrew to the culture of the Renaissance and Baroque world, in those areas where the tolerance towards the Jews was greater. This phenomena began in Italy, thanks to the work of Solomon Rossi and to the theoretical contribution of Leone da Modena.

For this recording the Ensemble Solomone Rossi is composed by:

• Caterina Trogu Roehrich, soprano
• Renata Stefani, mezzosoprano
• Luigi Pagliarini, tenor
• Davide Benetti, bass
• Lydia Cevidalli, Elena Marazzi, baroque violin
• Fabio Bellofiore, Eugenio Silvestri, baroque violin
• Claudio Frigerio, baroque cello
  
• Simonetta Heger, harpsichord