Festino nella sera del
Giovedi grasso avanti cena sung by the London Chamber Singers
Conductor, Anthony Bernard
The madrigal-comedies of Banchieri (1567-1634) follow closely the type of entertainment created by Orazio Vccchi. The Festino, written for the end of the pre-lenten festivities, provided spiced variety and plenty of buffoonery to amuse a carnival audience. It includes the well-known ' capriccio ' in which cuckoo, owl, cat, and dog noises form a ' contraponto bestiale' over a dog-latin chant. A rhymed couplet announces each of the twenty little ' scenes.' We are warned that the singers will imitate the braying of donkeys and the squealing of pigs; we join in a tongue-twisting game, encounter some noisy match-setters, and take part in a drinking bout. Banchieri's inspiration does not go very deep, but his able handling of his material gives us some sparkling pages and many amusing character sketches. Anthony Bernard Another performance: tomorrow at 6.35