Albert Recasens revives a sacred and secular musical performance that originated at the viceregal court of Naples in the early 17th century

Albert Recasens, researcher group , Creativity, and Culture”group at the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) at the University of Navarra, has revived a musical performance that presents, for the first time, a collection of works linked to the viceregal court of Naples during the reign of Pedro Téllez-Girón, 3rd Duke of Osuna (1574–1624). This work has been performed by the early music ensemble La Grande Chapelle and has been released on the CD graduate Delizie di Posillipo. Music for the Viceroy of Naples, released by the Lauda label (LAU027).

The project part of a research work focused on reconstructing the artistic context of the Neapolitan capital in the early 17th century, one of the major cultural centers of the Spanish Monarchy. The recorded repertoire is based on primary sources “of exceptional value,” notes Recasens. For the researcher, the printed work Breve racconto della festa a ballo (1620) stands out: “A document that preserves, in an extraordinarily complete manner, the texts, much of the music, and numerous stage directions for the courtly festival Delizie di Posillipo.” This source complemented by manuscripts preserved in the Biblioteca dei Girolamini in Naples and by printed collections by composers such as Giovanni Maria Trabaci, Francesco Lambardi, Scipione Lacorcia, and Giuseppe Palazzotto e Tagliavia, core topic figures core topic the Neapolitan musical life of the time.

The research by Recasens has reconstructed the activities of the court of Osuna, a central figure in the political and cultural life of the Mediterranean in the early 17th century. According to the expert, under his sponsorship, Naples established itself as an laboratory where Spanish and Italian traditions converged, ranging from sacred polyphony to the madrigal and popular musical forms.

A complex and innovative production
The central theme of the album is the recreation of the Delizie di Posillipo ball, which was held on March 1, 1620—Carnival Sunday—at the Royal Palace of Naples to celebrate the restoration of King Philip III. The performance combined recitation, dance, and board member instrumental music in a complex set design that included visual effects, symbolic animals, and elaborate allegorical choreography

For Recasens, this recording offers a glimpse into the musical excellence of the Royal Chapel of Naples, an institution that brought together some of the most innovative composers of its time and played a pivotal role in spreading the Baroque style throughout southern Italy. The recording brings together sacred works by figures such as Giovanni Maria Trabaci, chapel master since 1614; Francesco Lambardi, organist and composer close to the viceroy; and Scipione Lacorcia, a leading representative of the Neapolitan madrigal generation influenced by Carlo Gesualdo.

“The revival of this repertoire helpsshed light core topic a core topic moment core topic European cultural history, when Naples served as a meeting point meeting different musical traditions and as a major center of artistic production within the network of the Spanish Monarchy,” he concludes.