Ciel e Terra

G.F. Handel: Ciel e terra

Orquesta Barroca Granada

During this recording, work from the two phases of the English period of Händel is introduced, a period which we can define with the title of the aria from the opera Tamerlano which closes the recording: “Heaven and earth.” Therefore in the CD music from the “celestial” genre has been recompiled but also from the “earthly” genre such as opera. Nonetheless, “Heaven and earth” is usually much closer than it seems, since Händel did not create his oratorios for the church, but to represent them in the theatre and provide fun for the aristocrats and bourgeoisie who were thirsty for new sensations. Furthermore, the aria “Heaven and earth” belongs to the first opera which gives the story a relevant role and main part to the voice of the tenor (the important figure Bayaceto, the Turkish sultan prisoner from Tamerlano), when until then the important heroes of the serious genre would have been presented by castrati. This is the other characteristic of the recording: recompiling diverse numbers of operas and oratorios which have the voice of the tenor as the protagonist, an infrequent frame of mind included in the production by the composer who directed it for the first time for the main parts.

Orquesta Barroca de Granada

The Orquesta Barroca de Granada (The Granada Baroque Orchestra) is a formation founded in 2007 by initiative of the harpsichordist Darío Moreno, who has since become the musical conductor with the objective of disclosing the repertoire of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. To do this, he has developed an important musicological work not only from the point of view of the sources but from the organology, interpreting original versions of the works (both known and unpublished) with copies of the instruments suited to each century. Regarding the members of the Orquesta Barroca de Granada, it is important to emphasize their experience in historical interpretation, having formed part of assemblies specializing in the category of the European Union Baroque Orchestra, The Royal Academy of Baroque Music Orchestra, the Linden Baroque Orchestra, the Orquesta Barroca de Sevilla, the Eternal Music of Bratislava or the International Baroque players. It is also important to note that many of the members include in their curriculum the experience of having worked under the direction of the likes of specialists as Fabio Biondi, Chistopher Hogwood, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Harry Chistopher, Frans Brüggen, Robert King or Tom Koopman. Since its inception, the Orquesta Barroca de Granada has invited conductors-concertmasters renowned in the field of early music, such as Peter Zajicek, Ángel Sampedro, Peter Biely, Ellen and Alfred Borderías Cañamero. It has also accompanied soloists in different programs of the category of Bob Van Asperen, David Hernández or Bart Vandewege. All of this work of historical recovery and musical interpretation has led the Orquesta Barroca de Granada to be invited to participate in courses such as “Francisco Guerrero” of Ronda, the Andalucian Circuit of Music, the “FEX” of the International Dance and Music Festival of Granada, the International Week of Organ in the same city, the Festival of Music “Villa de la Zubia”, the Sample of Ancient Music “Castillo de Aracena” or the Festival of Classical Music in Huesca.

Dario Moreno

Dario Moreno was born in Granada, beginning his piano studies there with Gloria Emparan. Subsequently, he went to the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid, where he obtained the title of Senior Lecturer in Piano under the tutelage of Professors Joaquin Soriano and Beata Monstavicius, also studying improvisation and accompaniment with Emilio Molina. In addition, he amplified his pianistic training through various master classes with teachers like Guillermo Gonzalez, Ricardo Requejo, Ana Maria Mihhail Voskressenky or Pennella. To these studies must be added those of historical interpretation, specializing in key and continuum, under the tutelage of Maestro Toni Millán in Madrid. These studies were extended through diverse courses given by the likes of international professors as Robert Woolley, Jan Willen Jansen, Christine Wiffen and Lars Ulrik Mortensen. All of this training permits Moreno to develop intense work as harpsichordist in groups such as the Gallant Academy, the Baroque “Hemiolia” workshop, the Soloists of London, the Musical Choir “Los Extravagantes” (The Extravagants) and, especially, the Granada City Orchestra, with which he also participated in recordings for the record labels Harmonía Muni and Naxos. Moreover, this broad interpretive activity is undertaken alongside first rate directors and soloists such as Fabio Biondi, Robert King, Chistopher Hogwood, Ángel Sampredo, Peter Zajicek, Helmuth Rilling, Andreas Spering, Marta Almajano, Enrique Morente, David Atherton, Mariola Cantarero and Nicholas Macgegan. Dario Moreno is also the founder of the Orquesta Barroca de Granada, a foundation that follows his artistic direction since its inception in 2007. Furthermore, he acts as a guest director for other groups that specialize in the repertoire of the seventeenth and eighteenth century, as is the case with the Baroque Orchestra of Roquetas de Mar. Along with this interpretive task in the field of musical history, his development in jazz must be noted, especially with the group he founded in 2001 called “Four Runners.” This was likewise the name given to the first album, which also won the award for the best Andalucian jazz album, granted by the Asociación de Empresas Discográficas de Andalucía (Andalusian Record Association) (2001). Finally, it remains to note that Darío Moreno has been a professor at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Granada since 1995.

David Hernández

David Hernández was born in Barcelona in 1982, where he received a diverse musical education. Thus, after studying violin in the Conservatorio Municipal Superior de Música, he ascended to the Escuela Superior de Música de Cataluña (Catalan Superior School of Music), where he graduated with honours, specializing in singing under the tutelage of Mireia Pintó. Moreover, he continued his vocal training in the prestigious Haute École de Musique de Genève, in the Swiss Romanche, where he studied a Masters Degree specialized for soloists under the direction of Danielle Borst and Philippe Huttenlocher. Parallel to his formal studies, his restlessness for the different styles of singing brought him to amplify his education with master classes given by renown musicians and vocal trainers like Lynn Dawson, Edda Moser, Josep Bros, Mark Padmore, Lambert Climent, David Willson-Johson, Nancy Argenta, Alain Perroux, François Le Roux, Anne Le Bozec, Assumpta Mateu, Gloria Banditelli, Monique Zanetti, Meribeth Dayme Bunch and Russel Smythe; or composers of international fame like Gabriel Garrido, Leonardo García-Alarcón or Martin Gester, with whom he later worked professionally. In the same way, he developed his career as a soloist under the direction of Philippe Herreweghe, Jordi Savall, Ton Koopman, Werner Pfaff, Frieder Bernius, Tonu Kaljuste, Martin Gester, Gavor Takacs-Nagy, Laslo Heltay, Heribert Breuer, Patrick Cohen Akenine, Stephan McLeod, John Duxbury, Salvador Brotons, David Gálvez, Julián Villarraga, Darío Moreno and David Catalunya. Furthermore, Hernández has also participated as a soloist in different recordings for labels such as Sony, K-617 and Iberia Classical. Meanwhile he recorded for Radio France and Radio Suisse Romande. Along with being a soloist, his interest in vocal musical groups led him to habitually work with the prestigious groups Collegium Vocale Gent, Elyma, Capella Mediterranea, La Capella Real, Gli Angeli Genève, Canto Coronato, Musica Fiorita or La Cetra. The majority of his repertoire is categorized as Baroque, although he also interprets music from Romanticism and the twentieth century. As a result, he has performed on relevant stages like el Liceu of Barcelona, the Teatro de Bourg of Bresse, the Teatro Gayarre of Pamplona, the Lausanne Opera, the Toulon Opera, the Besançon Opera, the Vichy Opera, the Salle gaveau of Paris, the Auditori of Barcelona, the Palau de la Música of Barcelona, or the Palau de la Música of Valéncia. Furthermore, Hernández has particapted in famous international festivals like Utrecht, Lausanne, Genève, Nyon, Escarène, Sisteron, Herne, Kloster-Eberbach, Sevilla, Gijón, Granada, Alaquàs, Santander or Barcelona