JOHANN DAVID HEINICHEN (1683-1729): La gara degli dei.

Description: World Premiere Recording of this 1719 serenata which was just one small part (though quite elaborately presented on its own) of the month-long festivities celebrating the wedding in Dresden of the King of Saxony, Friedrich August II and Maria Josepha. "The Contest of the Gods" is just that: Mercury, the Sun, Diana, Venus, Mars, Jove and Saturn take turns competing to offer the finest wedding-aria present to the royal couple. Orchestral virtuosity matches the vocal virtuosity for 75 minutes. A rare appearance by a modern-instrument orchestra in such repertoire, with an interesting note by the conductor about his troubles in East Germany which led to his now 30-year association with this Berlin-based ensemble. Italian-German texts. Alexandra Coku, Carola Höhn, Simone Hold (sopranos), Katharina Kammerloher (mezzo), Annette Markert (alto), Ralph Eschrig (tenor), Olaf Bär (baritone), Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Chamber Orchestra; Hartmut Haenchen.