Profeti della Quinta named a 'hidden gem'
The article '2013's hidden gems: the CDs that got away' saw The Observer's critics pick the releases that didn't get the acclaim they deserved. One they chose to highlight was 'Salomone Rossi: Il Mantovano Hebreo' by Profeti della Quinta. Here's what critic Fiona Maddocks had to say about this impressive Linn debut:
The all-male, five-strong Israeli vocal ensemble Profeti della Quinta focus on music of
the 16th and 17th century. One of their specialist areas is Salomone Rossi, the
Italian-Jewish Renaissance composer who was a contemporary of Monteverdi and
worked in Mantua at the court of the Gonzagas. He lived in the city's ghetto
but was excused from wearing the yellow star owing to his high standing at
court. His sister, Europa, was a pioneering opera singer. This expertly performed
collection of Italian madrigals, Hebrew prayers and instrumental music deserves
recognition as a hidden gem, introducing this composer to many of us for the
first time.