Vocal music of great caliber performed by the Ensamble Nuevo Extremo

This recording, produced by the Ensamble Nuevo Extremo from Chile under the direction of Catalan musician Gerard Ramos Pardo, introduces us to the Italian composer Claudio Casciolini through his Messa di Morti a 4.

This recording by Ensamble Nuevo Extremo focuses on the Messa di Morti a 4, a work that, despite being a requiem for four mixed voices a cappella, departs from the typical density of compositions dedicated to honoring the deceased. With a solemn and serious tone that occasionally becomes luminous, the piece alternates between responsorial monody and intricate counterpoint, evoking Renaissance music. It is a recording of great historical and artistic value, notable both for its musical depth and for the technical quality of its performance.

The score of the Messa di Morti a 4 was recently identified in the archives of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago by musicologist Alejandro Vera, a professor at the UC Institute of Music, as part of a cataloging process.

To learn more about Claudio Casciolini and his work, we turn to the words of Gerard Ramos Pardo:

“The Messa di Morti a 4 by Roman composer Claudio Casciolini (1697–1760) is a requiem for four mixed voices a cappella, written in the style of the Roman polyphonic school. To discuss this work, it is essential to first introduce its author, as Claudio Casciolini is one of those names that only emerges in the history of music when observed with sufficient attention.

Few details are known about Casciolini’s life. On a personal level, we know that he was born and died in Rome. He married in 1724, had several children, and lived in extreme poverty. Musically, he served as a singer at the Church of San Lorenzo in Damaso from 1726 until his death and was a member of the Congregation and the Academy of Santa Cecilia, for which he composed much of his output.

Despite his relative obscurity today, Casciolini enjoyed great renown as a master of counterpoint during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. This is evidenced by testimonials such as that of German musicologist Carl Proske (1794–1861), who described him as ‘…the famous Claudio Casciolini, a musician imbued with the spirit of piety and an understanding of the sacred liturgy of the Church as if bestowed by God.’

Among his works, Messa di Morti a 4 enjoyed particular success, as evidenced by the numerous handwritten copies—and later printed editions—that exist. Published records have identified six sources containing this requiem: three in Rome, one in Moscow, one in Münster, and another in Speyer. Each of these sources presents unique features, ranging from the title of the work—often Missa pro defunctis or Requiem—to the inclusion of sections by other composers within the mass, as well as variations in dynamic and character markings or differences in how the text is distributed across melodic lines.”

The recording is now available and represents a valuable contribution to the understanding and dissemination of Baroque music in Latin America.

Ensamble Nuevo Extremo

Direction: Gerard Ramos

Sopranos: Fanny Becerra (soloist), Alejandra Gutiérrez, Catalina Lassalle.

Mezzosopranos: Javiera Barrios (soloist), Valentina Salinas, Valeria Vega.

Tenors: Cristian Fernández (soloist), Gerardo Mondaca, Santiago Peralta.

Basses: Ismael Correa (soloist), Diego Amengual, Nikolas Tobar.

Gerard Ramos

Gerard Ramos Pardo is a Catalan conductor based in Santiago, Chile. He is the founder and artistic director of the Ensamble Nuevo Extremo. He also serves as the principal conductor of the UC Chamber Choir and as the coordinating professor for the choral conducting program at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

Since his arrival in Santiago, he has been an active participant in the city’s musical scene, conducting numerous concerts annually.

Previously, he was the vocal area director at the Teatro del Lago School of Arts in Frutillar and led the “Puedes Cantar” program, which promotes various choral singing initiatives in the Los Lagos and Los Ríos regions. Before moving to Chile, he was the conductor of the Chemnitz University Choir in Germany. He collaborated with Hans-Christoph Rademann and the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart as an assistant conductor, preparing the recording of J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio for the Carus label. In Catalonia, he was a founding member of the Da Capo Choir of Tarragona and the professional Catalan Baroque ensemble O vos Omnes.

Gerard holds a degree in choral conducting from the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya and a master’s degree in choral conducting from the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden, Germany.

https://www.gerard-ramos.com/

Ensamble Nuevo Extremo

Ensamble Nuevo Extremo is a professional ensemble dedicated to performing polyphonic vocal repertoire—both a cappella and accompanied—from the 17th and 18th centuries. Founded in 2024 under the artistic and musical direction of Gerard Ramos, its members are accomplished young musicians with solo careers who regularly participate in concerts and productions by Santiago de Chile’s leading groups and venues.

In the field of early music, they have individually contributed to initiatives such as the Bach Santiago series and the Sacred Music Season organized by the Institute of Music at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. As an ensemble, this recording marks their debut.