
Aretino, a maestro di cappella at both the cathedral and Santa Maria della Pieve in Arezzo, was acclaimed in his own day as a true symbol of the city’s glory, along with his fellow-citizen, the famous writer Pietro Aretino. He also had repeated contacts with the Medici court, and indeed certain characteristic features of his style can be traced to the late-15th century Florentine tradition of regularly using polyphony during the Triduum. In particular we note his use of equal voices and, above all, the adoption of an austere and solemn declamatory style closely linked to the structure of the text. All of this, however, is not only conveyed with extreme refinement, but also includes some very striking encroachments into vocal ranges rarely found in contemporary Italian music. An example is the use of two or three bass voices together with a low bass; as happens, for example, in the Lamentations for Holy Saturday, which in this recording are presented complete, together with their respective responsories.