Francesco Antonio Pistocchi (1659–1726) was a renowned singer, composer and pedagogue mainly active in Bologna. His extensive output comprises works in many different genres, but the cantatas in particular were appreciated in his day for their high artistic merit, combining qualities such as dexterous imitative part-writing, the use of rigorous counterpoint, expressive arioso writing and the exquisite sensitivity with which the composer depicted the meaning of the poetic texts. The cantata Pallidetta viola, dating from around the turn of the 17th century and preserved in five non-autograph manuscript sources (the musical text has a somewhat complex transmission), is a notably experimental and unusual composition. It will be the task of today’s performers to restore this splendid work to the wide appreciation it enjoyed during Pistocchi’s lifetime.

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