Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...
's Stabat Mater
Hob. XXa:1 was written in 1767, for soprano, alto, tenor and bass soloists, mixed choir, 2
oboe
The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range.
A ...
s both doubling
English horn
The cor anglais (, or original ; plural: ''cors anglais''), or English horn in North America, is a double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family. It is approximately one and a half times the length of an oboe, making it essentially an alto ...
in the sections in
E-flat major
E-flat major (or the key of E-flat) is a major scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has three flats. Its relative minor is C minor, and its parallel minor is E minor, (or enharmonically ...
, strings and organ continuo. The first performance is believed to have taken place March 25, 1768 in
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
with soloists Anna Maria Scheffstoss and Carl Friberth, with Haydn conducting from the harpsichord. Conductor Jonathan Green suggests adding a
bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuo ...
to double the bass line and perhaps just one player to each string part.
Haydn divides the setting into 13 movements:
# "Stabat Mater dolorosa" Largo,
G minor
G minor is a minor scale based on G, consisting of the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has two flats. Its relative major is B-flat major and its parallel major is G major.
According to Paolo Pietropaolo, it is the cont ...
,
common time
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
# "O quam tristis et afflicta" Larghetto Affettuoso
E-flat major
E-flat major (or the key of E-flat) is a major scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has three flats. Its relative minor is C minor, and its parallel minor is E minor, (or enharmonically ...
, 3/8
# "Quis est homo qui non fleret" Lento,
C minor
C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature consists of three flats. Its relative major is E major and its parallel major is C major.
The C natural minor scale is:
:
Cha ...
, common time
#"Quis non posset contristari" Moderato,
F major
F major (or the key of F) is a major scale based on F, with the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative minor is D minor and its parallel minor is F minor
F minor is a minor scale based on F, consis ...
, common time
# "Pro peccatis suae gentis" Allegro ma non troppo,
B-flat major
B-flat major is a major scale based on B, with pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. Its key signature has two flats. Its relative minor is G minor and its parallel minor is B-flat minor.
The B-flat major scale is:
:
Many transposing instr ...
, common time
# "Vidit suum dulcem natum" Lento e mesto,
F minor
F minor is a minor scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature consists of four flats. Its relative major is A-flat major and its parallel major is F major. Its enharmonic equivalent, E-sharp mi ...
, common time
# "Eja Mater, fons amoris" Allegretto,
D minor
D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative major is F major and its parallel major is D major.
The D natural minor scale is:
Changes needed for t ...
, 3/8
# "Sancta Mater, istud agas" Larghetto, B-flat major, 2/4
# "Fac me vere tecum flere" Lagrimoso, G minor, common time
# "Virgo virginum praeclara" Andante, E-flat major, 3/4
# "Flammis orci ne succendar" Presto, C minor, common time
# "Fac me cruce custodiri" Moderato,
C major
C major (or the key of C) is a major scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. C major is one of the most common keys used in music. Its key signature has no flats or sharps. Its relative minor is A minor and ...
, common time
# "Quando corpus morietur" Largo assai, G minor, common time
#:—"Paradisi gloria"
G major
G major (or the key of G) is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp. Its relative minor is E minor and its parallel minor is G minor.
The G major scale is:
Notable compositi ...
,
cut time
''Alla breve'' also known as cut time or cut common timeis a musical meter notated by the time signature symbol (a C with a vertical line through it), which is the equivalent of . The term is Italian for "on the breve", originally meaning tha ...
Pergolesi Pergolesi is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, (1710–1736), Italian composer, violinist, and organist
* Michael Angelo Pergolesi, 18th-century Italian decorative artist
{{Surname
Italian-langu ...
's
setting
Setting may refer to:
* A location (geography) where something is set
* Set construction in theatrical scenery
* Setting (narrative), the place and time in a work of narrative, especially fiction
* Setting up to fail a manipulative technique to eng ...
of the
Stabat Mater was already popular in Haydn's day despite criticisms of its not being serious enough. In his setting, Haydn aimed to be more serious while taking Pergolesi's setting as a model in some details, such as the "Vidit suum" which emulates "Pergolesi in its melodic traits, rhythmic quirks, and thin texture. Haydn, like
Traetta
Tommaso Michele Francesco Saverio Traetta (30 March 1727 – 6 April 1779) was an Italian composer of the Neapolitan School. Along with other composers mainly in the Holy Roman Empire and France, he was responsible for certain operatic ref ...
, even adapted a feature of Pergolesi's text setting, the breaking up with rests of 'dum e-mi-sit spiritum' in order to convey the last gasps of the dying Christ."
Indeed "
Hasse was greatly impressed with Haydn's ''Stabat mater'', which must have seemed to him an added vindication of the Neapolitan style
f Pergolesithat he more than anyone else had brought to flower in central Europe." According to Haydn himself, four performances in Paris were very successful.
Haydn's Stabat Mater is considered "suitable for a penitential
Good Friday
Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
program."
[p. 4 (2002) Green]
Notes
References
* Green (2002) Jonathan D. New York ''A Conductor's Guide to Choral-Orchestral Works, Classical Period: Volume 1: Haydn and Mozart'' Scarecrow Press
* Heartz (1995) Daniel. New York. ''Haydn, Mozart, and the Viennese School: 1740 — 1780'' W. W. Norton & Co.
* Hugues (1974) Rosemary. London. ''Haydn''. J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd
* Schenbeck (1996) Lawrence. Chapel Hill, North Carolina ''Joseph Haydn and the Classical Choral Tradition'' Hinshaw Music
* Webster (2006) James. Cambridge "Haydn's sacred vocal music and the aesthetics of salvation" Sutcliffe (editor) W. Dean ''Haydn Studies'' Cambridge University Press
External links
*
Stabat Mater site{{Authority control
Compositions by Joseph Haydn
Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led ...
1767 compositions