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Stabat Mater by
Alessandro Scarlatti is a religious musical work composed for two voices (
soprano/
alto), two
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...
s and
basso continuo, in 1724, on a commission from the
Order of Friars Minor
The Order of Friars Minor (also called the Franciscans, the Franciscan Order, or the Seraphic Order; postnominal abbreviation OFM) is a mendicant Catholic religious order, founded in 1209 by Francis of Assisi. The order adheres to the teachi ...
, the "Knights of the Virgin of Sorrows" of the Church of San Luigi in Naples for
Lent
Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...
The text, the
Stabat Mater sequence, is a 13th-century liturgical text meditating on the suffering of
Mary
Mary may refer to:
People
* Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name)
Religious contexts
* New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below
* Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...
, mother of Christ.
Considered outdated by those who had ordered it, Scarlatti's work was replaced in 1736 by the famous
Stabat Mater by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi.
Scarlatti set the Stabat Mater three times. There is another manuscript of a three-part Stabat Mater, dated 1715 and kept in Naples (''Stabat Mater''
I and a third work, composed for four voices, dated 1723, but now lost (''Stabat Mater''
II.
Description
![Stabat Mater (I) - Alessandro Scarlatti (Ms](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Stabat_Mater_%28I%29_-_Alessandro_Scarlatti_%28Ms._Naples%29.png)
The Stabat Mater consists of eighteen pieces that can be grouped into four parts, starting and ending with a duet.
Scarlatti inverts verses 10 and 11 and groups verse 13 with verse 14, and verse 15 also plays verses 16 and 17 in a
recitative
Recitative (, also known by its Italian name "''recitativo''" ()) is a style of delivery (much used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms and delivery of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repeat ...
. That is eighteen numbers for twenty verses.
Scarlatti's late composition impresses by its extraordinary musical richness, variety of forms, chromatic freedom and flexibility of expression. Thus the work is one of his most popular religious works today.
A performance takes about forty minutes.
* Stabat Mater dolorosa, a due – Adagio
* Cujus animam gementem, canto solo – Moderato e dolce
* O quam tristis, alto solo – Poco andante
* Quae moerebat et dolebat, a due – Adagio
* Quis est homo, canto solo – Andante
* Quis non posset contritari, alto solo – Andantino
* Pro peccatis suae gentis, canto solo – Moderato
* Vidit suum dulcem natum, a due – Moderato
* Pia Mater, canto solo – Andantino
* Sancta Mater, alto solo – Andante moderato
* Fac ut ardeat cor meum, canto solo – Andante molto
* Tui nati vulnerati, a due – Adagio
* Juxta crucem, alto solo – Andante smorzato
* Virgo virginum praeclara, canto solo – Allegro
* Fac ut portem Christi mortem, alto solo – Recitativo – Adagio e piano
* Inflammatus et accensus, canto solo – Andantino
* Fac me cruce custodiri, alto solo – Recitativo – Largo
* Quando corpus morietur, a due – Adagio e piano – Allegro
Manuscript
* Florence,
Conservatorio Luigi Cherubini, I-Fc (Ms.B 2353b).
Discography
* ''Stabat Mater''
–
Mirella Freni
Mirella Freni, OMRI (, born Mirella Fregni, 27 February 1935 – 9 February 2020) was an Italian operatic soprano who had a career of 50 years and appeared at major international opera houses. She received international attention at the Gl ...
, soprano;
Teresa Berganza
Teresa Berganza Vargas OAXS (16 March 1933 – 13 May 2022) was a Spanish mezzo-soprano. She is most closely associated with roles such as Rossini's Rosina and La Cenerentola, and later Bizet's Carmen, admired for her technical virtuosity, mu ...
, mezzo-soprano;
Paul Kuentz
Paul Kuentz (4 May 1930 in Mulhouse, France) is a French conductor who studied at the Paris Conservatoire from 1947 to 1950, with Noël Gallon, Georges Hugon and Eugene Bigot.
Career
He founded the Paul Kuentz Chamber Orchestra in 1951 and mad ...
chamber orchestra,
conductor Charles Mackerras
Mackerras in 2005
Sir Alan Charles MacLaurin Mackerras (; 1925 2010) was an Australian conductor. He was an authority on the operas of Janáček and Mozart, and the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan. He was long associated with the Engli ...
(1976,
Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon (; DGG) is a German classical music record label that was the precursor of the corporation PolyGram. Headquartered in Berlin Friedrichshain, it is now part of Universal Music Group (UMG) since its merger with the UMG family of ...
)
* ''Stabat Mater''
''
Salve Regina
The "Salve Regina" (, ; meaning 'Hail Queen'), also known as the "Hail Holy Queen", is a Marian hymn and one of four Marian antiphons sung at different seasons within the Christian liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church. The Salve Regina ...
''
– Véronique Diestchy, soprano; Alain Zaepffel, countertenor; Ensemble Gradiva (7-9 August 1988, Adda 581048 /
Accord)
* ''Stabat Mater''
– Gemma Bertagnolli, soprano;
Sara Mingardo, contralto; Concerto Italiano, dir.
Rinaldo Alessandrini
Rinaldo Alessandrini (born 25 January 1960) is a virtuoso on Baroque keyboards, including harpsichord, fortepiano, and organ. He is founder and conductor of the Italian early music ensemble Concerto Italiano, performing music of Monteverdi, ...
(1998, Opus 111 30-160 /
Naïve Records
Naïve Records is a French independent record label based in Paris, specializing in electronic music, pop music, jazz and classical music.
Founding and expansion
It was founded in 1998 by Patrick Zelnik, former CEO of Virgin France, Gilles Paire ...
OP30441) — with Pergolesi
* ''Stabat Mater''
''
Salve Regina
The "Salve Regina" (, ; meaning 'Hail Queen'), also known as the "Hail Holy Queen", is a Marian hymn and one of four Marian antiphons sung at different seasons within the Christian liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church. The Salve Regina ...
''
II–
Sandrine Piau, soprano;
Gérard Lesne, alto; Il Seminario musicale (1998, Virgin 5 45366 2)
[When it was released, this disc was distinguished with a '' Golden Diapason'' N° 469, April 2000 and a "recommended" in '' Classica''.]
* ''Stabat Mater''
–
Emma Kirkby
Dame Carolyn Emma Kirkby, (; born 26 February 1949) is an English soprano and early music specialist. She has sung on over 100 recordings.
Education and early career
Kirkby was educated at Hanford School, Sherborne School for Girls in Dorse ...
, soprano;
Daniel Taylor, countertenor; Theatre Of Early Music (26-29 August 2004, Atma Classique)
References
Bibliography
* enregistrement : OCLC:1007458967
*
External links
*
Alessandro Scarlatti, ''Stabat Mater''on stabatmater.info
{{Authority control
Compositions by Alessandro Scarlatti
Scarlatti
Christian music
1724 compositions