CCS SA 29810 Stabat Pergolesi Mater - dsd-files.s3 ... · Pergolesi’s death, the Stabat Mater became one of the most widely disseminated and frequently printed manuscripts of the

CCS SA 29810

CHANNEL CLASSICS

PergolesiElin Manahan Thomas sopranoRobin Blaze counter tenor

Stabat Mater

29810FlorilegiumStabMatBklet 16-02-2010 09:11 Pagina 1

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“No sooner had he ceased to live than he became theobject of an interest only equal to the indifference shown

him in his lifetime.”

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi was born inJesi in January 1710, and lived near

Naples during the period in which Italy wasa complicated patchwork of small states.After receiving an early musical training athome, the young Pergolesi was sent to theConservatorio dei Poveri di Gesù Cristo in1722, where he could enjoy the thrivingmusical life of Naples. He studied violinunder Domenico Matteis, Francesco Duranteand Francesco Feo, the latter who wrote of his student’s exceptional technical andimprovisational skills as a violinist. Duringthis time the Bourbon Prince, Charles iii,settled in the region to re-establish theKingdom of Naples as an independent stateafter fifteen years as an Austrian vice-realm.Pergolesi’s music was especially highlightedin the various masses held throughout thecity to celebrate this momentous event.

The young composer worked for anumber of patrons in the vicinity, and spent the last two years of his life servingDomenico Marzio Caraffa, the Duke ofMaddaloni. At this time he devoted himselfalmost entirely to the interpretation of

liturgical texts. Pergolesi sought respite fromhis debilitating illness of tuberculosis in aFranciscan monastery in Pozzuoli, on theBay of Naples. He most likely composed hisfour chamber cantatas at this monastery,which were edited immediately after hispremature death in 1736, and included theSalve Regina in C minor and the StabatMater.

Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, which depictsthe moving image of Mary grieving at thefoot of the cross, is highly dramatic in itsnarrative and musical style. The sequence ofLatin verses was originally composed byJacobus de Benedictis in the 13th century, incommemoration of the sorrows of the VirginMary. The work unfolds in a series of twelvesolos and duets for two high voices withstring accompaniment. Alessandro Scarlatti(1660-1725), also a native Neapolitancomposer, used the same forces in his StabatMater written around 1700. It is believed thatPergolesi’s setting was commissioned by theDuke of Maddaloni to replace Scarlatti’swork, which was considered a little oldfashioned for the nobleman’s contemporarytaste. Pergolesi’s version clearly attests to his abundant melodic gifts, a contrapuntalingenuity, in addition to a demonstration ofprofound harmonic skills. The frequent


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suspensions and the gradual blending of onechord into another contrast greatly with thecleaner harmony changes favoured by themore austere North European approach of Buxtehude, Bach and others. FollowingPergolesi’s death, the Stabat Mater becameone of the most widely disseminated andfrequently printed manuscripts of the 18th

century. Johann Sebastian Bach’s Germansetting of Psalm 51 (Tilge, Höchster, meineSünden), a tribute to Pergolesi in the form of a musical parody, is an example of thenumerous arrangements and adaptations itinspired.

Pergolesi’s posthumous celebrity statuswas such a magnet in the music worldthat, hoping to reap large financial profits,publishers and opera directors alike attri-buted his name to hundreds of vocal andinstrumental works by lesser-known com-posers. For instance, the only extant manu-script of the Flute Concerto in G major ishoused in the Library in Stockholm, quite a distance from Naples. Initially linked toPergolesi, this G major concerto and theFlute Concerto in D major are most pro-bably compositions by some other Italiancompatriots who hoped the hallowed namewould help promote and sell their music.Nonetheless, the G major concerto is an

instantly appealing work with its lively andvirtuosic outer movements, conveying thereal essence of the baroque Italian concertostyle. The expressive richness of the slowmovement with its haunting melody passedbetween the flute and violin manifests itselfin a gleaming lyricism that cannot fail toleave a memorable impression.

Pergolesi followed the Neapolitantradition of his predecessors, composingprimarily vocal works for the stage andchurch. However, of the some sixty-oddinstrumental works falsely bearing his name(and now known to have been written afterhis death), the Sinfonia in F major for celloand continuo is undoubtedly authentic basedon extensive research of his handwriting andthe manuscript’s watermarks. The piece wasmost likely intended for the Duke ofMaddaloni, who was an amateur cellist.Sinfonia as a title for a solo instrumentalwork may be misleading, but it followsessentially the sonata di chiesa format of fourcontrasting movements, here: Comodo-Allegro-Adagio-Presto. It possesses anunmistakeable charm and spontaneity, andgives the cello compass to sing and beincisive. The final movement of the Sinfoniamay be particularly familiar to 20th- and 21st-century ears from the Pulcinella score Igor


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Stravinsky composed for the Ballets Russesproduction at the Paris Opéra in 1920. The impresario Sergei Diaghilev persuadedStravinsky (after Manuel de Falla declined)to arrange and base his music on manuscriptshe believed to be entirely by Pergolesi. TheItalian baroque composer’s influence andmystique were still an inspiration some twohundred years later! After Stravinsky viewedthe manuscripts, he “fell in love.” Stravinskyre-orchestrated the Presto for trombone anddouble bass solos in the ballet, yet each noteof Pergolesi is still present.

Like the Stabat Mater, the Salve Reginawas also a product of Pergolesi’s final fewweeks at Pozzuoli. The Salve Regina is oneof the four great Marian antiphons sungevery day to close the liturgical offices. In the early part of the 18th century in Italy,these antiphons eulogizing the Virgin werenormally set in the style of solo motets, theprose text being divided into several sections

to produce a series of stylistically andtexturally contrasted movements. Pergolesioriginally wrote his Salve Regina for sopranoin C minor, but it was soon adopted in aversion in F minor for alto, as heard on thisrecording. In fact, so popular was this work,one can research its ninety-two sources,transposed into six different keys. There areno fewer than thirty-eight sources for theversion in F minor alone.

Although Pergolesi’s fame was restrictedduring his lifetime to the confines of Romeand Naples, his reputation certainly eclipsedmost other composers in the second half ofthe eighteenth century. Ever the observantmusic critic, Charles Burney commented:“The instant [Pergolesi’s] death was known,all Italy manifested an eager desire to hearand possess his productions.” This turnedout to be the case throughout Europe.

© Ashley Solomon & Jennifer Morsches


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“Kaum war sein Leben zu Ende, da fand er ebenso vielInteresse, als man ihm während seines Lebens

Gleichgültigkeit erwiesen hatte.”

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi wurde imJanuar 1710 in Jesi geboren und wohnte

in der Nähe von Neapel zu jener Zeit, alsItalien ein Flickenteppich aus kleinen Staatenwar. Damals herrschte in Neapel ein blühen-des musikalisches Leben, und da er zu Hauseschon früh Musikunterricht genossen hatte,wurde er dort 1722 zum Studium an dasConservatorio dei Poveri di Gesù Cristogeschickt. Er studierte Violine bei DomenicoMatteis, Francesco Durante und FrancescoFeo, der häufig über seine außergewöhnlicheGewandtheit und Improvisationskunst alsGeiger schrieb. Pergolesi war in Neapel, alsder Bourbone Karl iii. einzog, um das König-reich Neapel wieder als unabhängigen Staatzu etablieren, nachdem es einige Jahrzehntelang einen österreichischen Vizekönig gehabthatte, und Pergolesis Musik gehörte zu denWerken, die dazu ausgewählt wurden, dasEreignis in verschiedenen Messen zu feiern,die in der ganzen Stadt gehalten wurden. Erwar für einige Gönner aus der Umgebungtätig und verbrachte die beiden letzten Jahreseines Lebens im Dienst von DomenicoMarzio Caraffa, dem Herzog von Madda-

loni, wo er sich fast ausschließlich der Inter-pretation liturgischer Texte widmete. Seineletzten Monate verbrachte er in einemFranziskanerkloster in Pozzuoli an der Buchtvon Neapel, wo er die Linderung seinerKrankheit suchte, die zu seinem frühen Todführte. Hier im Kloster in Pozzuoli hat ervielleicht seine vier Kammerkantatenkomponiert, die sofort nach seinem Todherausgegeben wurden, das Salve Regina inc-Moll und das Stabat Mater. Mit demKomponieren begann er im Alter von zwan-zig Jahren, aber schon mit sechsundzwanzig(im März 1736) erlag er der Tuberkulose.

Pergolesis Stabat Mater mit seiner bewe-genden Darstellung der trauernden Maria amFuß des Kreuzes ist hochdramatisch inseinem erzählenden und musikalischen Stil.Die Folge lateinischer Verse hatte ursprüng-lich Jacobus de Benedictis im 13. Jahrhundertzum Gedenken des Kummers der JungfrauMaria komponiert. Das Werk entfaltet sich in einer Reihe von zwölf Soli undDuetten für zwei hohe Stimmen mitStreicherbegleitung. Alessandro Scarlatti(ebenfalls ein Neapolitanischer Komponist)hatte dieselben Mittel in seinem StabatMater verwendet, komponiert um 1700, undman nimmt an, dass Pergolesis Fassung einAuftragswerk des Herzogs von Maddaloni


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war, um Scarlattis Werk zu ersetzen, das fürden zeitgenössischen Geschmack ein bisschenaltmodisch erschien. Dieses Werk zeugt fürPergolesis verschwenderische melodischeBegabung, seine kontrapunktische Genialität,und darüber hinaus bewies er seineaußerordentliche harmonische Gewandtheit.Die häufigen Vorhalte und die Art, in der ereinen Akkord allmählich sich mit einemanderen vereinigen lässt, ganz im Gegenteil zuden reinen Harmoniewechseln beimstrengeren nordeuropäischen Verfahren vonBuxtehude, Bach und anderen, fallen sofortauf. Nach Pergolesis Tod wurde sein StabatMater eines der berühmtesten und amhäufigsten gedruckten Werke des 18.Jahrhunderts. Zu den zahlreichenArrangements und Bearbeitungen, zu denen esanregte, gehört J.S. Bachs deutsche Vertonungdes Psalm 51 (Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden), eineHuldigung Pergolesis in der Form einermusikalischen Umwandlung.

Merkwürdigerweise tauchte das einzigeManuskript des Flötenkonzerts in G-Dur inder Stockholmer Bibliothek auf, weit entferntvon Neapel. Dieses G-Dur-Konzert wurdeanfangs zusammen mit einem in D-DurPergolesi zugeschrieben, aber höchstwahr-scheinlich stammen beide Kompositionen vonweniger bekannten italienischen Kompo-

nisten, die sich des Namens Pergolesi be-dienten, um ihre Werke leichter verkaufen zukönnen. Dennoch ist das G-Dur-Konzert mitseinen lebhaften und virtuosen Ecksätzen einsofort ansprechendes Werk, das den Wesens-gehalt des barocken italienischen Konzertstilsdeutlich vermittelt. Der ausdrucksvolle Glanzdes langsamen Satzes mit seiner betörendenMelodie, gespielt zwischen Flöte und Violine,manifestiert sich in einer leuchtenden Lyrik,die einen bleibenden Eindruck hinterlässt.

Pergolesi hielt sich an die neapolitanischeTradition seiner Vorgänger, die hauptsächlichvokale Werke für die Bühne und die Kirchekomponierten. Aber neben den etwas übersechzig Instrumentalwerken, die seinenNamen fälschlicherweise trugen (und vondenen wir jetzt wissen, dass sie erst nachseinem Tod geschrieben wurden), ist dieSinfonia in F-Dur für Cello und Continuozweifellos authentisch, wie die gründlicheErforschung seiner Handschrift und derWasserzeichen des Manuskripts ergab. Das Stück war sehr wahrscheinlich für denHerzog von Maddaloni bestimmt, der sich als Amateurcellist betätigte. Die BezeichnungSinfonia als Titel für ein instrumentalesSolowerk kann irreführend sein, aber sie hältsich im wesentlichen an die Form der Sonata dichiesa in vier kontrastierenden Sätzen, hier:


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Comodo-Allegro-Adagio-Presto. Ihr Charmeund ihre Spontaneität sind unverkennbar, undsie bietet dem Cello Gelegenheit zu singenund hervorzutreten. Der Schlusssatz der Sin-fonia kann den Ohren des 20. und 21. Jahr-hunderts bekannt vorkommen durch die Pul-cinella-Partitur, die Igor Strawinsky 1920 fürdie Ballets-Russes-Produktion an der PariserOper komponierte. Der Impresario SergeiDiaghilew überredete Strawinsky (nachdemManuel de Falla abgelehnt hatte), seine Musiknach Manuskripten zu arrangieren und siedarauf zu basieren, von denen er glaubte, dasssie ganz von Pergolesi seien. Der Einflussund die Aura des italienischen Komponistenaus dem Barock inspirierten also noch gutzweihundert Jahre später! Nachdem Stra-winsky die Manuskripte durchgesehen hatte,war er regelrecht “verliebt.” Strawinskyorchestrierte das Presto für Posaunen- undKontrabasssoli im Ballett neu, aber jede Note Pergolesis blieb dabei erhalten.

Ebenso wie das Stabat Mater, war auchdas Salve Regina ein Werk aus Pergolesisletzten Lebenswochen in Pozzuoli. Ur-sprünglich war es in c-Moll für Soprangeschrieben, aber schon bald übernahmenAltistinnen es in der Fassung, die in dieserAufnahme in f-Moll zu hören ist. Da es

häufig übertragen wurde, gibt es zweiund-neunzig Quellen dieses Werks, die es insechs verschiedene Tonarten transponierten.Für diese Fassung in f-Moll gibt es nichtweniger als achtunddreißig Quellen. DasSalve Regina ist eine der vier großen Anti-phone, die täglich am Ende des Offiziumsgesungen wurden. Im frühen 18. Jahrhundertwurden diese Antiphone, welche die Jung-frau preisen, normalerweise im Stil vonSolomotetten verfasst, wobei der Prosatextin mehrere Abschnitte getrennt wurde, umso eine Reihe von stilistisch und textlichkontrastierenden Sätzen zu erzeugen.

Während seines Lebens war PergolesisRuhm hauptsächlich auf Rom und Neapelbeschränkt, aber nach seinem Tod überragtesein Ruf den der meisten übrigen Kompo-nisten in der zweiten Hälfte des achtzehntenJahrhunderts. Der aufmerksame Musik-kritiker Charles Burney bemerkte einst:“Kaum war [Pergolesis] Tod bekannt, da bekundete ganz Italien den innigenWunsch, seine Werke zu hören und zubesitzen.” Und ebenso geschah es allerortsin Europa.


Übersetzung: Erwin Peters


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“Dès qu’il eut rendu son dernier soupir, il devint l’objetd’un intérêt qui ne fut égal qu’à l’indifférence qu’on lui

témoigna de son vivant.”

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, né à Jesi enjanvier 1710, vécut près de Naples à une

époque où l’Italie constituait un patchworkde petits états. Naples connaissait alors unevie musicale florissante. Après avoir reçu descours de musique chez lui, Pergolesi futenvoyé en 1722 à Naples afin de poursuivreses études musicales au Conservatorio deiPoveri di Gesù Cristo. Il travailla le violonsous la direction de Domenico Matteis,Francesco Durante et Francesco Feo, quirendit fréquemment compte de son adresseexceptionnelle et de ses improvisations auviolon. Pergolesi était à Naples au momentoù Charles iii, prince bourbon, intervint afinde rendre son indépendance au Royaume deNaples après quelques décades d’ingérenceautrichienne. La musique de Pergolesi fitpartie de celles qui furent choisies pour lesdiverses messes données dans la ville afin decélébrer cet événement. Il travailla pour denombreux protecteurs dans cette région del’Italie et passa les deux dernières années desa vie au service de Domenico MarzioCaraffa, duc de Maddaloni, se consacrantalors presque entièrement à l’interprétation

des textes liturgiques. Il vécut les deuxderniers mois de sa vie dans un monastèrefranciscain, à Pozzuoli, sur la baie de Naples,cherchant un peu de repos, épuisé par lamaladie qui l’emporta très jeune. Ce futprobablement au monastère de Pozzuoli qu’ilcomposa ses quatre cantates de chambre –éditées immédiatement après sa mort –, sonSalve Regina en do mineur et son StabatMater. Sa productive carrière de compositeurcommença à l’âge de vingt ans. À vingt-sixans, il mourut de la tuberculose.

Le Stabat Mater de Pergolesi, avec sesémouvantes scènes évoquant Marie affligéeau pied de la croix, est extrêmementdramatique tant dans son style narratif quemusical. Jacobus de Benedictis écrivit cetteséquence de vers latins en commémorationde la douleur de la Vierge Marie. L’œuvrecomprend une série de douze solos et duos pour voix aiguës et accompagnement de cordes. Alessandro Scarlatti, autrecompositeur napolitain, avait utilisé le mêmeeffectif dans son Stabat Mater (vers 1700).On pense que l’œuvre de Scarlatti futcommandée par le duc de Maddaloni pourremplacer l’œuvre de Scarlatti qui n’étaitalors plus vraiment conforme au goût dujour. Cette œuvre témoigne du talent demélodiste de Pergolesi, de son ingénuité


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contrapuntique et de sa profonde maîtrise del’harmonie. Les fréquentes suspensions et sonart d’enchaîner et de faire fusionner peu àpeu les accords entre eux sautent aux yeux. Ilssont très éloignés des changementsharmoniques clairs qui caractérisentl’approche plus austère des compositeurs del’Europe du Nord tels que Buxtehude, Bach,etc. Après le décès de Pergolesi, son StabatMater devint l’une des œuvres les plusfréquemment louées et imprimées au 18ème

siècle. L’œuvre que Bach composa sur lePsaume 51 (Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden),véritable parodie musicale du Stabat Materde Pergolesi, est un hommage aucompositeur italien. Elle compte parmi lesnombreux arrangements et adaptations quivirent le jour.

De manière étrange, le seul manuscritexistant du concerto pour flûte en sol majeurse trouve à la bibliothèque de Stockholm,très loin donc de Naples. Attribué initiale-ment à Pergolesi, ce concerto en sol majeur,comme un autre en ré majeur, fait partie d’uncertain nombre d’œuvres de la plume decompositeurs italiens moins connus quiadoptèrent le nom de Pergolesi afin de mieuxpouvoir promouvoir et vendre leur musique.Le concerto en sol majeur est néanmoins uneœuvre très attachante avec un premier et un

dernier mouvement vifs et virtuoses fidèles àl’essence même du style du concerto baroqueitalien. La richesse expressive du mouvementlent, avec sa mélodie obsédante passant duviolon à la flûte, témoigne d’un lyrismebrillant qui ne peut manquer de laisser uneimpression mémorable.

Pergolesi perpétua la tradition napolitaineétablie par ses prédécesseurs et composaessentiellement des œuvres pour le théâtre etl’église. Si une soixante d’œuvres instrumen-tales portent à tort son nom (et furent com-posées, on le sait à présent, après sa mort), laSinfonia en fa majeur pour violoncelle etbasse continue est indubitablementauthentique si l’on en croit les recherchespoussées effectuées tant sur l’écriture que surle filigrane du manuscrit autographe. Cetteœuvre fut probablement destinée au duc deMaddaloni, violoncelliste amateur. Le titre“Sinfonia” pour une œuvre instrumentalesolo pourrait être trompeur, car cette œuvresuit essentiellement la forme traditionnelle dela sonata da chiesa en quatre mouvementscontrastés: Comodo-Allegro-Adagio-Presto.Elle possède un charme et une spontanéitéindéniables et permet au violoncelle dechanter comme d’être incisif. Le mouvementfinal de la Sinfonia semble très familier auxoreilles des auditeurs des 20ème et 21ème


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siècles, car il inspira Igor Stravinski lors de lacomposition de sa partition de Pucinella pourune production des Ballets Russes à l’Opérade Paris en 1920. Après avoir reçu un refus deManuel de Falla, l’impresario Serge Diaghilevpersuada Igor Stravinski d’arranger et debaser sa musique sur des manuscrits qu’ilpensait être entièrement de Pergolesi. Lemysticisme et l’influence du compositeurbaroque italien furent source d’inspirationquelque deux cent ans plus tard! Stravinskiconsulta les manuscrits et “fut conquis”.Pour son ballet, Stravinski réorchestra lepresto pour trombone et contrebasse solo.Toutefois toutes les notes de Pergolesi sontprésentes.

Le Salve Regina, comme le Stabat Mater,fut composé par Pergolesi durant les dernièressemaines de sa vie, à Pozzuoli. Composéinitialement en do mineur pour soprano, il futrapidement adopté par les altos et transposéen fa mineur conformément à la versionenregistrée ici. Cette œuvre fut extrêmementpopulaire et fréquemment copiée comme entémoignent les quatre-vingt douze sourcesexistantes et les transpositions dans six

tonalités différentes. Il n’existe pas moins detrente-huit sources de la version de cetteœuvre en fa mineur. Le Salve Regina est l’unedes quatre grandes antiennes qui étaientchantées tous les jours à la fin du rosaire. Audébut du 18ème siècle en Italie, ces antiennesrendant louange à la Vierge étaient habitu-ellement composées dans le style des motetspour voix seule, le texte en prose étant partagéen différentes sections afin de donner lieu àune série de mouvements contrastés tant surle plan de leur style que de leur texture.

Durant sa vie, la renommée de Pergolesifut limitée principalement à Rome et àNaples. Après sa mort, sa réputation éclipsatoutefois celle de la plupart des autrescompositeurs de la seconde moitié du 18ème

siècle. Charles Burney, critique observateur,commenta un jour: “À l’instant même où ledécès de Pergolesi fut connut, toute l’Italiemanifesta un désir avide d’entendre et deposséder ses oeuvres.” Ce fut le cas danstoute l’Europe.


Traduction: Clémence Comte


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FlorilegiumDirector Ashley Solomon

Regular performances in some of theworld’s most prestigious venues have

confirmed Florilegium’s status as one ofBritain’s most outstanding period instrumentensembles. Since their formation in 1991 theyhave established a reputation for stylish andexciting interpretations, from intimatechamber works to large-scale orchestral andchoral repertoire, frequently working withsome of the world’s finest musicians.

Concert venues include Sydney OperaHouse, Esplanade (Singapore), Teatro Colon(Buenos Aires), Concertgebouw (Amster-dam), Konzerthaus (Vienna), Beethoven-Haus (Bonn), Handel-Haus (Halle) andFrick Collection (New York), as well asRoyal Albert and Festival Halls, London.

Among the numerous residenciesFlorilegium have held was the coveted postof Ensemble-in-Residence at London’sWigmore Hall, a position they enjoyed from1998 to 2000, performing several series ofconcerts each year and becoming activelyinvolved in the Hall’s education work. SinceSeptember 2008 they have been Ensemble inAssociation at the Royal College of Music.

Their 20 recordings for Channel Classicshave been awarded many prizes including a

Gramophone Award nomination, Editor’sChoice from Gramophone, Diapasons d’Orand Chocs de la Musique. Florilegium’s cdof Telemann’s Paris Quartets Vol 2 receivedthe Classical Internet Award from Classics-today.com. The first volume of BaroqueMusic from Bolivian Missions was releasedto critical acclaim; the second volume wasnominated for a 2008 bbc Music Magazineaward, and their Bach Cantatas disc withJohannette Zomer was awarded a 2008Edison Award.www.florilegium.org.uk

Ashley Solomon

As its Director, much of Ashley’s time isspent working and performing with

Florilegium, the ensemble he co-founded in1991, after completing his studies at London’sRoyal Academy of Music. He has performedas a soloist throughout Europe, the Ameri-cas, the Far East and Australia. He frequentlyrecords programmes for radio and televisionand has been recording as a solo artist since1998.

Much in demand as a teacher, he hasbeen Professor at London’s Royal College ofMusic since 1994 and given master classesand lectures in Australia, Singapore, theAmericas, across Europe and the uk. In Sep-


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tember 2006 he was appointed Head of Historical Performance at the Royal Collegeof Music. Since his appointment he hasdirected numerous projects including anannual Bach Cantata concert with the rcmBaroque Orchestra, which takes place at St. John’s, Smith Square. Ashley directedmusic recorded to accompany artefacts in the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Medieval and Renaissance Galleries, which opened inDecember 2009.

In 2002 Florilegium became involvedwith Bolivian Baroque music and Ashley hasbeen training vocalists and instrumentaliststhere since 2004. As a result of this work hewas awarded the 2008 Hans Roth Prize, the first European to receive this prestigiousBolivian award.

Elin Manahan Thomas

Elin is fast becoming one of Britain’sleading young sopranos. Born and bred

in Swansea, she graduated from Cambridgein Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic; laterstudying at the Royal College of Music.

Elin first received acclaim for her award-winning recording of Rutter’s Requiem; andrecorded Bach’s 1713 Alles mit Gott, only dis-

covered in 2005. Her 2007 début album, Eter-nal Light, entered the classical charts at numbertwo, and her 2009 release, Patrick Hawes’sSong of Songs was cd of the week on Classic fm.

2007 saw her perform in Classic fm’sfifteenth birthday concert, and she was thesubject of an S4C documentary, nominatedin the 2007 Celtic Film Festival. In 2008 Elinperformed in the première of Tavener’sRequiem in Liverpool Cathedral (also recordedfor emi). In 2009 she made her début atWigmore Hall with the Academy of AncientMusic, performed in the Vatican on EasterSunday, and appeared at the EdinburghInternational Festival.

She has sung in many of the world’sleading venues, including Lincoln Center(New York), San Francisco Symphony Hall,Royal Albert Hall, Westminster Abbey,Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Palau deMusica (Barcelona), and St Mark’s, Venice.Other performances include bbc Proms inthe Park with bbc now, Songs of PraiseMessiah, and a gala to close the LlangollenInternational Eisteddfod. On television, Elin appeared in bbc 2’s Birth of British Music,bbc 4’s Sacred Music and Channel 4’s HowMusic Works.


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Ashley Solomon Elin Manahan Thomas

Robin Blaze Jennifer Morsches


Robin Blaze

Robin Blaze is established in the frontrank of countertenor interpreters of

Purcell, Bach and Handel. He studied musicat Magdalen College, Oxford and at theRoyal College of Music where he is now aprofessor of vocal studies. He works withmany distinguished conductors in the earlymusic field: Harry Christophers, Sir JohnEliot Gardiner, Emmanuelle Haïm, PhilippeHerreweghe, Ton Koopman, Gustav Leon-hardt, Robert King, Nicholas Kraemer, Sir Charles Mackerras, Trevor Pinnock and Masaaki Suzuki.

He performed with major symphonyorchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic,National Symphony Orchestra, Washington,the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Or-chestra, the bbc Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hallé Orchestra.

Robin Blaze’s opera engagements have included Athamas (Semele) at CoventGarden and English National Opera; Didymus (Theodora) for GlyndebourneFestival Opera; Arsamenes (Xerxes), Oberon(A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and Hamor (Jephtha) for English National Opera; and Bertarido (Rodelinda) forGlyndebourne Touring Opera and at theGöttingen Handel Festival.

Jennifer Morsches

Jennifer Morsches enjoys an active freelancecareer as chamber musician, continuo

cellist and orchestral player in the uk and on the Continent. Besides being a coremember of Florilegium, she also performs,records and tours with the Orchestre desChamps-Élysées, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Academy ofAncient Music. Additionally she has beeninvolved in productions at De NederlandseOpera and the Royal Flemish Philharmonicas guest principal cello.

Jennifer graduated Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude, First Group Scholar fromSmith College with degrees in Music History and German Literature, and wasawarded the Ernst Wallfisch Prize in Music.Subsequently she received her Master’s and Doctorate in Cello Performance as ascholarship student of Timothy Eddy at the Mannes College of Music and sunyat Stony Brook in New York. Recipient ofthe cd Jackson Prize for outstanding meritand contribution at Tanglewood, she wasfeatured on Wynton Marsalis’s educationalmusic videos with Yo-Yo Ma. She has givenworld premieres of chamber music by DavidMatthews, Michael Wolpe and Ben ZionOrgad.

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Stabat Mater

1 Stabat Mater dolorosa (duet)Stabat Mater dolorosajuxta crucem lacrimosadum pendebat Filius.

2 Cujus animam gementem (soprano)Cujus animam gementemcontristatam ac dolentempertransivit gladius.

3 O quam tristis et afflicta (duet)O quam tristis et afflictafuit illa benedictamater unigeniti!

4 Quae moerebat et dolebat (alto)Quae moerebat et dolebat,et tremebat, cum videbatnati poenas inclyti.

5 Quis est homo (duet)Quis est homo, qui non fleret,Christi matrem si videretin tanto supplicio?Quis non posset contristari,piam matrem contemplaridolentem cum filio?Pro peccatis suae gentis

At the cross her station keeping,stood the mournful mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharingall his bitter anguish bearing,now at length the sword hath passed.

Oh how sad and sore distressedwas that Mother highly blest,of the sole-begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs, she beneath beholds the pangs of her dying glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep, whelmed in miseries so deepChrist’s dear Mother to behold?Can the human heart refrain from partaking in her pain, in that Mother’s pain untold?Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,


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vidit Jesum in tormentiset flagellis subditum.

6 Vidit suum dulcem natum (soprano)Vidit suum dulcem natummorientem, desolatum,dum emisit spiritum.

7 Eja mater fons amoris (alto)Eja mater fons amoris,me sentire vim doloris,fac, ut tecum lugeam.

8 Fac, ut ardeat cor meum (duet)Fac, ut ardeat cor meumin amando Christum Deum, ut sibi complaceam.

9 Sancta Mater, istud agas (duet)Sancta Mater, istud agas,crucifixi fige plagascordi meo valide.Tui nati vulneraritam dignati pro me patipoenas mecum divide.Fac me vere tecum flere,crucifixo condolere,donec ego vixero.Juxta crucem tecum stare, te libenter sociare

she beheld her tender childall with scourges rent.

For the sins of His own nation,saw Him hang in desolation, till His spirit forth He sent.

O thou Mother! fount of love! touch my spirit from above, make my heart with thine accord.

Make me feel as thou hast felt; make my soul to glow and meltwith the love of Christ my Lord.

Holy Mother, pierce me through, in my heart each wound renewof my Saviour crucified.Let me share with thee His pain, who for all my sins was slain, who for me in torments died.Let me mingle tears with thee, mourning Him who mourned for me, all the days that I may live.By the cross with thee to stay, there with thee to weep and pray,


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in planctu desidero. Virgo virginum praeclara,mihi jam non sis amara,fac me tecum plangere.

10 Fac ut portem Christi mortem (alto)Fac ut portem Christi mortem,passionis fac consortemet plagas recolere.Fac me plagis vulnerari cruce hac inebriari ob amorem filii.

11 Inflammatus et accensus (duet)Inflammatus et accensus per te, virgo, sim defensus in die judicii. Fac me cruce custodiriMorte Christi praemuniriconfoveri gratia.

12 Quando corpus morietur (duet)Quando corpus morietur fac ut animae doneturparadisi gloria. Amen.

is all I ask of thee to give.Virgin of all virgins blest, listen to my fond request,let me share thy grief divine.

Let me, to my latest breath, in my body bear the deathof that dying Son of thine.Wounded with His every wound, steep my soul till it hath swooned in His very blood away.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, lest in flames I burn and die, in His awful judgment day.Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,be Thy Mother my defence, be Thy cross my victory.

While my body here decays, may my soul Thy goodness praise, safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

Translation by Fr. Edward Caswall (1814-1878)


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Salve Regina

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae. Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, Advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.

Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,our life, our sweetness and our hope.

To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.To thee do we send up our sighs,mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, most gracious advocate,thine eyes of mercy toward us.

And after this our exile,show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.


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InstrumentsAshley Solomon, flute, Martin Wenner, 2005 after Palanca, 1720Bojan Cicic, violin 1, F.Ruggieri, Cremona, c1680, kindly loaned by Jumpstart Junior FoundationJean Paterson, violin 2, Fabrizio Senta, Turin, 1669Malgorzata Ziemkiewicz, viola, J.Pawlikowski, 2007 after Amati Jennifer Morsches, cello, English school, c1720Christopher Poffley, cello 2 (Sinfonia only), Amati, 1610Tim Amherst, bass, anonymous, Venice, c1700James Johnstone, organ/harpsichord: organ, Italian Positive Organ, 17th century style, madeby Martin Goetze and Dominic Gwynn, 1996; harpsichord, Willem Kroesbergen, Utrecht1972, after an instrument by Bartolomeo Stephanini, 1694

Florilegium discographyccs 5093 Telemann: Concerti da

Camera ccs 7595 Le Roi s’amuse ccs 8495 Vivaldi: Concerti ccs 9096 In the name of Bachccs 11197 Sanguineus and Melancho-

licus: C.P.E. Bach - Sonatasccs 13598 Telemann: Paris Quartets,

vol.1ccs 14598 Bach: A Musical Offering, ccs 16898 Fatale Flame: French

composersccs sa 19102 Telemann: Tafelmusikccs sa 19603 Haydn: London Symphonies

Salomon arrangements, vol.1

ccs sa 20604 Telemann: Paris Quartets,vol.2

ccs sa 21005 Telemann: Paris Quartets,vol.3

ccs sa 22105 Bolivian Baroque Music, vol.1ccs sa 23807 Bach: Cantatasccs sa 24806 Bolivian Baroque Music, vol.2ccs sa 27208 Bach &Telemannccs sa 28009 Bolivian Baroque Music, vol.3

with cellist Pieter Wispelweyccs 6294 Vivaldi: Cello Sonatasccs 7395 Haydn: Cello Concerti and

London Symphony no. 104ccs 10097 Vivaldi: Cello Concerti


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ProductionChannel Classics Records bvProducersAshley Solomon, C. Jared SacksRecording engineer, editingC. Jared SacksAdditional editingRob FaberCover illustrationPanel with scenes from the Passion of Christ,oil on panel, Haarlem, the Netherlands,c.1470, detail. (Museum Catharijneconvent,Utrecht, The Netherlands)Cover designAd van der Kouwe, Manifesta, RotterdamLiner notesAshley Solomon, Jennifer MorschesTranslationsErwin Peters, Clémence Comte Recording locationSt John the Evangelist Church, Upper Norwood, LondonRecording date23-25 September 2009

Technical information

Microphones Bruel & Kjaer 4006, SchoepsDigital converterdsd Super Audio/Grimm Audio ad ConvertersPyramix Editing/Merging TechnologiesSpeakersAudio Lab, The NetherlandsAmplifiersvan Medevoort, The NetherlandsCablesVan den Hul*Mixing boardRens Heijnis, custom design

Mastering RoomSpeakersb+w 803d series AmplifierClasse 5200CablesVan den Hul*

* exclusive use of Van den Hul cables

The INTEGRATION and The SECOND®


Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736)FlorilegiumElin Manahan Thomas soprano Robin Blaze counter tenorAshley Solomon flute Jennifer Morsches cello

Stabat MaterElin Manahan Thomas, sopranoRobin Blaze, counter tenor

1 Stabat Mater 3.572 Cujus animam gementem 2.293 O quam tristis 2.104 Quae moerebat et dolebat 2.145 Quis est homo 3.196 Vidit suum dulcem Natum 3.367 Eja Mater 2.158 Fac ut ardeat cor meum 2.169 Sancta Mater 5.3410 Fac ut portem 3.3911 Inflammatus et accensus 2.0112 Quando corpus – Amen 4.34

Flute Concerto in G majorAshley Solomon, flute

13 Spiritoso 4.1414 Largo 4.1315 Allegro spiritoso 4.35

Sinfonia in F major for cello andcontinuoJennifer Morsches, cello

16 Comodo 1.0917 Allegro 1.4818 Adagio 1.5819 Presto 2.18

Salve Regina in F minorRobin Blaze, counter tenor

20 Salve Regina 4.1021 Ad te clamamus 4.3622 Eja ergo, advocata nostra 1.3023 Et Jesum 2.1624 O clemens 1.46

Total time 72.35


CCS SA 29810 Stabat Pergolesi Mater - dsd-files.s3 ... · Pergolesi’s death, the Stabat Mater became one of the most widely disseminated and frequently printed manuscripts of the

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