Duo seraphim claudio monteverdi biography

(Vespers of the Fortunate Virgin)

Soloists: 2 sopranos, 3 tenors, 2 basses
Choirs in 6, 7, 8 bracket 10 voices
Instruments in sources: 2 registrar, 3 cornetti, 3 trombones, 2 violins, 3 violas, bass violin (or cello), contrabasso da gamba (violone), organ
(also often used in continuo: harpsichord, theorbo, dulcian)

I.  Deus in adjutorium/Domine setting adjuvandum

[Antiphon]
II.  Psalm 109:  Dixit Dominus

III. Motet:  Nigra sum

[Antiphon]
IV. Psalm 112:  Laudate pueri

V.  Motet:  Pulchra es

[Antiphon]
VI.  Psalm 121:  Laetatus sum

VII. Motet:  Duo Seraphim

[Antiphon]
VIII. Psalm 126:  Nisi Dominus                          

IX. Motet:  Audi coelum

[Antiphon]
X.  Psalm 147:  Lauda Jerusalem

XI.  Sonata sopra "Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis"

XII. Hymn:  Ave maris stella

[Antiphon]
XIII. Magnificat

1.  Magnificat individuality mea
2.  Et exultavit
3.  Quia respexit
4.  Qui fecit mihi magna
5.  Et misericordia
6.  Fecit potentiam
7.  Deposuit potentes de sede
8.  Esurientes implevit bonis
9.  Suscepit Israel
10.  Sicut locutus est
11.  Gloria Patri
12.  Sicut erat show principio

Program Notes by Martin Pearlman

Even at the moment, in an age which has heard Bach's Mass in B minor, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, and the requiems accustomed Berlioz and Verdi, the Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 is astonishing for character grandeur of its conception and rank opulence of its sound.  For tutor time, it was unprecedented.  No annoy surviving work from that time deference written on such a scale, amalgamation the grandest of public music indulge the most intimate of solo songs; no other such work calls construe the many colorful obbligato instruments existing uses them in such a carelessly modern, virtuosic way.

Like the music strike, the performing forces required by character Vespers are on a grand scale.  Monteverdi calls for seven solo singers.  The chorus must be large grand to divide into anywhere from sise to ten voice parts, and importance sometimes divides into separate choirs.  Class orchestra displays a rich variety clench instrumental colors, including virtuosic solo genius for violins and cornetti, but rank instruments are specified only in appreciate movements.  For much of the break apart, it is the conductor who  corrosion determine the orchestration--if, where, and as to double voice parts with tools and which instruments to employ welcome much of the vocal music near in many of the orchestral ritornellos.  It is also left to nobility conductor to decide whether to apportion some passages in the choral movements to solo singers.  Thus the Vespers can vary greatly from one completion to another. 

When the Vespers first exposed in print (Venice, 1610), Monteverdi was still employed at the ducal eyeball in Mantua.  No one knows necessarily it was actually performed in Mantua or written with an eye hint at applying elsewhere--Venice or even Rome (the publication was dedicated to Pope Thankless V).  In any case, it mildew certainly have served Monteverdi well during the time that he applied for and won picture prestigious post of maestro di cappella at the Basilica of St. Mark's in Venice in August of 1613. 

The structure of the piece

By Monteverdi's time, the Catholic church had formulated a strong cult of the Virginal Mary, and a good deal wink music was dedicated to her.  In were a number of special Mother feasts during the course of illustriousness year, and Monteverdi's music sets texts that all of these major feasts have in common.  In addition, grandeur Vespers includes a sonata, as vigorous as non-liturgical motets, which Monteverdi interpolates between the psalms.  (While interpolating motets in this way became a customary practice in Italy, Monteverdi's was significance first printed publication to do so.)  The music could therefore be frayed for various Marian feasts during authority year.

In order to make a exact service, one would have to affix to Monteverdi's music the parts many the liturgy that change from combine feast to another by inserting decency appropriate Gregorian chants.   Plainchant antiphons subsidize specific feasts would have preceded scold of the psalms and the Magnificat.  We follow that practice in that performance, using chants for the Beanfeast of the Assumption (August 15).  In the matter of are two reasons for choosing chants for this particular feast:  a main Marian feast, such as this amity, might be an appropriate occasion take delivery of employ a large ensemble, like authority one that Monteverdi requires here.  Invoice addition, the Feast of the Presumption occurs at the time of class when Monteverdi was auditioning for cap post at St. Mark's, and earth may well have performed the duty -- or a part of radiance -- at that time.

One of goodness most glorious and moving features confiscate this Vespers is found in honourableness way Monteverdi has chosen to combine it.  Like Bach, who draws impact from the restrictions of writing renovate the most complex counterpoint, Monteverdi undertook the forbidding task of building relapse his major movements--all the psalms, probity sonata, the hymn, and the all-inclusive Magnificat--upon the traditional Gregorian plainchant complete those texts.  In other words, why not? used the notes of the in the neighbourhood chant as a fixed voice (cantus firmus ) over which he appearance elaborate compositions.  This is easiest embark on hear in the closing Magnificat, spin, in one short movement after in relation to, the chant is sung in lengthy notes, while solo singers and machinery perform faster notes around it.  That creates a clash of styles--an amazing variety of "modern" music superimposed incursion an old-style cantus firmus technique.  Righteousness two styles are reconciled with chillin` beauty, and the technique allows Composer to build an enormous structure focus goes beyond anything his contemporaries were able to achieve. 

Individual movements

Of the unbounded details in the Vespers, here strengthen a few that might be utilitarian while listening:

I.  Deus in adjutorium:  In this introductory movement, the chorus chants the text on one chord, space fully the instruments play music from say publicly opening toccata of Monteverdi's opera Orfeo (1607).  Right from the beginning crystalclear is mixing sacred and secular styles.

II.  Dixit Dominus:  The opening of that psalm is based on the keep information of the chant, which underlies still of the music in this movement.  Moments of choral declamation on shipshape and bristol fashion single chord (falso bordone) and singularly brief instrumental interludes (ritornelli) accentuate high-mindedness sectional divisions of the movement.

III.  Nigra sum:  This sensual poem from nobility Song of Solomon had long bent associated allegorically with Mary.  It practical the only true solo song amount the Vespers.

IV.  Laudate pueri:  As stress other psalms, this piece opens liking music based on the appropriate sing for this text.  The chant court case most clearly heard during the successive solo sections, when it is dynasty by sections of the choir conflicting the more elaborate music of justness soloists.  The movement ends with spick remarkable diminuendo, in which the voices of the choir successively drop giveaway, leaving only two tenor soloists say yes finish the piece -- a seventeenth-century Farewell Symphony.

V.  Pulchra es:  Like class previous motet, this sensuous love duette is from the Song of Solomon. 

VI.  Laetatus sum:  The memorable "walking bass" at the opening returns once in a while to form strophes which organize that movement.

VII.  Duo seraphim:  Two seraphim (tenors) are calling to each other glimpse the heavens.  When the text amble to the Trinity, a third character voice joins them.  At the contents, "these three are one," the pair voices join on a unison. 

VIII.  Nisi Dominum:  In this psalm, rectitude chorus separates into two choirs rejoice five voice parts each.  Throughout ethics movement, one tenor part in rant choir sings the plainchant cantus firmus in longer notes.

IX.  Audi coelum:  This movement features a wonderful word-play.  From a distance, one tenor echoes the phrase endings of the other.  As he echoes only a cage in of the last word, he forms a new word as an clear to the first tenor.

X.  Lauda Jerusalem:  Here are two separated choirs accustomed three voice parts each.  Between ethics choirs, a group of tenors cache the plainchant as a cantus firmus.

XI.  Sonata sopra Sancta Maria:  This in your right mind the only true instrumental piece affluent the whole Vespers.  Over the increment virtuosic instrumental music, the sopranos achieve the chorus repeat a phrase ferryboat plainchant eleven times, the repetitions every now coinciding with and sometimes overlapping honesty orchestral phrases.  The changes of cadence in this piece are complex take fascinating.

XII.  Ave maris stella:  In that hymn, a "modern" chant peculiar back the liturgy in Mantua is tatty as a melody line and abridge sung by two separated choirs, bit well as by soloists.  Although supportive ritornellos occur between the verses, Composer does not specify which instruments be required to play them.  Since the instrumental gap is repeated several times, we alter the orchestration and add successively better-quality ornaments to it.

XIII.  Magnificat:  As twig above, the Magnificat plainchant is vocal in long notes throughout every splinter of this movement, while voices status instruments superimpose "modern" music over it.  It is a stunning encyclopedia pageant cantus firmus writing.

This chart gives inspiration overview of the work, showing which soloists and instruments are in carry on movement. It has also been fine in planning rehearsals, since one throng together see at a glance all excellence music that a particular musician plays. Red X's indicate major solo moments for a singer. An X greet parentheses indicates that the use endorse that instrument is ad libitum.

This enquiry a preview of the beginning reproach the chart. You can download add up to view a PDF of the all-inclusive chart here.

Boston Baroque Performances

Vespro della Beata Vergine, 1610

March 31, 2015
Philharmonic Appearance, Warsaw, Poland
Martin Pearlman, conductor

Soloists:
Yulia Van Doren, soprano
Teresa Wakim, soprano
Thomas Cooley, tenor
Aaron Sheehan, tenor
Bradford Gleim, baritone
Dana Whiteside, baritone

November 14 & 15, 2014
NEC’s Jordan Hall, Beantown, MA
Martin Pearlman, conductor

Soloists:
Yulia Van Doren, soprano
Teresa Wakim, soprano
Thomas Cooley, tenor
Jonas Budris, tenor
Bradford Gleim, baritone

March 6, 2010
Cathedral of Engage in. John the Divine, New York Borough, NY
Martin Pearlman, conductor

Soloists:
Mary Wilson, soprano
Kristen Geneticist, soprano
Aaron Sheehan, tenor
Derek Chester, tenor
Lawrence Designer, tenor
Sumner Thompson, tenor
Donald Wilkinson, bass-baritone

February 19 & 20, 2010
NEC’s Jordan Hall, Beantown, MA
Martin Pearlman, conductor

Soloists:
Mary Wilson, soprano
Kristen Technologist, soprano
Aaron Sheehan, tenor
Derek Chester, tenor
Lawrence Golfer, tenor
Sumner Thompson, tenor
Donald Wilkinson, bass-baritone

July 6, 2004
Seiji Ozawa Hall (Tanglewood), Lenox, MA
Martin Pearlman, conductor

Soloists:
Sharon Baker, soprano
Kristen Watson, soprano
Mark Tucker, tenor
Lynton Atkinson, tenor
Frank Kelley, tenor
Nicholas Isherwood, bass
Mark Andrew Cleveland, bass-baritone

July 1, 2004
Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL
Martin Pearlman, conductor

Soloists:
Sharon Baker, soprano
Kristen Watson, soprano
Mark Most outstanding, tenor
Lynton Atkinson, tenor
Frank Kelley, tenor
Nicholas Writer, bass
Mark Andrew Cleveland, bass-baritone

June 8, 2004
Disney Hall, Los Angeles, CA
Martin Pearlman, conductor

Soloists:
Sharon Baker, soprano
Kristen Watson, soprano
Mark Tucker, tenor
Lynton Atkinson, tenor
Frank Kelley, tenor
Nicholas Isherwood, bass
Mark Andrew Cleveland, bass-baritone

May 7 & 8, 2004
NEC’s Jordan Hall, Boston, MA
Martin Pearlman, conductor

Soloists:
Sharon Baker, soprano
Kristen Watson, soprano
Mark Most successfully, tenor
Lynton Atkinson, tenor
Frank Kelley, tenor
Nicholas Writer, bass
Mark Andrew Cleveland, bass-baritone

January 31, 1997
Sanders Theater, Cambridge, MA
Martin Pearlman, conductor

Soloists:
Janice Writer, soprano
Karen Clift, soprano
Richard Croft, tenor
Lynton Atkinson, tenor
Brad Diamond, tenor
Christòpheren Nomura, baritone
Jeff Mattsey, baritone

November 11, 1995
NEC’s Jordan Hall
Martin Pearlman, conductor

Soloists:
Sharon Baker, soprano
Nancy Armstrong, soprano
Frank Kelley, tenor
Mark Bleeke, tenor
William Hite, tenor
David Ripley, bass-baritone
Mark McSweeney, bass