La passione di Gesù Cristo
La Passione di Gesù Cristo is the title of a libretto by Metastasio which was repeatedly set as an azione sacra or oratorio by many composers of the late baroque, "rococo", and early classical period.
Writing and original setting
The libretto was written by the imperial poet in Rome on the instruction of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor. Court composer Antonio Caldara's original setting of La passione di Gesù Cristo signor nostro was performed in at the holy sepulchre in the Hofburgkapelle, the court chapel in Vienna, for Holy Week on 3 April 1730.[1][2]
The oratorio marks a departure from the settings of actual Gospel passion narratives such as the Latin Passio Secundum Ioannem of Alessandro Scarlatti to a more theatrical style. The four central roles are S. Pietro, S. Giovanni, Maria Maddalena, Giuseppe d'Arimatea - with John, Mary Magdalene and Joseph of Arimathea answering Peter's questions about the crucifixion.
Other settings
- 1735 Giovanni Lorenzo Gregori, Lucca.
- 1736 Michelangiolo Magagni, Florence.
- 1738 Giuseppe Venturelli, Modena.[3]
- 1742 David Pérez (composer) (1711–1778), Palermo.
- 1743 Domenico Valentini, Venice. (music lost)
- 1743 Niccolò Conti, Venice.
- 1749 Niccolò Jommelli, La Passione di NS Gesù Cristo, Venice.[4] Which was considered "remarkably well set" by Charles Burney and admired by James Edward Smith.[5][6]
- 1750 Johann Georg Schürer, Dresden
- 1755 Johann Ernst Eberlin in German translation at the Convent of the Benedictines, Salzburg.
- 1759 Giovanni Masi, Florence.
- 1767 Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Padua.[7]
- 1776 Antonio Salieri, Vienna. - Metastasio is recorded to have said before the emperor that Salieri's setting "was the most expressive of any written on this poem."[8][9]
- 1777 Josef Mysliveček, Bologna.
- 1778 Joseph Schuster, Dresden. (Pupil of Johann Georg Schürer above).
- 1775 Pietro Crispi, maestro di capella, Rome.[10]
- 1778 Giuseppe Morosini patrizio veneto, Venice.
- 1778 Joseph Starzer (1726–1787), Vienna.
- 1782 Francesco Azopardi, Manoel Theatre, Valletta.[11]
- 1784 Paisiello, Saint Petersburg, also Warsaw, 1784.[12]
- 1786 Sales, Trier
- 1787 Federico Torelli, Bologna[13]
- 1788 Carlo Spontoni, Bologna
- 1790 Pietro Guglielmi, Madrid.
- 1792 Stanislao Mattei, Bologna.
- 1812 Francesco Morlacchi, Dresden. (Pupil of Stanislao Mattei above).
References
- ^ Harry White Johann Joseph Fux and the music of the Austro-Italian Baroque 1992
- ^ Howard E. Smither A history of the oratorio p.395.
- ^ Azione sacra del sig. abate Metastasio poeta di SM ces. cat. Musica del signor Giuseppe Venturelli dilettante
- ^ Musica e storia: Vol.9 Fondazione Levi - 2001 "esecuzione presso i padri filippini di Venezia."
- ^ Smith J. E., Sir. A sketch of a tour on the continuent in the years 1786 and 1787 p275 1807 ed. "At seven in the evening we went to the church of St. Maria Novella, to hear a most delightful oratorio of Metastasio on the Passion, the music by Jomelli."
- ^ Recordings (1) Lugano Chamber Society Orchestra, dir Arturo Sacchetti, Musidisc. 1994 (2) Eufonia Ensemble, Sigismondo d'India Vocal Ensemble, Berlin Baroque Academy conducted by Alessandro de Marchi. K617, 1996
- ^ Recording conducted Sergio Balestracci CPO 2008
- ^ Jane Schatkin Hettrick Salieri - Mass in D minor vii 2002
- ^ Recordings (1) Alberto Turco, 1CD Bongiovanni 1995. (2) Christoph Spering. 2004 Capriccio 2004
- ^ "Musica di Pietro Crispi, maestro di cappella della medesima chiesa"
- ^ Gerard Gefen, booklet notes to CD Les manuscrites de Malte III SM, Paris, 1995
- ^ Recordings (1) Wojciech Czepiel, Warsaw Chamber Opera Chorus, Warsaw Sinfonietta, 2CD, Arts 1998. (2) Diego Fasolis, I Barocchisti, 2CD, CPO 2007.
- ^ Corrado Ricci I teatri di Bologna nei secoli XVII e XVIII 1888 p.736 页 "Vi cantò Francesca Boccarelli, Domenico Bedini, Antonio Speciali e Francesco Barbieri. Il primo violino fu Francesco Rastrelli"