rossini's Stabat Mater - The Grant Park Music Festival

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Friday, July 20 and Saturday, July 21, 2012 Aguardo in April 1842. The work was adapted for use in Rossini’s funeral service at La Trinité on November 21, 1868, and heard again when his remains were reburied among those of other heroes of Italian culture at Santa Croce in Florence in May 1887. Rossini’s Stabat Mater, though based on a text which limbs the sorrows of the mother of Christ, encompasses a wide range of emotions in its ten movements, from stern tragedy to hopeful expectancy. Like Verdi’s Requiem, the Stabat Mater has been accused of borrowing too much of the theater to wrap the ancient liturgical words, though Rossini preferred to think of the music’s long melodic arches and undeniable drama not as sacrilege but as opera’s offering to the Church. Indeed, in the last four movements — those which he added in 1841 — Rossini anticipated the brilliance and emotional weight of the most ambitious passages in Verdi’s Requiem (whose initial inspiration was, perhaps not coincidentally, Rossini’s death). This intensity of expression is really quite extraordinary, since Rossini was not overtly religious, though he never fully outgrew the cultural foundation of Catholic tradition in which he had been raised. When the priest at his last rites asked the obligatory question about his beliefs, the dying composer responded, “Would I have been able to compose the Stabat Mater and the Petite Messe solennelle if I had not had faith?” From the quiet introspection of its two a cappella movements to the titanic wailings of its closing fugal Amen, the Stabat Mater is one of the greatest documents of sacred music of 19th-century Romanticism. Introduction (Chorus and Soloists) Stabat Mater dolorosa The sorrowful Mother stood juxta crucem lacrimosa weeping by the cross dum pendebat Filius. where her Son was hanging. Aria (Tenor) Cujus animam gementem, Her spirit cried out, contristatam et dolentem, full of anguish and sorrow, pertransivit gladius. as if pierced by a sword. O quam tristis et afflicta o how sad and distressed fuit illa benedicta was that blessed Woman, Mater unigeniti! Mother of the only-begotten Son! Quae maerebat et dolebat How She grieved and suffered et tremebat cum videbat and trembled as She saw nati poenas inclyti. the agonies of her Son. Duet (Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano) Quis est homo qui non fleret What man would not weep Christi Matrem si videret to see the Mother of Christ in tanto supplicio? in such torment? Quis non posset contristari Who would not be saddened piam matrem contemplari seeing the pious Mother dolentem cum Filio? grieving for her Son? Aria (Bass) Pro peccatis suae gentis For the sins of the world, vidit Jesum in tormentis, She saw Jesus in torment et flagellis subditum. and beaten down with whips. Vidit suum dulcem natum She saw her sweet Son moriendo, desolatum, dying in desolation, dum emisit spiritum. giving up His spirit. 2012 Program Notes, Book 3 A39
Friday, July 20 and Saturday, July 21, 2012 Chorus and Recitative (Bass) Eja Mater, fons amoris, Ah Mother, fountain of grief, me sentire vim doloris let me feel thy grief fac, ut tecum lugeam. so that I can mourn with you. Fac ut ardeat cor meum Let my heart burn in amando Christum Deum, with the love of Christ, my God, ut sibi complaceam. so that I may please Him. Quartet (Soloists) Sancta Mater, istud agas, Holy Mother, grant this: crucifixi fige plagas fix the wounds of Him who is crucified cordi meo valide. firmly in my heart. Tui nati vulnerati, With thy injured Son, tam dignati pro me pati, who suffered so to save me, poenas mecum divide. let me share His pains. Fac me vere tecum flere, Let me weep beside you, crucifixo condolere, mourning the crucified One, donec ego vixero. as long as I shall live. Juxta crucem tecum stare, To stand by the cross with you, te libenter sociare and to willingly join you in planctu desidero. in weeping is my desire. Virgo, virginum praeclara, Virgin, most famed of all virgins, mihi jam non sis amara, do not be severe with me now, fac me tecum plangere. let me weep with thee. Cavatina (Mezzo-Soprano) Fac ut portem Christi mortem, Let me bear Christ’s death, passionis fac consortem let me share His passion et plagas recolere. and remember His wounds. Fac me plagis vulnerari, Let me be wounded with His blows, cruce hac inebriari, inebriated with the cross ob amorem Filii. and your Son’s love. Aria and Chorus (Soprano) Inflammatus et accensus Lest the flames consume me, per te, Virgo, sim defensus be my protector, O Virgin, in die judicii. on the day of judgment. Fac me cruce custodiri, Let me be guarded by the Cross, that I morte Christi praemuniri, may be strengthened by Christ’s death confoveri gratia. and cherished by His grace. Quartet (Soloists) Quando corpus morietur, When my body dies, fac ut animae donetur let my soul be granted Paradisi gloria. the glory of heaven. Finale (Chorus and Soloists) Amen in sempiterna saecula. Amen. Amen, for ever and ever. 2012 Program Notes, Book 3 A41
Page 1 and 2: Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus Car
Page 3 and 4: Friday, July 20 and Saturday, July
Page 5 and 6: Friday, July 20 and Saturday, July
Page 7: as Josquin, Palestrina, Lassus and

rossini's Stabat Mater - The Grant Park Music Festival

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?