Description
Antonio Vivaldi: Sacred Masterpieces & Cantatas (Double Decca)
Product Details
- Product Type: 2x Audio CD, Compilation
- Composer: Antonio Vivaldi
- Title: Gloria (RV 589); Nulla In Mundo Pax Sincera (RV 630); Nisi Dominus (RV 608); Cantatas
- Label: L'Oiseau-Lyre
- Series: Double Decca
- Year Released: 1999
- UPC: 028945572727
- Item Number: 455 727-2
- Genre: Classical
- Style: Baroque
- Format: 2 x CD, Album, Compilation, Stereo
- Country: Europe
Overview
This 2-CD set, released as part of the Double Decca series, presents a spectacular collection of Vivaldi's major sacred works and Italian vocal chamber music at the price of a single CD. Featuring seminal recordings by Baroque specialists like Emma Kirkby, Christopher Hogwood, and Simon Preston, this compilation is an ideal gateway to the great Venetian master's vocal repertoire.
The set is anchored by the beloved Gloria in D Major, RV 589, a work that captures the exuberance and dramatic flair of the High Baroque. Coupled with the meditative psalm setting Nisi Dominus (RV 608) and the virtuoso motet Nulla In Mundo Pax Sincera (RV 630)—all recorded with period instruments by the Academy of Ancient Music—this album showcases the profound sacred compositions Vivaldi wrote for the female musicians of the Ospedale della Pietà.
Product Features
- Format: 2 Audio CDs sold as a single package (2 CD Pour Le Prix D'un).
- Star Performers: Features definitive recordings by leading figures in the early music revival, including sopranos Emma Kirkby, Catherine Bott, and countertenor James Bowman.
- Ensembles: Performances by the Academy of Ancient Music (directed by Hogwood and Preston) and the New London Consort (directed by Philip Pickett), ensuring historically informed, period-instrument sound.
- Key Works Included: The popular Gloria, RV 589; the famous motet Nulla In Mundo Pax Sincera; and the psalm setting Nisi Dominus.
- Historical Context: Liner notes include historical information by Michael Talbot and translations of the sung texts.
Interesting Facts
- The RV 589 Gloria: Of the two surviving settings of the Gloria (RV 588 and RV 589), the RV 589 is the most widely performed. Although Vivaldi wrote it around 1715, it was largely forgotten after his death and was not published until the 20th century.
- Vivaldi's Sacred Music: Vivaldi composed most of his sacred works for the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice, a charitable institution for orphaned and abandoned girls. These girls were trained to be exceptional musicians, performing behind screens, and Vivaldi specifically tailored pieces like the Gloria and Nulla In Mundo Pax Sincera to highlight the high technical skill of the female voices.
- Nisi Dominus: The setting of Psalm 127 (Nisi Dominus, RV 608) is renowned for the lyrical beauty of its arias, particularly the melancholic "Cum Dederit Dilectis Suis Somnum," one of Vivaldi's most expressive pieces, perfectly suited to James Bowman's countertenor voice.
Track Listing (Highlights)
CD 1
| Track | Title | Soloist(s) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gloria in D Major, RV 589 | (29:11) | ||
| 1-1 | I. Gloria In Excelsis Deo | Choir | 2:23 |
| 1-6 | VI. Domine Deus | Emma Kirkby (Soprano) | 3:54 |
| 1-10 | X. Qui Sedes | Carolyn Watkinson (Contralto) | 2:25 |
| 1-12 | XII. Cum Sancto Spiritu | Choir | 3:25 |
| Nisi Dominus, RV 608 | (20:54) | ||
| 1-15 | IV. Cum Dederit Dilectis Suis Somnum | James Bowman (Countertenor) | 4:09 |
| Motet: Nulla In Mundo Pax Sincera, RV 630 | (13:37) | ||
| 1-19 | I. Nulla In Mundo Pax Sincera (Aria) | Emma Kirkby (Soprano) | 6:43 |
| 1-21 | III. Alleluia | Emma Kirkby (Soprano) | 2:10 |
CD 2
| Track | Title | Soloist(s) / Setting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cantata: Amor, Hai Vinto, RV 651 | Emma Kirkby (Soprano) | (10:08) | |
| 2-3 | Trio Sonata 'La Folia', RV 63 | Violin Duo & Harpsichord (Instrumental) | 9:08 |
| Cantata: All'ombra Di Sospetto, RV 678 | Catherine Bott (Soprano) | (9:10) | |
| Cantata: Lungi Dal Vago Volto, RV 680 | Catherine Bott (Soprano) | (12:53) |
Publishers & Production
- Label: L'Oiseau-Lyre
- Producer (RV 589, 608, 630, 678, 680, 682): Peter Wadland
- Liner Notes: Michael Talbot
- English Translation (RV 630): Fabio Perselli
- English Translation (RV 651): Emma Kirkby
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