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TWO OF SWEDEN'S MOST WELL-ESTABLISHED SINGERS PERFORM PERGOLESI'S FAMOUS STABAT MATER

The familiar text describing the Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross is thought to be about 700 years old. The author, despite numerous theories, remains unknown. Originally the words were, of course, sung in unison and the poem had a place in the liturgy, at least about the end of the 15th century.

Pergolesi died young, probably from tuberculosis. He spent the last part of his life in a monastery. It was there, with trembling hand, that he wrote about Mary at the foot of the cross - for the same brotherhood as the Scarlatti setting; according to an account written one hundred years later. The writer also maintains that the brotherhood wanted to bring their traditions up to date by changing their music.

Scarlatti's Stabat Mater is undated so no one knows how many years it served the brotherhood. It is very possible that it is a late work. Pergolesi was fifty years younger and he naturally had different musical ideas of the sort that people commissioning works often adhered to. There was normally little interest in "old" music in former times even though the Church could adhere to a tradition in music too. But the brotherhood did not need to feel that sort of responsibility in its own activities.There are certain similarities between the two settings presented here. This is largely due to the fact that both works are scored for the same forces: two voices (castrati and/or falsetto voices at the time), two or three violinists and continuo. (In this aspect there was no novelty about the settings; the brotherhood may not have been able to afford more musicians.) The musical symbolism is not all that different either but Pergolesi's style is much simpler. He makes little use of counterpoint as compared with Scarlatti's intricate flow and his more solid harmonies change very slowly. Though not at all unpleasantly...Susanne Rydén, soprano, Mikael Bellini, countertenor, Stockholm Baroque Orchestra.

This listing is for a rare audiophile, Hybrid SACD title - a FACTORY SEALED HYBRID SACD PRESSED and ISSUED by PROPRIUS (of Sweden) of a highly collectible title from their music catalog, featuring -

Pergolesi / Scarlatti

Stabat Mater

Performers Include -

Susanne Rydén, soprano

Mikael Bellini, countertenor

Stockholm Baroque Orchestra

Track Listing -

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

1. Stabat Mater

2. Cujus animam

3. O quam tristis

4. Quae moerebat

5. Quis est homo

6. Vidit suum

7. Eja mater

8. Fac ut portem

9. Sancta Mater

10. Fac ut portem

11. Inflammatus

12. Quando corpus

Alessandro Scarlatti

13. Stabat Mater

14. Cujus animam

15. O quam tristis

16. Quae maerebat

17. Quis est homo

18. Quis non posset

19. Pro peccatis

20. Vidit suum

21. Pia Mater

22. Sancta Mater

23. Fac ut ardeat

24. Tui nati

25. Fac me vere

26. Virgo virginum

27. Fac ut portem

28. Inflammatus

29. Fac me cruce

30. Quando corpus

Total playing time - 69:09

The Hybrid SACD is from the rare PROPRIUS series of audiophile hybrid SACDs.
  • Hybrid SACD catalog # PRSACD 2040
  • Hybrid SACD made in SWEDEN
  • Hybrid SACD issued in 2007
  • Features Surround Sound 5.0
  • Hybrid SACD which is playable on ALL CD Players

The Hybrid SACD, JEWEL CASE and INSERTS are all assumed to be in MINT overall condition as this item is actually FACTORY SEALED!

This CD is an audiophile quality pressing (any collector of fine MFSL, half speeds, direct to discs, Japanese/UK pressings etc., can attest to the difference a quality pressing can make to an audio system).

Do not let this rarity slip by!