musica Dei donum
CD reviews
Giovanni Battista VITALI (1632 - 1692): "Vespers 1677"
I Madrigalisti Estensi
Dir: Michele Gaddi
rec: Nov 12 - 18, 2019, Vesale (MO), Chiesa parrocchiale di San Giorgio martire
NovAntiqua Records - NA57 (2 CDs) (1.32'40")
Liner-notes: E/IT; lyrics (Vitali) - translations: E/IT
Cover & track-list
Spotify
[in order of appearance]
Domine ad adiuvandum à 3. Alto, Tenore e Basso con Stromenti [2];
[antiphona I] Domine quinque talenta*;
Dixit Dominus à 5. Canto, Alto, due Tenori e Basso con Stromenti [2];
[antiphona II] Euge serve bone*;
Confitebor tibi Domine à 3. Alto, Tenore e Basso con Stromenti [2];
[antiphona III] Fidelis servus*;
Beatus vir (I) à 5. Canto, Alto, due Tenori e Basso con Stromenti [2];
[antiphona IV] Beatus ille servus*;
Laudate pueri à 2. Canto e Tenore con Stromenti [2];
[antiphona V] Serve bone et fidelis*;
[Laudate Dominum à 5. Canto, Alto, due Tenori e Basso con Stromenti se piace [2];
Sonata XII a 2 violini, op. 2,12 [1];
Iste confessor (IV), Basso solo con Stromenti [3];
[antiphona ad Magnificat] Hic vir despiciens mundum*;
Magnificat à 5. Canto, Altom, due Tenori e Basso con Stromenti [2] (* plainchant)
Beatus vir (II) à 4. Canto, Alto, Tenore e Basso. Fugato [2];
Iste Confessor (I), Canto solo con Stromenti [3];
Iste Confessor (II), Alto solo con Stromenti [3];
Iste Confessor (III), Tenore solo con Stromenti [3];
Quia vidisti me Thoma à 5
Sources:
[1] Sonate a due Violini col suo Basso Continuo per l'Organo, op. 2, 1667;
[2] Salmi Concertati, op. 6, 1677;
[3] Hinni sacri per tutto l'anno, op. 10, 1684
Alice Fraccari, Alice Molinari, Anna Rita Pili, Arianna Stornello, soprano;
Benedetta Mazzetto, Benedetta Mazzucato, contralto;
Maximiliano Danta Texeira, alto;
Lorenzo Baldini, Paolo Davolio, Niccolò Landi, Leopoldo Punziano, Matteo Straffi, tenor;
Gabriele Lombardi, Giacomo Pieracci, Niccolò Roda, Lorenzo Tosi, bass
Pierfrancesco Pelà, Pietro Battistoni, Clara Fanticini, violin;
Erika Lo Mele, viola;
Thomas Chigioni, cello;
Giulio Tanasini, double bass;
Margherita Burattini, harp;
Andrea Antonel, theorbo;
Angelo Trancone, harpsichord;
Gabriele Levi, organ
In recent years the music written by Giovanni Battista Vitali has been firmly put on the map through a series of recordings by the ensemble Italico Splendore, released by the Italian label Tactus; all of them have been reviewed here. In 1674 Vitali entered the service of Francesco II d'Este (1660-1694) as one of the vicemaestri di cappella, a position he held until his death. Vitali was born in Bologna, and was educated as a cellist. He was probably a pupil of Maurizio Cazzati, maestro di cappella of San Petronio.
The largest part of Vitali's oeuvre consists of instrumental music, which has come down to us in twelve printed editions. In comparison, his vocal output is relatively small. He composed six oratorios, of which only two have been preserved. New Grove also mentions ten secular cantatas. Vitali seems to have written very few music for liturgical purposes. Michele Gaddi, in his liner-notes, explains that "[the] clear quantitative gap between vocal and instrumental works was certainly influenced by the fact that he never became a maestro di cappella: his role as vice-maestro was mainly to serve as leader of the instrumental ensemble of the court". The present production comprises the complete Salmi concertati op. 6, printed in Bologna in 1677. In addition we get some pieces from the Hinni sacri per tutto l'anno, op. 10, published in Modena in 1684.
The pieces from the Op. 6 are clearly intended for a Vesper service. Such music can be performed as it comes in the printed edition, but some performers prefer it to be embedded in a liturgical framework. This means that other material has to be added, in particular antiphons. The texts of antiphons differ according to the feast on which they are performed. The question then is: for which feast were the Vespers written? Gaddi mentions that the structure of the Psalms in the Op. 6 is typical for a feast of Confessors of the Faith. This may well be supported by the fact that the Op. 10 includes no fewer than four settings of Iste confessor, a hymn used in the Divine Office at Lauds and Vespers on feasts of Confessors. One of them is included in the Vespers, the other three are offered as a kind of bonus on the second disc. The next question is: for which Confessor of the Faith the music may have been written?
Archival documents and the score point in the direction of San Contardo d'Este. "[Every] year, at the Modena church of San Vincenzo, a solemn vesper and a solemn mass were set up in honor [sic] of San Contardo d'Este, a member of the Emilian family who died in 1249 and was canonized in 1628. San Contardo (...) is also remembered by the Catholic Church with the title of Confessor of the Faith". The setting of Domine ad adiuvandum also includes a clue. With an "alleluia" and a "laus tibi" it has alternative endings; during the Lenten period the "alleluia" was forbidden, and the feast of San Contardo d'Este is at 16 April, which often falls during Lent.
A particularly interesting aspect of performance practice is the use of an organ in the basso continuo. Today, performers mostly make use of a small positive organ, for practical reasons, as it is generally acknowledged that in the 17th and 18th centuries the basso continuo part was usually performed at mich larger organs. There were exceptions, though. There is documentary evidence that in the time Vitali's Vesper music was performed, a positive organ was hired for special occasions by the Palazzo Ducale, as the church of San Vincenzo did not have its own organ before the second half of the 18th century. It is also notable that the use of an organ had consequences for the key in which composers wrote their music. Italian organs were usually tuned in meantone temperament, and this restricted the number of keys composers could use. In comparison, positive organs allowed to write in unusual keys, as their tuning could easily be adapted to the key the composer had chosen. It seems that Vitali considered this particular circumstances, as he makes use of the keys of B and F sharp major.
Let's turn to the music. The first disc includes a complete Vesper service. It opens with Domine ad adiuvandum, which is followed by the five Vesper psalms, each of which is preceded by an antiphon. Formally, the antiphon should be repeated after the psalm; it could be replaced by a vocal or instrumental piece. This practice has been ignored. The five psalms are followed by a trio sonata from the Op. 2 and the motet Iste confessor. The service ends with the Magnificat, preceded by an antiphon. The antiphons are sung in plainchant; the source of the chant is not mentioned in the booklet. The scoring of the Vesper pieces varies from two to five voices and instruments. In the case of Laudate Dominum, the participation of instruments is ad libitum. For the Beatus vir, Vitali offers two versions; in the Vesper service we hear the first, whereas the second is included at the second disc, as the purpose of this recording was to offer the complete Op. 6. In addition, we hear three further versions of the Iste confessor and a setting of a text from the Gospel after St John (ch 20), Quia vidisti me Thoma: "Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed". As no source is given, this seems to be a piece that has been preserved separately. It is notable for being scored for five voices without instrumental accompaniment, which makes it a specimen of the stile antico.
I was happy with the discs with instrumental music, not only because of the performances, but also because I liked Vitali's music, of which I had heard very little before. My positive impressions are confirmed here: Vitali did not only write fine instrumental music, but also very good vocal works. He does not overlook the moments where the text can be illustrated in the music, for instance at the dramatic verses in Dixit Dominus and the Magnificat. In both versions of Beatus vir the word "non" is emphasized by way of repetition ("for he shall never be moved"). This first recording of any of his vocal music is most welcome, and a very nice and important addition to the repertoire. The performances are very good as well. Even though in some of the solos a little vibrato is noticeable, it hardly matters and did not spoil my enjoyment. The ensemble is outstanding, and the singers deliver good performances of the solo episodes. The instrumental playing is also of fine quality.
This production whets the appetite for further vocal music by Vitali. It would be nice if the Op. 10 would become available on disc, and I am also curious about the two oratorios that have been preserved. Let's hope for more.
Johan van Veen (© 2021)
Relevant links:
I Madrigalisti Estensi