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Šimon BRIXI (1693 - 1735): Magnificat, Litaniae de Venerabili Sacramento, Missa ex D
Hana Blažíková, sopranoa;
Jaromír Nosek, bassb
Hipocondria Ensemble
Dir: Jan Hádek
rec: Feb 5 - 10, 2021, Prague, Michna Palace (Baroque Assembly Hall)
Supraphon - SU 4293-2 (© 2021) (79'18")
Liner-notes: E/D/F/CZ; lyrics - translations: E/CZ
Cover & track-list
Spotify
Alma redemptoris materb;
Arietta de gloriosissima resurrectione Domini nostri Jesu Christia;
Domine ad adjuvandum me festina;
Litaniae de Venerabili Sacramento;
Magnificat;
Missa ex D
Hana Blažíková, Stanislava Mihalcová, Marta Fadljevicová, soprano;
Kamila Mazalová, Daniela Cermáková, contralto;
Jan Mikušek, alto;
Ondrej Holub, Cenek Svoboda, Tomáš Lajtkep, tenor;
Jaromír Nosek, Martin Vacula, Lukáš Zeman, bass
Jaroslav Roucek, Karel Mnuk, trumpet;
Jiri Sycha, Magdalena Malá, Markéta Knittlová, Simona Tydlitátová, Vojtech Jakl, Veronika Manová, violin;
Eleonora Machová, Petra Šcevková, viola;
Hana Fleková, viola da gamba, cello;
Ondrej Michal, cello;
Ondrej Štajnochr, double bass;
Filip Dvorák, organ;
Pavel Rehberger, timpani
Those who see the name Brixi on the cover of this disc may think that it
is devoted to music by Frantisek Xaver Brixi (1732-1771), a composer of
the generation of the Bach sons, who has become best known for his
organ works and especially his keyboard concertos. However, the composer
whose works are performed here, is his father, Šimon, who belonged to
one branch of a family of musicians. Another branch included Dorota
Brixi, who was the mother of the Benda brothers who were in the service
of Frederick the Great.
Šimon was educated as an organist and received his first musical
training at the Jesuit Gymnasium Jicín. He then went to Prague
University, where he studied law. That did not last long, as he devoted
himself to music and became organist at the Týn Church. He soon earned a
reputation as a composer, which brought him commissions for the writing
of occasional music. His wedding in 1724 was celebrated by Bohuslav
Matej Cernohorský, a composer and priest at the Franciscan monastery in
Prague. In 1725 Brixi became a music teacher at the school of St Martín
and organist at the church, and from 1727 was choirmaster at St Martín.
Frantisek Xaver was his second child, but Brixi did not see his
development into a respected composer, as in 1735 he died, probably of
turberculosis.
It is likely that a large part of Brixi's oeuvre has been lost; fewer
than forty of his works have been preserved. Stylistically it shows the
influence of the style of composers as Caldara and Fux. However, there
are also some traces of the galant idiom. His oeuvre attests to a good
command of counterpoint, which comes to the fore in fugal episodes. He
also uses harmony to good effect in the interest of text expression.
The programme opens with the Missa ex D, which has the usual five
sections. The Kyrie is rather short: the longest section is the second
Kyrie which is fugal. The very short Christe is, as was common at the
time, for solo voices. The Gloria is divided into seven sections.
'Laudamus te' is - again according to a wide-spread practice - for solo
voice, here soprano. 'Domine Deus' is a duet for alto and tenor. In 'Qui
tollis peccata mundi' Brixi uses chromaticism to express the text.
'Quoniam tu solus sanctus' is a solo for bass, and 'Cum Sancto Spiritu'
is fugal. The Credo comprises four sections, and opens with a section
for soli and tutti. The second is a setting of the 'Crucifixus'; it
opens with hammering chords in the strings, undoubtedly referring to the
hammering of the nails into the Cross. Again Brixi makes use of
harmonic means to express the text. The soli passages are for alto,
tenor and bass. The Benedictus is often set for solo voice(s) and that
is the case here as well: Brixi has set it as a duet of alto and tenor.
The Agnus Dei - and the Mass - ends with a fugal setting of "dona nobis
pacem".
The second item is the Arietta de gloriosissima resurrrectione Domini nostri Jesu Christi.
This piece was intended to replace the Offertory in the Mass. As the
title indicates it is intended for Easter. It has the form of a dacapo
aria, and it is not surprising that the orchestra includes trumpets and
timpani. The vocal part includes quite some coloratura.
The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary was quite often set by composers
of the baroque era. Its text - each line ends with the same words:
"miserere nobis" - has inspired many composers to create a contrast
through a differentiation in scoring, for instance soli versus tutti, or
to set it for two choirs. Brixi chooses a different path: the text is
divided into nine sections, set for solo voices or tutti, not unlike the
Mass or the Magnificat that ends this disc. The second section,
'Hostia immaculata', is a duet of soprano and alto, with two obbligato
violin parts. The fourth section, 'Praecelsum venerabile', is an aria
for tenor. 'Oblatum holocaustum', the sixth section, is for three solo
voices (SAT) and tutti.
Alma redemptoris mater is one of the Marian antiphons and has
been set numerous times throughout history. This setting by Brixi is
written in the form of a motet with three arias, but without a dacapo;
there are also no recitatives. Much attention is given to the words
"succurre cadenti". The closing word "miserere" is sung piano, with a notable trill depicting the meaning of the word.
Domine ad adiuvandum me festina is an antiphon which was sung at the beginning of Vespers. It was mostly sung in plainchant or in falso bordone.
Brixi's setting is dominated by a rising figure, which appears at the
opening in the basso continuo and is then taken over by the other
voices.
The disc ends with a setting of the Magnificat, and here Brixi follows the same procedure as in the Mass and the Litaniae,
or as Johann Sebastian Bach in his setting of this text. It is divided
into ten sections, scored for tutti and/or soli. The work opens with a
tutti section with instrumental ritornellos in dotted rhythm, which is
followed by a fugal section. 'Quia respexit' is a duet of soprano and
alto. 'Quia fecit mihi magna' is a solo for tenor, with an obbligato
part for viola da gamba. 'Fecit potentiam' is for alto solo, 'Deposuit
potentes' for soprano. The latter ends with a descending figure,
undoubtedly referring to the last words "exaltavit humiles". 'Sicut
locutus est' is a solo for bass, and the work ends, as was customary at
the time, with a fugue.
This disc may well be the very first that is devoted to the oeuvre of
Šimon Brixi. It is rather surprising that it seems not to have been
given any attention before. The music performed here is a convincing
testimony of his qualities as a composer of sacred music. It makes one
regret the loss of a part of his oeuvre and it also makes curious about
other pieces that have been preserved. Let us hope that more of his
oeuvre will be recorded in the near future. Brixi is served very well by
the performers. The Hipocondria Ensemble is excellent, both vocally and
instrumentally. Brixi's music is performed according to its character
as ensemble music: the solo parts are performed by members of the choir.
This guarantees an optimum coherence between soli and tutti. Both Hana
Blažíková and Jaromír Nosek deliver outstanding performances of their
respective solos.
Šimon Brixi's music is a most impressive and enjoyable specimen of the rich musical culture of 18th-century Bohemia.
Johan van Veen (© 2022)
Relevant links:
Hana Blažíková
Jaromír Nosek