Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari Talitha Kumi! La Passione • Otto cori Rainer Trost • Joan Martín-Royo Coro El León de Oro • Oviedo Filarmonía Friedrich Haider

WORLD PREMIERE RECORDINgs Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (1876–1948) love of Italian and are probably among the testify to his consummate ability to portray characters. Quartina most beautiful works penned by the , who was still features music that displays a wistful melancholy which gives Talitha Kumi! (‘Jairus’s Daughter’), Op. 3 • La Passione, Op. 21 · Otto cori, Op. 2 very young at the time. Their counterpoint, which is profoundly voice to the deep attachment he felt throughout his life to his inspired and never academic (Madrigale, Due canti), their grace home city of and the great . At the turn of the 20th century, Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (1876– tipped the balance in favour of him composing smaller- and (Stornello), their bucolic melancholy (Rispetto), but also their 1948) developed a new and individual musical language that larger-scale choral works: in 1897, at the age of 21, he took humour, with its elegant touch of irony (Frottola, Die Lehre), Translation: Susan Baxter revived and regenerated tradition and historical stylistic features. over the direction of a mixed-voice choir in Milan, and probably Throughout his life Wolf-Ferrari, the son of a German father and about the same time he made the acquaintance, in Venice, Rainer Trost an Italian mother, would cling to the power of melody and tonality, of Monsignor Lorenzo Perosi, the director of the Cappella and at a time when modernism was the order of the day, he was Marciana, who would go on to become the ‘Maestro Perpetuo’ The internationally distinguished Mozart Rainer Trost, studied with not afraid to write music that was songlike, lyrical and, in a word, of the choir of the Sistine Chapel. The two musicians developed Adalbert Kraus in Munich and has sung at all the leading -houses melodious. This side of him was a natural result of his Venetian an unusually close friendship, which expressed itself in their of the world, including the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House upbringing. At the same time, his work is built, formally speaking, playing new compositions to each other and discussing them. Covent Garden, the Opéra Bastille, the Bavarian and Hamburg State on the foundations of an education in strict counterpoint – This explains the kinship between the music of Wolf-Ferrari and , the Palais Garnier and the Metropolitan Opera in New York, as well from 1892 onwards, he spent three years studying with Josef Perosi, as well as the fact that in 1898 they set two Biblical as the Salzburg and Bregenz Festivals. He is a regular guest at the Munich Rheinberger at the Königliche Akademie der Tonkunst in Munich. subjects with similar content to music: Perosi La risurrezione Opera Festivals, singing Arbace in Idomeneo in summer 2009, the Painter Despite his first opera, Cenerentola, failing spectacularly di Lazzaro (‘The of Lazarus’) and Wolf-Ferrari in Berg’s Lulu at the , Pylades in Gluck’s Iphigénie en when it was performed at La Fenice in Venice in 1900, Wolf- Talitha Kumi! (Die Tochter des Jairus), (‘Jairus’s Daughter’). Tauride at the Theater an der Wien and Alfred in Die Fledermaus in Tokyo. Ferrari’s cantata La vita nuova (after Dante) attracted attention For all that, a comparison of the two works clearly shows how His concert calendar has included Simon Mayr’s Samuele, Mendelssohn’s as early as 1903, and the sensational premiere of his opera much more creative than his colleague Wolf-Ferrari was; this is Elias and Handel’s Messiah. He has appeared widely in concerts and at the Residenztheater in Munich just a few particularly evident in the expressiveness of his characterisation recitals, including performances of Simon Mayr’s Samuele, Mendelssohn’s months later brought the 27-year-old composer international and in his poetic deployment of thematic material. While in Elias and Handel’s Messiah. His recordings range from Così fan tutte to fame. Wolf-Ferrari did not only succeed in giving the comedies of many passages Perosi proceeds with a certain non-committal Mendelssohn’s Paulus and, for Naxos, Volume 28 of the Complete Schubert the Venetian dramatist Carlo Goldoni (1707–1793) a new lease of formulaism, his compatriot and his junior by three years is in Lieder series [8.557567] and Mayr’s Samuele [8.572721-22]. artistic life, he also began a fundamental renewal of opera buffa, every respect an artist who displays originality and has his own offering an alternative to post-Wagnerian pathos and showing authentic compositional voice. the absurdity of the discussion about progressiveness in art. By The title Talitha Kumi! is Aramaic (Ta’ali, takumi!) and the time this work was written, he had found his own ‘tone of means ‘Arise!’ or ‘Get up!’ It is a quotation from Mark’s Gospel Joan Martín-Royo voice’ and musical ‘physiognomy’. The years that followed were (chapter 5 vv.22–43), where the story of Jairus’s daughter perhaps his most productive period as a composer: I quattro is recorded. She is dying, and in desperation Jairus goes Joan Martín-Royo graduated in art history and studied composition, , rusteghi, , and the -inspired I gioielli in search of Jesus of Nazareth to ask for help. When Jesus and at the Conservatori del Liceu in Barcelona in addition della Madonna conquered the world’s stages. The First World reaches Jairus’s house, people are already mourning the girl’s to his vocal studies. He was awarded third prize at the 2003 Francisco War plunged Wolf-Ferrari, who was a humanist, into depression death. Jesus brings her back to life. Viñas Competition, and the ‘Preisträger’ at Salzburg’s Mozarteum. He has and left him unable to work. As a citizen of two nations at war with The voice of an Evangelist carries the narrative of the work; performed the principal opera roles of Figaro, Guglielmo, Papageno, each other, he felt he had lost his identity and become incapable Jairus and Jesus are, by contrast, given relatively little to do. Dandini, Lescaut, Marcello, Belcore, Malatesta, Taddeo, Mercutio and Albert, of creating works of art. He spent five years living in Zollikon in The orchestra provides the subtext, but also indulges in tone among others and is a reputable oratorio and Lied singer. He has sung Switzerland in the inter-war years, he wrote two operas – and painting to depict the action. From time to time, in interludes, it is with many renowned orchestras including the National Orchestra of Spain, – while during the Second World War his creative even given a contemplative role, interpreting the situations that Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Al Ayre Español, La Grande Écurie et abilities reached their final apogee in the composition of hisViolin arise during the action from an emotional perspective. This may la Chambre du Roy, Ensemble Matheus, Orchestre du Théâtre du Capitole Concerto, Op. 26, a heartfelt gift to the young American violinist suggest that the piece should be performed in a sacred context. de Toulouse, the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, the Hungarian Radio Guila Bustabo. Wolf-Ferrari died in 1948 in Venice, the city of 1906 saw the composition of La Passione, Op. 21, a Orchestra, and has performed at some of the most iconic concert venues and his birth. ‘hymn for mixed choir a cappella’ based on early Italian folk opera houses in Europe. After finishing his studies in Munich, Wolf-Ferrari had poetry. It is dedicated to ‘my dear friend Don Lorenzo Perosi’ initially returned to Italy in 1895 to devote himself to an intensive and was not published until three decades later. personal study of Italian early music – Monteverdi, Palestrina, It is no exaggeration to describe the Otto cori, Op. 2 as a Pergolesi, Paisiello and Galuppi. Two events may then have jewel among choral works. They testify to Wolf-Ferrari’s great Friedrich Haider Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (1876–1948) Friedrich Haider, an Austrian conductor with Italian ancestry, was trained Talitha Kumi! (Die Tochter des Jairus), Op. 3 · La Passione, Op. 21 · Otto cori, Op. 2 at the Vienna Music Academy. At the age of 29 he was appointed music director of the Strasbourg Opéra National du Rhin. With a repertoire of some Am Übergang vom 19. in das 20.Jahrhundert entwickelt Herzensgeschenk an die junge amerikanische Geigerin 60 operas he has appeared at leading European opera houses, including Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (1876-1948) eine Musiksprache, die Guila Bustabo. 1948 stirbt Wolf-Ferrari in seiner Geburtsstadt Vienna, Munich, Berlin, Dresden, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Venice. In sich in ihrem erneuernden Umgang mit der Tradition und ihrer Venedig. 2006 he made his debut at the New York Metropolitan Opera with Rigoletto. Wiederbelebung historischer Stilistiken als individuell und Nach Beendigung seiner Ausbildung in München war He has conducted the Czech Philharmonic, the London Symphony neuartig erweist. Zeit seines Lebens sollte der Sohn eines Wolf-Ferrari 1895 vorerst wieder nach Italien zurückgekehrt um Orchestra and the Camerata Salzburg, among others. From 2004 to 2010 deutschen Vaters und einer italienischen Mutter an der Kraft sich privat einem intensiven Studium alter italienischer Musik he was principal conductor of the Oviedo Filarmonía and in 2017, was von Melos und Tonalität festhalten, und sich in einer Zeit zu widmen – Monteverdi, Palestrina, Pergolesi, Paisiello, appointed chief conductor of the Musicae Antiquae Collegium Varsoviense, des Modernismus nicht scheuen, Liedhaftes und Arioses, Galuppi. Zwei Ereignisse dürften sodann den Ausschlag für Poland’s most renowned period instruments orchestra. kurz: Gesangliches zu schreiben. Das muss als Teil seines Kompositionen kleinerer und größerer Chorwerke gegeben Friedrich Haider is an ardent champion of the music of Ermanno Wolf- Selbstverständnisses verstanden werden, das sich in jener haben: 1897 übernimmt der 21-jährige die Leitung eines Ferrari. He has programmed and recorded Il segreto di Susanna and made Stadt heranbildete, in der er auch aufgewachsen war: Venedig. gemischten Chores in Mailand, und lernt vermutlich zur selben the first ever recording of the composer’s complete orchestral works, Gleichzeitig steht sein Werk aber auf dem formalen Fundament Zeit in Venedig auch Monsignor Lorenzo Perosi, den Leiter including the overtures and intermezzi from the operas, as well as the einer strengen Kontrapunkt-Schule: bei Josef Rheinberger der „“ und späteren „Maestro Perpetuo“ complete a cappella choral works and Talitha Kumi!. an der Königlichen Akademie der Tonkunst in München des Sixtinischen Kapellenchors kennen. Zwischen den For more information: www.friedrichhaider.com absolvierte der Komponist ab 1892 ein dreijähriges Studium. beiden jungen Musikern entwickelt sich eine ungewöhnlich Seine erste Oper Cenerentola erlebt im Jahre 1900 an intensive Freundschaft, die sich auch darin äußert, daß man El León de Oro Venedigs La Fenice zwar einen eklatanten Mißerfolg, doch neu geschaffene Werke einander vorspielt und diskutiert. zieht schon 1903 die Kantate La vita nuova (nach Dante) Die große Geistesverwandtschaft der Musik Wolf-Ferraris Director: Marco Antonio García de Paz nachhaltig Aufmerksamkeit auf sich. Und nur wenige Monate und Perosis sind vor diesem Hintergrund eine konsequente Honorary director: Peter Phillips später geht im Münchner Residenztheater die sensationelle Auswirkung, auch, daß 1898 inhaltlich zwei einander sehr Coro El León de Oro was founded in Luanco (Asturias, Spain) more than Uraufführung seiner Oper Le Donne Curiose über die Bühne, ähnliche biblische Stoffe zur Vertonung kommen: Perosis La two decades ago. What began as a small group of passionate choral singing die den Weltruhm des erst 27-jährigen begründet. Wolf- risurrezione di Lazzaro (Die Auferstehung des Lazarus) und friends has become a substantial project, revered in Spain and abroad its for Ferrari gelingt nicht nur eine künstlerische Wiederbelebung Wolf-Ferraris Tochter des Jairus (Talitha Kumi!). Gleichwohl its high standards, endorsed by multiple awards and critical acclaim. With a der Werke des venezianischen Lustspielautors Carlo Goldoni zeigt die Gegenüberstellung dieser Werke auch deutlich, high level of enthusiasm and dedication, and the strong sense of community (1707-1793), er leitet gleichzeitig auch eine grundlegende wie überlegen Wolf-Ferraris Erfindungsgabe der seines that comes from singing together, Coro El León de Oro achieve a sonorous Erneuerung der opera buffa ein, die einen Gegenentwurf zu Kollegen ist; sie bekundet sich vor allem durch expressive beauty and purity of tone, with a wide repertoire ranging from the Renaissance and Baroque to the contemporary. In 2014 the postwagnerianischem Pathos darstellt und die Diskussion Charakterisierung und poetischen Einsatz des thematischen Choir won first prize at the London International A Cappella Choir Competition. For more information: www.elleondeoro.com von „Progressivität in der Kunst“ ad absurdum führt. Ein Materials. Während Perosi sich in vielen Passagen doch mit eigener „Tonfall“, ein eigenes klangsprachliches „Gesicht“ hat einer gewissen unverbindlichen Formelhaftigkeit bewegt, ist Oviedo Filarmonía hier Gestalt angenommen. Die folgenden Jahre werden zur sein um drei Jahre jüngerer Landsmann in jeder Hinsicht ein vielleicht produktivsten Schaffensperiode des Komponisten: Künstler von Originalität und authentischer Klangsprache. The Oviedo Filarmonía was created by the Oviedo City Council in 1999. It is , Il segreto di Susanna, sowie die einer Der Titel Talitha Kumi! ist Aramäisch („Ta‘ali, takumi!“) und the resident orchestra at the Spanish Lyric Theatre Festival, the Auditorium Neugestaltung des Verismo verschriebenen I gioielli della bedeutet „Erhebe dich!“ oder „Steh auf!“. Er ist ein Zitat aus Concert Cycle and the Luis G. Iberni Piano Season organised by Oviedo City Madonna erobern die Bühnen der Welt. Der 1.Weltkrieg dem Markus-Evangelium, (Kap. 5/22-43) in der die Geschichte Council, accompanying internationally acclaimed soloists. It performs each stürzt den Humanisten Wolf-Ferrari in Depression und von Jairus’ Tochter festgehalten ist, die im Sterben liegt. year during the Oviedo opera season. From 2004 to 2011 its chief conductor Arbeitsunfähigkeit. Als Staatsbürger zweier Nationen die Verzweifelt sucht Jairus Jesus von Nazareth auf, um seine was Friedrich Haider, who put Oviedo Filarmonía both on the national and gegeneinander Krieg führen, fühlt er sich identitätslos und Hilfe zu erbitten. Als Jesus zu dessen Hause kommt, beweint international map. Together they have recorded Verdi’s Otello for Naxos, as künstlerischen Schaffens unfähig. Fünf Jahre lang lebt er man dort nur noch den Tod des Mädchens. Jesus erweckt es well as a series of works by the Italian-German composer Ermanno Wolf- im schweizerischen Zollikon. In den Zwischenkriegsjahren wieder zum Leben. Ferrari, including the opera Il segreto di Susanna and the complete orchestral works. The Oviedo Filarmonía has been a member of entstehen zwei Opern - Sly und Il Campiello, und während des Ein Evangelist ist die tragende, „erzählende“ Stimme des the Spanish Association of Symphony Orchestras (Asociación Española de Orquestas Sinfónicas) since 2003. For more information: 2.Weltkrieges erlebt seine Schaffenskraft mit der Komposition Werkes, das Jairus und Jesus im Gegensatz dazu nur wenig www.oviedofilarmonia.es des Violinkonzerts op.26 einen letzten Höhepunkt – ein zu Wort kommen läßt. Das Orchester übernimmt die Rolle eines Subtexts, ergeht sich aber auch in klangmalerischer der Chorliteratur zu bezeichnen. Sie sind Zeugnis für Wolf- Schilderung des Geschehens. In Zwischenspielen ist ihm Ferraris große Liebe zur italienischen Renaissance-Musik bisweilen auch kontemplative Funktion zugewiesen, die und dürfen gleichzeitig zum Schönsten gezählt werden, was Situationen des Geschehens emotional deutend. Dies aus der Feder des noch sehr jungen Komponisten geflossen mag tendenziell eine Aufführung in sakralem Rahmen ist. Ihre niemals scholastische, vielmehr zutiefst beseelte nahelegen. Kontrapunktik (Madrigale, Due Canti), ihre Anmut (Stornello), 1906 war das Entstehungsjahr von La Passione op.21, ihre bukolische Melancholie (Rispetto), aber auch ihr elegant– des „Religiösen Gesangs für gemischten Chor a capella“ ironisch gefärbter Humor (Frottola, Die Lehre), zeugen von Also available nach altitalienischer Volkspoesie. Erst drei Jahrzehnte höchster Charakterisierungsfähigkeit. Im Quartina ertönt später veröffentlicht, ist es dem „lieben Freunde Don eine wehmütig-grazile Herzensmusik, die der zeitlebens Lorenzo Perosi“ gewidmet. anhaltenden, innigen Verbundenheit zu seiner Heimatstadt Ohne Übertreibung sind die otto cori op.2 als Juwelen Venedig und dem großen Carlo Goldoni Ausdruck verleiht.

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8.660386-87 8.572921 Before he sprang to international fame as an operatic composer, Wolf-Ferrari had embarked on an important sequence of choral works. The very early Otto cori, Op. 2, set to Italian and German texts, contain some of the most beautiful music he ever wrote, revealing his love of Italian Renaissance music through grace, bucolic melancholy, humorous wit and sublime characterisation. In Talitha Kumi!, Op. 3, the title derived from an Aramaic quotation from Mark’s Gospel, the voice of an Evangelist carries the biblical narrative of Jesus bringing the daughter of Jairus back to life against a rich orchestral backdrop. Ermanno Playing Time WOLF-FERRARI 52:26 (1876–1948) Talitha Kumi! (Die Tochter des Jairus) (‘Jairus’s Daughter’), Op. 3 (1898) 34:08 Sacred mystery in two parts on the Latin text of the Gospel of St Mark, for mixed choir, soloists and orchestra 1 Part I – Et cum transcendisset Jesus 16:49 2 Part II – Et non admisit 17:09 3 La Passione, Op. 21 (Tuscan folk poem) (1906) 2:53 Hymn for a cappella mixed choir Otto cori, Op. 2 for a cappella choir 15:05 4 Madrigale (Michelangelo) 2:01 5 Due canti No. 1 (Tuscan folk song) 2:59 6 Due canti No. 2 (Tuscan folk song) 2:11 7 Frottola (unknown poet) 0:50 8 Die Lehre (Heinrich Heine) 1:03 9 stornello (Italian street song) 1:04 0 Rispetto (Tuscan folk verse) 2:43 ! Quartina (Carlo Goldoni) 1:33 WORLD PREMIERE RECORDINgs

Rainer Trost (Evangelist), Tenor 1–2 Joan Martín-Royo (Jairus 1; Christus 2), Baritone Coro El León de Oro 1–! (Director: Marco Antonio García de Paz) Oviedo Filarmonía 1–2 Friedrich Haider 1–! Recorded: 24–29 April 2010 at the Auditorio Príncipe Felipe, Oviedo, Spain Artistic supervision: Joachim Krist, Fernando Arias • Engineer and editor: Fernando Arias • Additional editing, mixing and mastering: Felix Gargerle, Farao Studios GmbH, München • Cover Photo: Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari, c. 1900 Oviedo Filarmonía is sponsored by Oviedo Council (Spain). The producers thank the Auditorio Príncipe Felipe, Oviedo for their generous contribution to his recording • Publishers: Boosey & Hawkes Ltd, London 1–2, Universal Music Publishing, Casa Ricordi, Milan 3, Romualdo Fantuzzi, Milan 4–! The sung texts and English and German translations may be accessed at www.naxos.com/libretti/573716