VIVALDI - HANDEL Introduction Silete venti, HWV 242 George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) It is a great pleasure to have recorded these 1 Sinfonia e Recitativo [5.23] 2 Andante ma larghetto [7.21] glorious sacred works after performing them 3 Accompagnato [0.36] before an audience so many times. To make 4 Andante, Allergo [9.53] a recording with such a wonderful orchestra 5 Presto [3.14] and in the pearly acoustic of All Hallows’ Church, Gospel Oak was a joy. I hope you Gloria, HWV deest George Frideric Handel will share these feelings when you hear the result. 6 Gloria in excelsis Deo [2.28] 7 Et in terra pax [2.48] 8 Laudamus te, benedicimus te [2.18] Special thanks to my dearest parents, Nigel 9 Domine Deus, rex coelestis [1.14] and our wonderful children for their constant 0 Qui tollis peccata mundi [3.26] love and support. q Quoniam tu solus sanctus [3.38] Grace Davidson, 2018 Salve Regina, HWV 241 George Frideric Handel w Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae [3.01] e Ad te clamamus exsules filii Evae [2.45] r Eia, ergo, advocate nostra [3.33] t O Clemens, O pie [1.34]

Nulla in mundo pax sincera, RV630 Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) y Nulla in mundo pax sincera [6.09] u Blando colore oculos mundus decepit [1.13] i Spirat anguis [3.21] o Alleluia [2.13]

Total timings: [76.11]

GRACE DAVIDSON SOPRANO • ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC JOSePH CROUCH ARTISTIC LEADER

www.signumrecords.com Silente Venti and it was perhaps composed with an eye to the upper hand of athleticism over the players, wild in places, but unmistakably Handel’. his return trip to Italy in 1729. The text throwing in a high B at the end of the race. What is also clear is that it shares an equally Silete Venti HWV 242 was composed in blurs the conventional distinctions between unmistakable flavour of Italy in many aspects London during the 1720s, some of its musical descriptions of divine love and a somewhat Gloria of its writing. This it shares with such similarly- material being shared with the Oratorio Esther, carnal slant to some of the exhortations to influenced works by the composer such as a Chandos Anthem and one of the Bb Organ the Saviour. Furthermore, there is a more The discovery of Georg Frideric Handel’s Gloria ‘Dixit Dominus’ – extrovert exuberance in Concertos. The instrumentation is economical athletic and dramatic slant to the vocal style in 2001, unnoticed for so many years in the the florid coloratura of the vocal line, with a pair of oboes and a bassoon added to than his more conservative output, a little library of the Royal Academy of Music in London, confident interplay with the obbligato violins the usual strings but the forces are employed as we have come to expect from solo vocal is a salutary tale. It continues to be referred and particular harmonic devices which tug imaginatively, the interweaving of lines, with writing by Vivaldi and Monteverdi. to quaintly in the HWV classification asdeest at a the heart in their emotional power. There and without the voice, ranking among the (Latin for ‘doesn’t exist’), even after its is one fingerprint which has become known finest of Handel’s offerings. The Sinfonia is The initial calming of the winds is a remarkable emergence into the artistic daylight. In this as a Neapolitan in harmonic terms: the first in French Overture style, proceeding into a unfurling of the tension of the stormy writing age of easy information, it is still possible inversion of the flattened super-tonic, a triple-metre section with the depiction of of the opening, reducing the energy of the that, if somebody allows an original manuscript signature which many will associate with turbulent winds being silenced by the entry music in a manner which suggests future to be passed down and put in a drawer, Vivaldi, but which makes itself felt as recently of the voice – hence the title of the motet. depictions of nature by Haydn. The aria Dulcis there’s a chance that it will not arouse any as in the music of Italian films of the 20th Such power in the gift of a singer, and the Amor is a soothing dialogue between voice interest for a considerable time. Probably Century. There is also the use of separated, effect is arresting. Indeed this introduction and instruments – classic, noble Handel in commissioned by Francesco Maria Ruspoli dry string chords – termed secco like the white to the voice appears to have the orchestra brilliant word-setting. An accompanied recitative for service in his estate chapel at Vignanello, wine, in both the Et in terra pax and the Cum submit and become breathless – rests are O fortunata separates this from the second, this Cantata for solo soprano, two violins Sancto Spiritu, which would have been quite used in a most adventurous, rhetorical Andante-allegro-andante aria Date serta, whose and basso continuo was bound as part of a foreign to British audiences of the era and manner for the period of composition and, rapid central section, again in a contrasting volume of Handel’s arias, not in the composers which are more reminiscent of the programmatic like the rather flowery poetry, possesses triple time, gives the listener a taste of the hand, in the possession of a William Savage picture-painting in Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons an Italian, heart-on-sleeve expressiveness. joy of the Alleluia as the winds rouse (1729-1789) apparently passing to his pupil, than as a mere instrumental accompaniment This is far from a routine example of themselves once more. It might be the use Robert Stevens who seems to have bequeathed to a sacred work. word-setting. The stamina and flexibility of a walking bass in both of the arias the volume to the RAM in 1837. The Principal demanded by Handel suggest that this which lends such an unmistakably Handelian of the Academy at the time of discovery, Six titled musical sections subdivide in effect substantial solo Latin motet was intended dignity to the music. The final paean of just Professor Curtis Price expressed the opinion into eight parts, following the text of the Gloria for an accomplished star of stage or oratorio one word Alleluia allows the voice to have that the work is ‘fresh, exuberant and a little from the Mass. Some of this material can be

- 4 - - 5 - found, reworked, in Laudate Pueri and the of Santa Maria in Montesanto, Vignanello. composer for these sentiments. A pulsing, which must have seemed most romantic in a Utrecht Jubilate. The opening Gloria is an Significantly, this was exactly one month before paired-note bass-line possesses something of sacred work. Cascading canonic texture among exuberant paean of joy with two outriding Dixit Dominus was first heard and the sharing the heartbeat, the inverted violin interjections the violins and the voice are as the falling violins offering a musical companionship of expressive styles and athletic, Italianate with their repeated common notes at the top tears in the valley (also the soprano’s reminiscent of Monteverdi. Et in terra combines flavour is immediately evident. This text, of the phrases suggesting the merciful Mother lowest note) and the desolation is echoed by jabbing, string accompaniment with languishing among the most familiar in the Roman Church of Christ, while the soprano takes on the role the dwindling writing of the violins who merge suspensions. Laudamus features a descending since it was written in the 11th Century of the voice of the person praying. Those very into a unison, lonely, final note. triad which might even suggest a bowing or (probably by the monk, Hermann von words, Mater misericordiae, are set with an a genuflexion to God.Gratias offers grace Reichenau) is one of the four Antiphons to Our anguished, chromatic pulling apart in tandem All is far from constant gloom as the Eia Ergo and gracefulness in triple metre while Lady, this one being used from the Saturday with the violins who adopt an almost vocal bursts into a section which is little short of a Domine Deus is supported by the basso before Trinity Sunday until the Friday before role. Ad te clamamus moves into triple concertante movement with every combination continuo alone, with a sense of prowling in the the first Sunday of Advent. Besides concluding metre, yet the layout of the composer’s of joyful interaction for solo organ, cello, the bass line’s chromatic progression. Qui tollis the recitation of the Rosary, it was, and still is, manuscript reveals a much broader sweep to violins and the voice. How we are fortunate allows the violins back into the picture with the final utterance of monastic communities the span of the music as he divides the material that George Frideric saw the need clearly to graded antiphony, the voice retreating into a at Compline before the Great Silence of the on the page not in groups of three but in a impress his patrons in a style which would supporting role. Quoniam, and Cum Sancto night. This might have had a significance broader sweep of twelve beats to a bar. I have been entirely within their culture, but make extreme demands of the singer in in the way that Handel scores the music. It acknowledge that this is no doubt to save ink, maybe exceeding their expectations. Again moto perpetuo passagework which points seems that he was not merely marrying words but the impression on the paper can influence Handel surprises us, using economical but to Handel’s capacity for fresh ideas and and music without an in-depth consideration the musician’s approach, whether or not virtuosic forces, and doubtlessly enjoying his techniques, in an athletic offering for which of the words, previously unfamiliar to him, but the listeners are in the know. There is some own organ showcase. we should be grateful. without doubt known intimately to those who remarkable melodic writing here and, to most would hear his setting. ears, the juxtaposition of F sharp and A flat Nevertheless, the masterstroke is the engineering Salve Regina is a surprise. The actual word clamamus (we of the final, meditative section O clemens. We The essence of this prayer, known in English cry) comes with a gloriously sunny, major 4/2 are returned to the context of prayerful This intriguing work for solo soprano, violins as: Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy is that harmony, radiating for a longer time than supplication in the manner of Handel’s Italian in two parts, obbligato organ and cello, and of supplication, imploring Mary to be a divine expected. The Italian, vocal style was well predecessors. The exuberance of the previous basso continuo dates from Handel’s earlier visit mediator in our journey through life. The used to sighings of one sort or another but movement is pared down, as in the beginning, to Italy and was probably first performed on opening movement is itself full of devices Handel was brave to set Suspiramus with to a final, unison note. Trinity Sunday, 19 June 1707 in the Church which point to a deep sympathy by the literal breathlessness, leaving complete silences

- 6 - - 7 - Nulla in mundo pax sincera phrases and joyous pealing in the final Alleluia capo aria progresses, the texture thins out, sliding as the snake in a single bar of a section. The viola is no mere textural filler, with the viola, unusually for this era, stepping downward scale. Nulla in mundo pax sincera is a sacred motet taking on an elevated bass role at various points, up to the plate and supporting the violins written in 1735 for the Coro of the Pio Ospedale adding to a somewhat heavenly mood throughout. and voice when the talk is of the virtue of It is in the final Alleluia that the soprano’s della Pieta. It reminds us of the talent which chaste love. There is an elevated feel to this supremacy is reestablished, with coloratura to must have been at the disposal of the The first movement’s text is directed to Jesus quasi-choral polyphony, when the purity of the take her own breath away and a melodic style Maestri of this foundling establishment in himself, acknowledging that in life’s pains, final unison C sharp nods towards the moral which is plainly violinistic. Vivaldi at his most Venice; the athletic vocal writing and its torments and bitterness true peace alone advice being given. joyful and exuberant. relentlessly high tessitura reserves it for lies in Him. The recitative and second aria warn only the bravest of sopranos. The text is us of the transitory attractions of the world The subsequent recitative continues the © Greg Murray unattributed, like so many of these works – in which the tempter attempts to trick us warning that all that glitters in the world’s used as an opportunity to escape the with superficial and poisonous pleasures. But, delights might have a downside. Far from being restrictions of ecclesiastical texts and is an in the end, reassurance gains the upper hand. a structural filler, the movement is replete opportunity to insert a show-piece into the with arioso style, pictorial writing and even structure of the Liturgy, or an Office such In musical terms the melodic and harmonic some conversational imitation between the as Vespers. If the general slant of the text treatment of the opening siciliano, with its voice and the accompanying bassline. escaped the censure of the authorities, then dotted lilting shape is a bittersweet blend of they served composers, performers and anguish and soothing. Optimistic, chromatic Spirat anguis might be viewed as a little church-goers equally well. ascents are countered by falling intervals respite for the voice before the final movement, in the vocal line. But it is one particularly but it shows subtle imagination nevertheless. The format is conventional – aria, recitative, aria Neapolitan, harmonic feature which lends The vocal line is subsumed into the violins’ with a final alleluia – and the instrumentation a feel of suffering. The flattening of the line and while the feature of the upward looks on the face of it to be conventional leading note to D natural on the word ‘felle’ flourish on ‘spirat’ (in effect the snake’s string ensemble, yet much in this work is (bitterness) is immediately pulled back to the hissing) might suggest the creature’s uncurling, remarkable. In terms of instrumentation, the extreme sharpness of the dominant seventh (G it is notable that the musical texture for two violins provide not only ritornelli and sharp major) of the relative minor key at the much of this section is in a mere two parts relief for the voice, but are engaged in dialogue words ‘Sweet Jesus’. In plainer language, with the viola once more taking the sole, with the vocal line, soothing caresses to there’s a great deal of angst in the design supporting role. This instrument has a support the sense of the verse in the opening of the music. As the central section of the da solo moment of playful interjection, surely

- 8 - - 9 - Silete Venti Gloria George Frideric Handel George Frideric Handel

1 Sinfonia e Recitativo 6 Silete venti, Be silent, you winds, Gloria in excelsis Deo Glory be to God on high nolite murmurare frondes, and do not murmur, you branches, 7 Quia anima mea dulcedine requiescit. because my soul is resting in sweetness. Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. And in earth peace, goodwill towards men, 2 Andante ma larghetto 8 Sweet love, dear Jesus, Dulcis amor, Jesu care, Laudamus te, benedicimus te, We praise thee, we bless thee, who does not desire to love Thee; quis non cupit te amare; Adoramus te, glorificamus te, we worship thee, we glorify thee, Come, transfix me. Veni, transfige me. Gratias agimus tibi, we give thanks to thee, If you strike me, there are no injuries: Si tu feris non sunt clades: Propter magnum gloriam tuam. for thy great glory tuae plagae sunt suaves, quia totus vivo in te. your strokes are sweet, because I live totally in You. 9 3 Accompagnato Domine Deus, rex coelestis, O Lord God, heavenly King, O fortunate anima, O blessed soul, Deus Pater omnipotens. God the Father Almighty. O jucundissimus triumphus, O happiest triumph, Domine fili unigenite, Jesu Christe. O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesu Christ; O felicissima laetitia. O most fortunate joy! Domine Jesu, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

4 Andante, Allergo 0 Date serta, date flores; Give garlands, give flowers; Qui tollis peccata mundi, Thou takest away the sins of the world, me coronent vestri honores; may your honours crown me; Miserere nobis, have mercy upon us. Date palmas nobiles. give noble palms. Qui tollis peccata mundi, Thou that takest away the sins of the world, Surgent venti et beatae spirent almae Let the winds arise and the blessed, fortunate spirits Suscipe de precationem nostrum. receive our prayer. fortunate auras coeli fulgidas. breathe the resplendent breezes of Heaven. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, Miserere nobis. have mercy upon us. 5 Presto Alleluia. Alleluia.

- 10 - - 11 - q Nulla in mundo pax sincera Quoniam tu solus sanctus, For thou only art holy; Antonio Vivaldi tu solus Dominus, thou only art the Lord; Tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe, thou only, Jesus Christ, y Cum sancto Spiritu With the Holy Ghost, Nulla in mundo pax sincera In this world there is no honest peace in Gloria Dei Patris. in the glory of God the Father. sine felle; pura et vera, free from bitterness; true and pure Amen. Amen. dulcis Jesu, est in te. peace, sweet Jesus. lies in Thee.

Salve Regina Inter poenas et tormenta Amidst punishment and torment George Frideric Handel vivit anima contenta lives the contented soul, casti amoris sola spe. chaste love its only hope. w Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae, Hail, Queen, merciful mother u our life, sweetness and hope, hail. Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Blando colore oculos mundus decepit This world deceives the eye by surface charms, e at occulto vulnere corda conficit; but is corroded within by hidden wounds. fugiamus ridentem, vitemus sequentem, Let us flee him who smiles, shun him who follows us, Ad te clamamus exsules filii Evae, To you we cry, exiled children of Eve, nam delicias ostentado arte secura for by skilfully displaying its pleasures, this world Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes to you we sigh, mourning and weeping vellet ludendo superare. overwhelms us by deceit. In hac lacrimarum valle. in this valley of tears. r i Eia, ergo, advocate nostra, illos tuos Come, therefore, our advocate, place your Spirat anguis The serpent’s hiss conceals its venom, Misericordes oculos ad nos converte; merciful eyes upon us; inter flores et colores as it uncoils itself Et Jesum, benedictum frutcum ventris tui, And Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb explicando tegit fel. among blossoms and beauty. Nobis post hoc exilium ostende. show (him) to us after this exile. Sed occulto tactus ore But with a furtive touch of the lips, homo demens in amore a man maddened by love t saepe lambit quasi mel. will often kiss as if licking honey. O Clemens, O pie, O dulcis Virgo Maria. O lenient, o pious, o sweet Virgin Mary. o Alleluia. Alleluia.

- 12 - - 13 - GRACE DAVIDSON London Symphony Orchestra, Tenebrae and Nigel Short conducting) was reviewed by Richard “Grace Davidson has one of the most beautiful Morrison quite simply: “Grace Davidson’s Pie and pure soprano voices on earth.” Eric Whitacre, Jesu is matchless” composer. More recently, Grace’s performances have “Grace Davidson sings with gorgeous purity and extended into the worlds of comtemporary warmth and hits some extraordinarily ethereal classical and classical crossover music. Her high notes.” Classic FM exceptional purity of tone has resulted in a number of recordings with prominent film composers. Grace has been delighting audiences and Max Richter chose her for his Sleep, Woolf winning wonderful reviews ever since her Works and Memoryhouse recordings with emergence as a soloist. Deutsche Grammphon. Sleep has now been performed all over the world with Grace, just Born in London, she studied singing at in the last year, singing in New Zealand, the the Royal Academy of Music and won the USA, Germany, Amsterdam and Paris. Academy’s Early Music Prize. Having graduated, she sang with most of the leading Baroque She lives near Cambridge with her husband and ensembles, under the batons of such as two children. John Eliot Gardiner, Paul McCreesh, Philippe Herreweghe and Harry Christophers. Her For more information, please visit: discography includes a decade of recordings www.gracedavidsonsoprano.com made with The Sixteen, on many of which she features as a soloist - notably in Handel’s Jeptha as ‘Angel’ and in Dixit Dominus, in Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610, his Pianto della Madonna and the Lutheran Masses of Bach. On BBC Radio Three’s ‘Building a Library’, her singing in Fauré’s Requiem (with the © Susan Porter Thomas

- 14 - - 15 - ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC The Academy of Ancient Music is an orchestra The Academy of Ancient Music has always with a worldwide reputation for excellence been a pioneer. Established to make the first Violins Double Bass in baroque and classical music. AAM takes British recordings of orchestral works using Bojan Čičić – Leader 1 2 Christine Sticher 1 inspiration directly from the music’s composers, instruments from the baroque and classical Persephone Gibbs 1 2 Jan Zahourek 2 using historically-informed techniques, period- period it went on to make more than 300 more, Alice Evans 1 specific instruments and original sources to many of which are still considered definitive Sophie Barber 1 2 Oboes bring music to life in committed, vibrant performances. (Among its countless accolades Kinga Ujszászi 1 2 Hannah McLaughlin 1 performances fit for the twenty-first century. for recording are Brit, Gramophone and Edison Sarah Moffat 1 2 Leo Duarte 1 awards.) Today, AAM has established its Miki Takahashi 1 Founded by Christopher Hogwood in 1973, own record label, AAM Records, and is proud Julia Kuhn 1 Bassoon AAM remains at the forefront of the worldwide to be the most listened-to orchestra of its Wiebke Thormahl 2 Sally Jackson early music scene over four decades on, under kind online. Inga Maria Klaucke the leadership of Richard Egarr, Music Director Violas since 2006. Alfonso Leal del Ojo 1 Lute Mark Braithwaite 1 Jakob Lindberg 1 2 Rebecca Jones 2 Jordan Bowron 2 Harpsichord Thomas Foster 1 2 Cellos Joseph Crouch 1 2 Artistic Leader Jonathan Byers 1 2 Joseph Crouch

1 = Silete Venti & Gloria 2 = Salve Regina & Nulla in mundo pax © Patrick Harrison

- 16- - 17 - AAM’s education and outreach programme, and The Grange Festival. Programmes include AAMplify, nurtures the next generation of large-scale vocal masterpieces including Bach’s audiences and musicians. With this expanding St Matthew Passion and Handel’s Israel in programme, working from pre-school through Egypt, and concert performances of operas Signum Records and Grace thank Roger Mayhew, Mark and Liza Loveday, tertiary education and beyond, AAM ensures including Purcell’s Dido and Aeneasand Mozart’s Monica Darnbrough and various anonymous contributors for the generosity its work reaches the widest possible audience The Marriage of Figaro. which made this recording possible. and inspires people of all ages, backgrounds and cultural traditions. The AAM resides in the historic city of Cambridge and is Orchestra-in-Residence at the city’s This album is dedicated to Yon Richard Mayhew (22 July 1924 – 6 November 2013), In the 2018-19 Season the AAM collaborates university. Its London home is the Barbican a much loved son, brother, husband, father and friend. with Christine Rice, Michael Collins, Nicolas Centre, where it is Associate Ensemble, and it is

Altstaedt, Lucie Horsch, Tenebrae, the BBC Orchestra-in-Residence at The Grange Festival, Recorded in All Hallows, Gospel Oak, London from 27 to 29 April 2015 and 14 January 2017 Singers, the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge Chiltern Arts Festival and Music at Oxford. Producer – Nigel Short Editor – Robin Hawkins Recording Engineer – Mike Hatch

Cover Image – © Nick White Chamber organ & Haprsichord tuner – Malcolm Greenhalgh & Keith McGowen

Design and Artwork – Woven Design www.wovendesign.co.uk

P 2018 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Signum Records Ltd JOHN DOWLAND © 2018 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd

Grace Davidson soprano Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Signum Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of copyright and will render the infringer liable to an action by law. Licences for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from Phonographic Performance Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, stored David Miller lute in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Signum Records Ltd. November 2018 release SignumClassics, Signum Records Ltd., Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, UK. +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: [email protected] www.signumrecords.com

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1 - 5 Silete venti, HWV 242 George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) [26.27] GRACE DAVIDSON GRACE 6 - q Gloria, HWV deest George Frideric Handel [15.52] ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC / w - t Salve Regina, HWV 241 George Frideric Handel [10.53] y - o Nulla in mundo pax sincera, RV630 Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) [12.56]

Total timings: [76.11] / ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC ANCIENT OF ACADEMY

GRACE DAVIDSON GRACE DAVIDSON SOPRANO ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC JOSePH CROUCH ARTISTIC LEADER VIVALDI - HANDEL

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CLASSICS Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, United Kingdom. P 2018 Signum Records DDD SIGCD537 © 2018 Signum Records www.signumrecords.com 24 bit digital recording 6 35212 05372 0 SIGNUM