DVOŘÁK stabat mater

NEEME JÄRVI conductor Janice Watson soprano DAGMAR PECKOVÁ mezzo soprano Peter Rose bass philharmonic and choir DVOŘÁK STABAT MATER, op. 58

Dvořák made a (now lost) setting of the Mass as a student The Stabat Mater sequence, of 13th-century Franciscan origin, exercise; but apart from that his first sacred work was his begins as a description of the Virgin Mary at the foot of the Stabat Mater, a setting of the mediaeval Latin prayer to Cross, and turns into a prayer to her for her intercession. the bereaved mother of the crucified Christ. It was drafted Dvořák set it in its entirety, several times grouping a number between February and May 1876, apparently as a delayed of its three-line stanzas together to form a substantial self- reaction to the death of the Dvořáks’ daughter Josefa the contained movement, and repeating passages of text freely previous September, two days after her birth. Several other to give each movement a strong formal outline. His scoring projects intervened before Dvořák got down to the task of is for four soloists, four-part chorus and orchestra; the orchestrating the work, in October and November 1877 – by inclusion of a part for organ (originally harmonium) in the which time the couple had also lost their second daughter, fourth movement suggests that he expected the instrument Růžena, who had died aged less than a year in August, and a to be used elsewhere in the work to support the chorus. month later their only son, the three-year-old Otakar. The musical language is highly personal, with the generous writing for the woodwind section that was a hallmark of Having been written out of personal impulse rather than Dvořák’s throughout his career. There is little to a commission, the Stabat Mater had to wait some time of the nationalist emphasis which later made itself felt in his to be heard. It was eventually performed on 23 December music, but equally there are none of the strict that at 1880, by the company of the Czech Provisional Theatre the time were considered virtually obligatory in large-scale in . The following year it was issued by the German sacred works. The vocal lines seem to owe most to the publisher Simrock (to whom Dvořák’s mentor Brahms had of Verdi, many of which Dvořák had encountered as a young recommended the young Czech’s music). And, once in print, violist in the orchestra of the Provisional Theatre in Prague. it became one of the works that made Dvořák’s name known internationally. It received its first British performance in The work begins with its longest movement, a setting of the London under the pioneering conductor Joseph Barnby first four stanzas of the poem for chorus and all four soloists, in March 1883; and a year later Dvořák himself conducted it with an extended orchestral introduction and an overall with great success in the , on the first of his A–B–A shape. In B minor, it begins with bare octave F sharps, many visits to London. perhaps symbolising the Cross itself (the German word for a sharp is ‘Kreuz’, ‘cross’), and continues with a The setting of the final stanza reunites all four soloists sorrowing descending chromatic phrase which is to dominate with the chorus. It begins in B minor with the octave the outer sections of the movement, usually associated with F sharps of the opening of the whole work, but turns the opening words ‘Stabat mater dolorosa’. ‘Quis est homo’, decisively to D major at the first choral climax; in this in E minor, similarly gathers four stanzas into a substantial key, the descending motive of the first movement A–B–A structure, this time for the four soloists without the reappears, now consoling rather than sorrowing, chorus; its outer sections are again dominated by the short, and is even incorporated into the fabric of the expressive phrase to which the opening words are set. exuberant ‘Amen’, the work’s one episode of sustained contrapuntal texture. After a blazing chordal passage for The stanza in which description turns to prayer, ‘Eia, mater’, unaccompanied chorus, the descending motive makes is set as a short, solemn chorus in C minor. The following its last appearances in the D major coda, a final calm movement, in B flat minor, alternates between the bass affirmation of Dvořák’s abiding faith. soloist’s ‘Fac ut ardeat cor meum’, declamatory and then lyrical, and the chorus’s devotional ‘Sancta mater’. ‘Tui nati’, in Programme note © Anthony Burton E flat major (the first major-key movement in the work), is set for chorus in a gently flowing 6/8 time, with a more agitated, and more contrapuntal, middle section. ‘Fac me vere’, in B major, after its Brahmsian introduction, is set for tenor and male chorus, in alternation and then in combination; the stanza ‘Juxta crucem’ appears twice as brief, urgent contrast. ‘Virgo, virginum praeclara’, in A major, is a predominantly quiet movement for chorus alone, for much of the time unaccompanied or discreetly supported by the orchestra. ‘Fac ut portem’, in D major, is a lyrical duet for soprano and tenor. ‘Inflammatus’, in , is an alto solo, beginning with the Handelian colouring of oboes, bassoons and strings and with a trudging Handelian bass line. DVOŘÁK STABAT MATER, op. 58

1 Chorus and solo quartet Stabat mater dolorosa The sad mother was standing Juxta crucem lacrymosa, tearful beside the cross Dum pendebat Filius. while her Son was hanging. Cujus animam gementem Her grieving soul Contristantem et dolentem heavy with sadness and pain Pertransivit gladius. a sword pierced. O quam tristis et afflicta O how unhappy and burdened with sorrow Fuit illa benedicta was that blessed Mater Unigeniti; mother of the only begotten One; Quae moerebat et dolebat Who mourned and suffered Et tremebat, cum videbat and trembled as she saw Nati poenas inclyti. the agonies of her glorious Son.

2 Solo quartet Quis est homo qui non fleret Who is the man who would not weep Christi matrem si videret if he saw the mother of Christ In tanto supplicio? in such affliction? Quis non posset contristari Who could fail to feel compassion Piam matrem contemplari seeing the dear mother Dolentem cum Filio? suffering with her Son? Pro peccatis suae gentis For the sins of His people Vidit Jesum in tormentis she saw Jesus in torment Et flagellis subditum. and lashed by whips. Vicit suum dulcem natum She saw her dear Son Moriendo desolatum dying in desolation Dum emisit spiritum. as He gave up His soul. 3 Chorus Eia, mater, fons amoris, O mother, fount of love, Me sentire vim doloris make me feel the strength of thy grief Fac, ut tecum lugeam. that I may lament with thee.

4 Bass solo and chorus Fac ut ardeat cor meum Make my heart blaze In amando Christum Deum with love of Christ the Lord Ut sibi complaceam. that I may be pleasing to Him. Sancta mater, istud agas, O holy mother, bring that to pass, Crucifixi fige plagas plant the wounds of the Crucified One Corde meo valide. deep in my heart.

5 Chorus Tui nati vulnerati Of thy wounded Son Tam dignati pro me pati who so greatly deigned to suffer for me Poenas mecum divide. share the pains with me.

6 Tenor solo and chorus Fac me vere tecum flere Make me truly weep with thee Crucifixo condolere and share the Crucified One’s suffering Donec ego vixero. as long as I shall live. Juxta crucem tecum stare To stand beside the cross with you Te libenter sociare and gladly to share In planctu desidero. your desolation is my desire.

7 Chorus Virgo, virginum praeclara, Virgin, noblest of virgins, Mihi jam non sis amara do not be cruel to me now, Fac me tecum plangere. make me share thy desolation.

8 Soprano and tenor duet Fac ut portem Christi mortem, Make me bear the death of Christ, Passionis fac consortem, make me a companion of His passion, Et plagas recolere. and feel His wounds again. Fac me plagis vulnerari, Make me be wounded with His wounds Cruce hac inebriari, ob amorem Filii. and swoon beneath this cross for love of thy Son.

9 Mezzo soprano solo Inflammatus et accensus When I am ablaze and consumed with fire Per te, Virgo, sim defensus O Virgin, let me be protected by you In die judicii. in the day of judgment. Fac me cruce custodiri, Let me be guarded by the cross, Morte Christi praemuniri, protected by the death of Christ Confoveri gratia. and cherished by His grace.

10 Soloists and chorus Quando corpus morietur, When the body shall die, Fac ut animas donetur Paradisi gloria. may my soul be given the glory of Paradise.

11 Soloists and chorus Amen. Amen. NEEMe JÄRVI conductor

The head of a musical dynasty, Neeme including Rudolf Tobias, Eduard Tubin and Arvo Pärt. He has Järvi is one of today’s most respected recorded with Chandos, , BIS and EMI, maestros. He conducts many of the amongst others. world’s most prominent and works alongside soloists of the highest Recent discs with Chandos include a Wagner and de Vlieger calibre. A prolific recording artist, he series with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra; a recording has amassed a discography of over 450 of Mahler’s No. 7 with the Residentie Orkest;

Simon van Boxtel Simon van recordings. and a series of Johan Halvorsen’s works with the Bergen © Philharmonic Orchestra. Over his long and highly successful career, Järvi has held positions with orchestras across the world. He is Chief Throughout his career, Neeme Järvi has been honoured with Conductor of the Residentie Orkest in The Netherlands, many international awards and accolades. These include an Artistic Director of the Estonian National Symphony honorary doctorate from the Music Academy of in Orchestra, and Conductor Laureate and Artistic Advisor of the , and the Order of the National Coat of Arms from the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. He became Artistic Director President of the Republic of Estonia, Lennart Meri. He holds of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in January 2011 and honorary doctorates from Detroit’s Wayne State University, becomes the orchestra’s Music Director in September 2012. the University of Michigan, the University of Aberdeen and He also holds the titles of Music Director Emeritus of the the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. He has also received Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Principal Conductor Emeritus the Commander of the North Star Order from King Karl of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, and Conductor Gustav XVI of Sweden. Laureate of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

Highlights of an impressive discography include critically acclaimed complete symphony cycles of Prokofiev, Sibelius, Nielsen and Brahms. Neeme Järvi has also championed lesser-known composers such as Wilhelm Stenhammar, Hugo Alfvén and Niels Gade, and composers from his native Estonia JANICE WATSON soprano DAGMAR PECKOVÁ mezzo soprano

A regular guest at both and Welsh Dagmar Pecková is one of today’s leading Czech mezzo National Opera, Janice Watson has sung at sopranos. She was born in Chrudim near Prague, and is a House, ; the , New York; graduate of Prague Conservatoire. and the opera houses of , Amsterdam, , Vienna, Santa Fe, Milan and Chicago. She has sung the Marschallin in Dagmar Pecková has a particular affinity with the Slavic for English National Opera; the title roles repertoire: she has performed Dvořák’s Biblical Songs with the in for and Káťa at the Vienna Musikverein, and Janáček’s Kabanová for and the Royal Opera; and in André Glagolitic Mass at the BBC Proms. Other notable performances Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire at the Theater an der Wien. include Mahler’s with the Royal Flanders Recent engagements include Alice Ford in for Welsh Philharmonic Orchestra under Philippe Herreweghe; Das National Opera; Elisabeth in Tannhäuser for ; klagende Lied at the Tonhalle Düsseldorf under Martyn Ellen Orford in in Naples and Turin; Elisabetta in Brabbins; with the Orchestre national for ; Elsa in for Hamburg de Montpellier under Enrico Delamboye; Mahler’s Second State Opera; Madame Lidoine in Les dialogues des Carmélites Symphony with the Philharmoniker Hamburg under Simone in Valencia; and Leonore in in Beijing and at the Young; and the Third Symphony at the Vienna Konzerthaus Brighton Festival. under Christian Arming, as well as Des Knaben Wunderhorn with the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona under Pablo Her many recordings include Orff’s Carmina Burana for Virgin González. Classics; Peter Grimes under Richard Hickox, the title role in Jenůfa, and Poulenc’s Gloria under Sir for During her career Dagmar Pecková has worked with Chandos; and Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream under conductors including , Jiří Bělohlávek, Sir for Philips Classics. She has also recorded with Semyon Bychkov, Sir Colin Davis, , Christoph Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra on the Eschenbach, Richard Hickox, , Donald Runnicles LSO Live label. and Wolfgang Sawallisch. PETER AUTY tenor PETER ROSE bass

Peter Auty is established as one of Britain’s leading . British bass Peter Rose made his operatic début in 1986 with He made his professional début at Opera North in 1998 Glyndebourne Festival Opera in Hong Kong as Commendatore and returned in 2001 as Rodolfo in their much acclaimed in Mozart’s . Since then he has been a regular production of La bohème. He was a company principal at the guest at the world’s most prestigious opera houses. Royal Opera, Covent Garden, from 1999 until 2002, where he covered several major roles and had the opportunity to work His enormous repertoire includes Ramphis, Fasolt, Somnus, with many of the world’s leading singers and conductors. Daland, King Marke, Basilio, Kecal, Ochs, Banquo, Philip, He later returned as a guest to sing the roles of Malcolm in Prince Gremin, Leporello, Osmin, Gurnemanz, Zaccaria, and Edgardo in . Claggart and Falstaff. He has won particular acclaim for his performances of Bottom, which he has sung in Aix-en- Elsewhere, Peter Auty has worked with ; Provence; ; London; Rome; on the occasion of his début Opera Holland Park; Glyndebourne Festival Opera and at the Metropolitan Opera, New York; and for Glyndebourne Glyndebourne on Tour; English National Opera; Opera North; Festival Opera. Scottish Opera; Frankfurt Opera; and the Nationale Reisopera. A prolific concert artist, he has sung under leading conductors On the concert platform Peter Auty has appeared with including Sir Colin Davis, , , many of the UK’s leading orchestras including the London , Sir and , with orchestras Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and including the London Symphony, Chicago Symphony, New Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. He made his London York Philharmonic and Cleveland orchestras. recital début in the 2009 Rosenblatt Recital Series. During the 2011 BBC Proms season at London’s Royal Albert Hall, he He can be heard on recordings with the and Vienna performed the tenor solo with combined forces of over 1000 Philharmonic orchestras, as well as in a variety of operas on musicians in ’s Symphony No. 1, ‘The Gothic’. the Chandos label. London Philharmonic orchestra

The London Philharmonic Orchestra is known as one of the In summer, the Orchestra moves to Sussex where it has been world’s great orchestras with a reputation secured by its Resident at Glyndebourne Festival Opera for over 40 years. performances in the concert hall and opera house, its many The Orchestra also performs at venues around the UK and award-winning recordings, its trail-blazing international tours has made numerous tours to America, Europe and Japan, and and its pioneering education work. Distinguished conductors visited India, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Australia, Oman, who have held positions with the Orchestra since its Russia, South Africa and Abu Dhabi. foundation in 1932 by Sir include Sir , Sir John Pritchard, , Sir Georg Solti, The London Philharmonic Orchestra made its first recordings , Franz Welser-Möst and Kurt Masur. Vladimir on 10 October 1932, just three days after its first public Jurowski was appointed the Orchestra’s Principal Guest performance. It has recorded and broadcast regularly ever Conductor in March 2003 and became Principal Conductor since, and in 2005 established its own record label. These in September 2007. The London Philharmonic Orchestra has recordings are taken mainly from live concerts given by been Resident Symphony Orchestra at Southbank Centre’s conductors including LPO Principal Conductors from Beecham since 1992 and there it presents its main and Boult, through Haitink, Solti and Tennstedt, to Masur and series of concerts between September and May each year. Jurowski. lpo.org.uk © Patrick Harrison © Patrick The SanFrancisco Chronicle Philharmonic Choir.’ gorgeous singingfrom theLondon ‘An evocative performance graced by Classic FM Magazine recordings around ofSibelius’s Fifth.’ ‘This hastobe oneofthebest LPO-0057 LPO-0042 For more information telephone+44(0)2078404242orvisitwww.lpo.org.uk/shop Also availablethe London on PhilharmonicOrchestra’s label

respect.’ GlasgowHerald ‘This blazing account issearinginevery LPO-0055 LPO-0029 Sunday Times The ‘A joy from beginningtoend.’

so many things toenjoy.’ Gramophone achieves aremarkable inwardness ...Ifound GermanRequiem doesn’t that rushand ‘A LPO-0045 for peace.’ MusicWeek ‘An inspired, emotionallycharged call LPO-0010 ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK (1841–1904)

67:08 stabat Mater, Op. 58

01 14:00 Stabat mater dolorosa 02 08:23 Quis est homo 03 05:30 Eia, mater, fons amoris 04 07:46 Fac ut ardeat cor meum 05 04:25 Tui nati vulnerati 06 05:08 Fac me vere tecum flere 07 05:17 Virgo, virginum praeclara 08 04:53 Fac ut portem Christi mortem 09 04:29 Inflammatus et accensus 10 02:46 Quando corpus morietur 11 04:31 Amen

NEEME JÄRVI conductor Janice Watson soprano DAGMAR PECKOVÁ mezzo soprano Peter Auty tenor Peter Rose bass london philharmonic ORCHESTRA and choir Pieter Schoeman leader Neville Creed choir master

Recorded live at Southbank Centre’s ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, London

LPO – 0062