CORO The Sixteen Edition CORO The Sixteen Edition Other Sixteen Edition recordings available on CORO Weihnachts Oratorium Victoria Requiem 1605 Christmas Oratorio J. S. Bach cor16017 NEW RECORDING corsacd16033 Russell, Wyn-Rogers, Priest, scholar and Padmore, George singer, this remarkable Spaniard epitomised the Vivaldi "Superlative, emotion and fervour demonstrating all of Renaissance Europe. in D major The Sixteen's familiar Victoria's lavish Requiem virtues." of 1605 became his most bbc music magazine famous and revered work. Bach in D major Esther Allegri Miserere G. F. Handel - 2 CDs cor16019 & Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli, L YNDA R USSELL Lotti: Crucifixus G ILLIAN F ISHER Russell, Argenta, cor16014 A LISON B ROWNER Chance, Randle, I AN P ARTRIDGE Padmore, George "Christophers draws brilliant performances from his M ICHAEL G EORGE "...a new golden singers, both technically age of Handel assured and vividly The Sixteen interpretation." impassioned." The Symphony of Harmony and Invention classical music the guardian THE VOICES OF (canada) HARRY CHRISTOPHERS To find out more about The Sixteen, concert tours, and to buy CDs, visit www.thesixteen.com cor16042 There is no doubt that Bach and Vivaldi are the comparative nonentity, Carlo Pietro Grua. unrivalled masters of baroque music in Germany During this six-year period Vivaldi, as well as GLORIA IN D MAJOR being appointed Maestro de' concerti (director and Italy respectively. Combining these two works of instrumental music) at the Pietà, kept it together on a single disc, one is immediately conscious lthough Vivaldi (1678-1741) is well supplied with sacred music; the present D of the difference between these two composers. Bach recognised today primarily on account major setting of the Gloria, one of two which is complex; Vivaldi is effective. Both treat us to Aof his many fine concertos he was he wrote in this key, probably being among the sumptuous musical colours but, although often similar also the composer of some forty-five operas earliest of them. or so and of a significant quantity of church Vivaldi's Gloria is in twelve effectively in their choice of instrumentation, the effects provided music. Among this second category may be contrasted movements. Venetian composers, are poles apart. Just compare Vivaldi’s Domine Deus, found solo motets, settings of the canticles and like those at Bologna, were inspired, no doubt with its exquisitely beautiful oboe accompanying, in psalms and what has become his best-known partly by the architecture of their churches, a very pastoral way, the soprano voice (played and sacred composition, the Gloria in D major (RV to experiment with musical colours and sung divinely by Sophia McKenna and Lynda Russell 589). Vivaldi, although a frequent traveller sonorities; Vivaldi's larger setting of Beatus abroad as well as to other Italian cities, was Vir (RV 597), for instance, derives a particular respectively) with Bach’s Quia respexit; we have here associated during most of his working life with effect from its recurring antiphonal ritornello. the same basic instrumentation, the same vocal soloist, the Ospedale della Pietà, one of four Venetian In the Gloria it is the swift changes of mood but, with the latter, the effect is haunting and daring. Vivaldi at his simplest; Bach, as ever, orphanages for girls. He joined its staff in and kaleidoscope of instrumental and vocal complex and, at times, downright outrageous in his use of harmony. 1703 as Maestro di violino at which time the colouring which are, perhaps most striking. Maestro di coro there was Francesco Gasparini, In the first section of the Gloria 1 the four- a celebrated teacher and composer. part choir is supported by a It is also the wonderful singing of Lynda Russell that highlights these comparisons. Traditionally, the story goes that owing to a with an oboe and a trumpet; the unison She has so many vocal colours at her disposal, and her sensitivity to the text is always a severe illness Gasparini was forced to give up opening which emphasises the tonic key in delight. his position at the Pietà which, incidentally, octave intervals is a favourite Vivaldi device gave him responsibility for instrumentalists by which we can often recognise his style from In performance, both works make audiences smile wherever we perform, but it is as well as singers. However, it seems more that of his many gifted Italian contemporaries. likely that illness was just an excuse for the In the sequence of solos and choruses which Bach’s final flourish in the Magnificat that is filled with fun and ebullience. Trumpets increasing amount of time which Gasparini follows, the composer achieves his composite blazing, and it’s over all too soon, leaving us, musicians and listeners alike, on a real high. was spending in Rome staging his operas. picture not only by affecting changes in texture Be that as it may, in 1713 Vivaldi took over and colour - he uses an oboe, for example, Gasparini's responsibility for the provision of to accompany the tender 12/8 soprano solo, new sacred compositions for the Pietà, though Domine Deus 6 - but also in his choice of not in fact the position of Maestro di coro itself keys; D major and its relative B minor are which was eventually awarded in 1719 to a reserved for the two opening and two closing 2 3 numbers. For the remainder of the work 1723, but of course, had no time to prepare this procedure in his cantatas. In the case the chorale-fantasia of Cantata No.78 Jesu, der Vivaldi takes us through G major, E minor, C for the Whitsun festival, so it was for the of the Magnificat, whose text would have du meine Seele. major, , D minor and A minor. The Christmas Vigil of that year that he performed been familiar to the congregation, dramatic At the centre of the Magnificat is the fugal double fugue chorus Cum Sancto Spiritu bn, his Magnificat for the first time. In its earlier commentary between the verses was clearly chorus Fecit potentiam bu. This dazzling which ends the work is also present, with version it is written in the key of E flat, other unnecessary,. The da capo aria, too, with its outburst of sound is created by the five-part slight alterations, in Vivaldi's other Gloria (RV important distinctions between this and often lengthy repeats, would hinder the direct choir with full orchestra. Movement 8 is a 588). Its music was an adaptation of a fugue the later one include four additonal pieces and striking impact of the canticle. It is Bach's tenor aria with strings and continuo, Deposuit in a Gloria (1708) by a Veronese composer, intended specifically for Christmas, the use realisation of this which enabled him to write potentes cl. Like the earlier bass aria this, Giovanni Maria Ruggieri (fl. 1689-1715). of recorders instead of flutes (only in the first a work of exceptional concision and structural too, is treated pictorially in its descending movement and the Esurientes), and small formality. semiquaver motifs found in all the parts. differences in the melodic material. In this The orchestra for the D major Magnificat is Movement 9, Esurientes cm, is an alto solo with JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH form it remained unaltered for at least four typical of those of his festive cantatas - three two flutes and continuo. In the earlier version years. trumpets, drums, two oboes, two flutes, strings Bach used recorders, which sound particularly MAGNIFICAT IN D MAJOR In about 1728 Bach turned to his E flat and continuo, but, unlike most of the cantatas apt in the original context of this gently Latin Magnificat once more. He changed the the choral writing is in five parts (SSATB). reflective music. It is followed by a trio for lthough - compared with the enormous key to D major, a more usual one for a work The first of twelve short movements is two sopranos and an alto, Suscepit Israel cn. quantity of music he provided for incorporating trumpets; the two recorders he a sparkling chorus with full orchestra bo. The accompaniment in the later version AGerman texts - Bach's Latin music replaced by flutes, giving them new and more Movement 2, for the second soprano solo, is consists of only continuo without violone and represents a very small output, it includes extensive parts, and he extracted the four scored (by contrast with the opening) for strings bassoon, above which the oboes sound the two works of the highest distinction. One Christmas interpolations, thereby removing a and continuo only bp. Movement 3 is for the notes of the ninth psalm-tone, less striking of these is, of course, the Mass in B minor direct associaton of the work with Christmas. first soprano accompanied by an expressive to us than to the congregations of Bach's day which occupied Bach's mind for nearly a In this form it was suitable for any Church oboe d'amore obbligato with continuo bq. who would immediately have recognised quarter of a century. The other is the setting festival and has since become one of Bach's This is suddenly cut short by Movement 4, it. Movement 11 is a five-part fugue with of the evening canticle Magnificat anima best known choral works. the dramatic chorus Omnes generationes br. continuo co. Since the original parts of the mea Dominum. As far as we know, all Bach's Apart from its Latin text, of incomparably Bach makes effective contrast here by change manuscript have not survived we cannot be Latin music dates from the years following his greater stature than the majority of German of rhythm, mood and texture. Movement 5 certain of Bach's intentions here. Often in appointment as Cantor at St Thomas's School, baroque cantata libretti, the Magnificat is a powerful bass aria with continuo, Quia such a movement each voice part would be Leipzig in 1723; and the earliest of such works differs from Bach's church cantatas in three fecit mihi magna bs. Here Bach presents both reinforced by a stringed or wind instrument. was the Magnificat. significant respects. First, in the absence of lines pictorially, underling the powerful words Finally, a threefold Gloria cp leads us back to According to custom elaborate settings of recitative; secondly, in the avoidance of da of the text. Movement 6 bt is a duet for alto the music of the opening movement, and with the canticle were sung at Vespers at Leipzig capo arias; and thirdly in its reintroduction and tenor with two flutes, muted strings and a resounding Amen, the work is brought to a on the three principal festivals of the Church of the opening thematic material in the continuo. A noteworthy feature of this section close. year - Easter, Whitsun and Christmas. Bach final chorus, giving it something of a cyclic is the descending chromatic bass such as we was formally installed as Cantor on 31st May, character. Only very seldom did Bach adopt find in the Crucifixus of the B minor Mass or Nicholas Anderson 4 5 1 (Chorus) - Gloria in excelsis Deo 2.30 Vivaldi SOPRANO Lynda Russell, Gillian Fisher 2 (Chorus) - Et in terra pax hominibus 4.53 Soloists Gloria ALTO Alison Browner 3 (Soprano I & II) - Laudamus te 2.12 TENOR Ian Partridge 4 (Chorus) - Gratias agimus tibi 0.27 BASS Michael George 5 (Chorus) - Propter magnam gloriam 0.53 6 (Soprano I) - Domine Deus 3.31 The Sixteen 7 (Chorus) - Domine Fili Unigenite 2.10 SOPRANO Fiona Clarke, Sophie Daneman, Ruth Dean, Carys Lane, Rebecca Outram, Alison Smart 8 (Alto & Chorus) - Domine Deus, Agnus Dei 4.09 ALTO Michael Lees, Philip Newton, Christopher Royall, Caroline Trevor 9 (Chorus) - Qui tollis peccata mundi 1.04 TENOR Andrew Carwood, Philip Daggett, Neil MacKenzie, David Roy bl (Alto) - Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris 2.06 BASS Simon Birchall, Roger Cleverdon, Robert Evans, Timothy Jones bm (Chorus) - Quoniam tu solus Sanctus 0.45 bn (Chorus) - Cum Sancto Spiritu 2.43 The Symphony of Harmony and Invention David Woodcock (leader), William Thorp, Theresa Caudle, Marc Ashley Cooper, James Ellis, Helen Orsler, Jean Paterson, Claire Sansom bo J. S. Bach (Chorus) - Magnificat anima mea 2.52 VIOLA Jane Compton, David Brooker bp (Soprano II) - Et exultavit 2.23 Magnificat Richard Campbell, Imogen Seth-Smith bq (Soprano I) - Quia respexit 2.12 BASS Timothy Lyons br (Chorus) - Omnes generationes 1.11 FLUTE Rachel Beckett, Utako Ikeda bs (Bass) - Quia fecit mihi magna 2.10 bt (Alto & Tenor) - Et misericordia 3.36 OBOE Sophia McKenna, Cherry Forbes bu (Chorus) - Fecit potentiam 1.51 BASSOON Sally Jackson cl (Tenor) - Deposuit potentes 1.59 TRUMPET Crispian Steele-Perkins, David Blackadder, William O'Sullivan cm (Alto) - Esurientes 2.55 SACKBUT Susan Addison, Paul Nieman cn (Chorus) - Suscepit Israel 2.08 TIMPANI John Chimes co (Chorus) - Sicut locutus est 1.32 ORGAN Laurence Cummings cp (Chorus) - Gloria 2.22 HARPSICHORD Celia Harper Total playing time 55.09 THEORBO Robin Jeffrey 6 7 ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741) 5 Propter magnam gloriam tuam (Chorus) GLORIA in D MAJOR (RV589) Propter magnam gloriam tuam. For your great glory.

1 Gloria in excelsis Deo (Chorus) 6 Domine Deus (Aria - Soprano I)

Gloria in excelsis Deo, Glory to God in the highest, Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Lord God, heavenly King, Deus Pater omnipotens. almighty God and Father. 2 Et in terra pax hominibus (Chorus) 7 Domine Fili Unigenite (Chorus) Et in terra pax hominibus And on earth peace, bonae voluntatis. goodwill to men. Domine Fili Unigenite, Only-begotten Son, Jesu Christe. Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Laudamus te (Duet - Soprano I & II) 8 Domine Deus, Agnus Dei (Aria - Alto) Laudamus te, We praise you, benedicimus te, we bless you, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Lord God, Lamb of God, adoramus te, we worship you, Filius Patris, Son of the Father, glorificamus te. we glorify you. qui tollis peccata mundi, who takes away the sins of the world, miserere nobis. have mercy upon us.

4 Gratias agimus tibi (Chorus) 9 Qui tollis peccata mundi (Chorus) Gratias agimus tibi We give you thanks Qui tollis peccata mundi, You who takes away the sins of the world, Suscipe deprecationem nostram. receive our prayer. 8 9 bl Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris (Aria - Alto) JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750) Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, You who sits at the right hand of the Father, MAGNIFICAT in D MAJOR (BWV 243) miserere nobis. have mercy on us. bo Magnificat anima mea Dominum (Chorus) bm Quoniam tu solus Sanctus (Chorus) Magnificat anima mea Dominum My soul glorifies the Lord Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, For you alone are the Holy One, tu solus Dominus, you alone are the Lord, bp Et exsultavit (Aria - Soprano II) tu solus Altissimus Jesu Christe, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, Et exsultavit spiritus meus and my spirit has rejoiced in Deo salutari meo. in God my Saviour. bn Cum Sancto Spiritu (Chorus)

Cum Sancto Spiritu With the Holy Spirit, bq Quia respexit (Aria - Soprano I) in gloria Dei Patris. Amen. in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Quia respexit Because he has looked humilitatem ancillae suae; on his servant in her lowliness; Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent see, henceforth will call me blessed

br Omnes generationes (Chorus)

Omnes generationes. All generations.

10 11 bs Quia fecit mihi magna (Aria - Bass) cn Suscepit Israel puerum suum (Trio)

Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est, For he has done great things for me, Suscepit Israel puerum suum, He protects Israel his servant, et sanctum nomen eius. and holy is his name. recordatus misericordiae suae; remembering his mercy; bt Et misericordia (Duet - Alto & Tenor) co Sicut locutus est (Chorus)

Et misericordia a progenie in And his mercy lasts from age to age Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, as he promised to our fathers, progenies timentibus eum. for those who fear him. Abraham et semini eius in saecula. to Abraham and his children for ever. bu Fecit potentiam (Chorus) cp Gloria Patri (Chorus)

Fecit potentiam in bracchio suo; He has put forth his arm in strength; Gloria Patri, gloria Filio, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, dispersit superbos mente cordis sui. he has scattered the proud-hearted. gloria et Spiritui Sancto; and to the Holy Spirit; sicut erat in principio, as it was in the beginning, et nunc et semper, is now and ever shall be, cl Deposuit potentes de sede (Aria - Tenor) et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. world without end. Amen. Deposuit potentes de sede He has cast the mighty from their et exaltavit humiles. thrones and raised up the lowly.

cm Esurientes implevit bonis (Aria - Alto) Esurientes implevit bonis He has filled the hungry with good et divites dimisit inanes. things and sent the rich away empty.

12 13 The Sixteen The Sixteen HARRY CHRISTOPHERS

he Sixteen is recognised as one of the world’s Supporting The Sixteen greatest vocal ensembles. Its special reputation for Tperforming early English polyphony, masterpieces of the Renaissance and a diversity of 20th century music is drawn from the passions of conductor and founder, “As time goes by, I find Harry Christophers’ Harry Christophers. Over ninety recordings reflect The music making more and more captivating.” Sixteen’s quality in a range of work spanning the music BBC RADIO 3 of five hundred years, winning many awards including Grand Prix du Disque for Handel’s Messiah, numerous Over 30,000 people each year hear CORO is the lively and Schallplattenkritik, the coveted Gramophone Award our concerts and so have their lives for Early Music for the Eton Choirbook, and most successful record label of recently the prestigious Classical Brit Award 2005 for enriched by the music-making of The Sixteen, The Symphony ‘Renaissance’. Harry Christophers, The Sixteen of Harmony and Invention The Sixteen tours throughout Europe, Japan, Recording Producer: Mark Brown and The Symphony of Harmony and Australia and the Americas and has given regular Recording Engineer: Antony Howell and Harry Christophers. Recorded at St John's Smith Square, London, 99 Invention. Many thousands more performances at major concert halls and festivals worldwide, including the Barbican Centre, Queen enjoy our CD recordings and radio Formed in 2001, CORO is Cover image: Shutterstock Inc. Elizabeth Hall, Sydney Opera House, and Vienna Design: Andrew Giles broadcasts. re-mastering, re-packaging Musikverein; also the BBC Proms, and the festivals of 2006 Salzburg, Granada, Lucerne and Istanbul. The group The Sixteen Productions Ltd. and re-issuing recordings © 2006 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. There are many ways to support The of The Sixteen that were promotes The Choral Pilgrimage in some of the UK's finest cathedrals, bringing music back to the buildings For further information about The Sixteen recordings Sixteen. If you would like to help by on CORO or live performances and tours, for a short time available for which it was written. The Sixteen also promotes contributing to its work, or would call +44 (0) 1865 793 999 on Collins Classics, the annual Handel in Oxford Festival, a weekend of like information about membership or email [email protected] and making brand new concerts and events dedicated to the life of this great www.thesixteen.com schemes, patronage, specific projects recordings every year. composer. or business sponsorship, please see The Sixteen are Associate Artists of London’s South www.thesixteen.com Bank Centre and also well known as the “The Voices of Classic f M”. The Sixteen’s own CD label CORO now THE VOICES OF releases most of the group’s recordings. N 14