Stabat Mater – Music from the 16th, 17th and 18th century written for Holy Week
The day this programme was put together was the last day of carnival, which is the prelude to a period of 40 days of fasting, called Lent. On the Wednesday morning after carnival, people receive ashes as a sign of penance. After Lent, the Holy Week follows, which starts with the celebration of Christ’s triumphant arrival in Jerusalem, the week in which Jesus was betrayed after the Last Supper after which he was taken prisoner and crucified. On the Sunday, the day of his resurrection, Easter is celebrated.
The Holy Week is all about the Passion, the sufferings and death of Christ. Many composers used this theme in their music. Many Passions have been written, one of the most famous being of course the St. Matthew Passion from Johann Sebastian Bach.
In this episode, we will focus on the suffering of Mary, mother of Jesus, which was used in many a Stabat Mater.
Dominique Phinot (ca. 1510- ca. 1556)
1. Lamentations
Sospiri conducted by Christopher Watson
(CD The Lost City – Lamentations through the ages. Naxos 8 573078, 2013)
Orlando di Lasso (ca. 1532 – 1594)
2. Lamentatio Secunda Primi Dei
Egidius Quartet
(CD Lamentatio Jeremiae prophetae. Etcetera KTC 1343, 2008)
Sébastien de Brossard (1655-1730)
3. Quatrième Leçon des Morts
– Sonatina: Adagio
– Responde mihi
– Cur faciem tuam abscondis
– Scribis enim contra me
– Posuisti in nervo pedem meum
– Quiza quasi putredo
Veronique Gens, soprano. Il Seminario Musicale conducted by Gérard Lesne, alto
(CD Brossard – Leçons des Morts. Virgin Veritas 5 4527)
Sébastien de Brossard
4. Stabat Mater
– Stabat mater dolorosa (instr)
– Cujus animam gementem
– O quam tristis
– Quae maerebat et dolebat (instr)
– Quis est homo
– Pro peccatis suae gentis
– Vidit suum dulcem natum
– Eia mater, fons amoris (instr)
– Santa Mater, istud agas
– Tui nati vulnerati (instr)
– Virgo virginum praeclara
– Fa cut portem Christi mortem (instr)
– Quando corpus morietur
Le Concert Spirituel conducted by Hervé Niquet
(CD Pierre Bouteiller – Requiem pour Voix des hommes. Glossa GCD 921621)
In addition:
Sébastien de Brossard
5. Triosonata no. 1 for 2 violins and basso continuo
– Largo
– Allegro
– Adagio
Il Seminario Musicale
Photo: ‘Pieta’ from Michelangelo
