Track Listing

1. Stabat mater, for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F major: No. 1, "Stabat Mater"
2. Stabat mater, for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F major: No. 2, "Cuius animam"
3. Stabat mater, for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F major: No. 3, "O quam tristis"
4. Stabat mater, for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F major: No. 4, "Quae moerebat"
5. Stabat mater, for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F major: No. 5, "Quis est homo"
6. Stabat mater, for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F major: No. 6, "Vidit suum dulcem Natum"
7. Stabat mater, for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F major: No. 7, "Eia Mater"
8. Stabat mater, for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F major: No. 8, "Fac ut ardeat"
9. Stabat mater, for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F major: No. 9, "Sancta Mater"
10. Stabat mater, for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F major: No. 10, "Fac ut portem"
11. Stabat mater, for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F major: No. 11, "Inflammatus et accensus"
12. Stabat mater, for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F major: No. 12, "Quando Corpus morietur" / No. 13, "Amen"
13. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Stabat Mater dolorosa
14. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Cujus animam gementem
15. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: O quam tristis
16. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Quae moerebat et dolebat
17. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Quis est homo
18. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Quis non posset contristari
19. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Pro peccatis suae gentis
20. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Vidit suum dulcem natum
21. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Pia Mater
22. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Sancta Mater
23. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Fac ut ardeat cor meum
24. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Tui nati vulnerati
25. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Juxta crucem
26. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Virgo virginum praeclara
27. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Fac ut portem Christi mortem
28. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Inflammatus et accensus
29. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Fac me cruce custodiri
30. Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, 2 violins & continuo: Quando corpus morietur

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40208 in Music
• Released on: 1998-11-10
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .24 pounds

Amazon.com
Pergolesi's legendary Stabat Mater for solo soprano and alto acquired its mystique early on: not only does it boast striking melodies and harmonies, but the composer finished it just days before dying of tuberculosis at age 26. That irresistibly mythic circumstance, combined with the sacred nature of the text, led to an air of reverence that has surrounded the work for two centuries. It's this reverence that Rinaldo Alessandrini means to strip away, showing us the very theatrical style in which Pergolesi actually wrote. Using only six period string instruments rather than the customary small orchestra, Alessandrini directs a remarkable performance: the very quick or very slow tempos, sudden accents, and dynamic extremes are often surprising but always credible. Alessandro Scarlatti's Stabat Mater, written for the same forces (for the same institution in Naples, in fact) as Pergolesi's setting, is a more temperate piece, with less theatrical intensity but more counterpoint and florid vocal writing. Both soloists have attractive voices (though soprano Bertagnolli shows occasional strain on high notes), with just enough narrow vibrato to appeal to traditional voice fans without alienating early-music lovers. Most importantly, they have the courage and the skill to bring Alessandrini's daring conception off. If you want a conventionally reverent reading, you should try Gillian Fisher and Michael Chance, but this performance really is thrilling. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews

Fabulous performance!
It is impossible to expect an unimaginative or uninvolved performance from Concerto Italiano. Alessandrini and his 2 marvelous divas perform both Stabat Maters with white-hot passion and fervour. Gemma Bertagnolli and Sara Mingardo nead not fear comparisons with anyone, both of them have great voices and know very well what they are singing. Even the recent Bonney/Scholl recording on DECCA comes in second place to this OPUS111 offering.

One of the best Stabat Mater
Pergolesi's Stabat Mater is often played too grossly, with the usual over-vibrato from the singers and the impassiveness of the orchestra.

This interpretation is not like the others, it is soft and calm. From the first movement (taken very slowly) you are driven into a peaceful atmosphere that will awake all sorts of emotions.

Listen to it, even if it's only for the last movement (Quando corpus morietur) that will make you cry. To dry your tears, the last Amen will bring you serenity.