Antonio CALDARA (1660-1737)
Motetti a due e tre voci op. 4
Ingeborg Dalheim, Anna Kellnhofer (soprano), Franz Vitzthum, Alex Potter (alto), Jan Van Elsacker (tenor), Florian Götz (bass)
United Continuo Ensemble/Thomas C. Boysen
(Jörg Meder (violone), Thomas C. Boysen (theorbo), Johannes Hämmerle (organ))
rec. May 2016, St. Johannis-Kloster & Gottorf Chapel, Schleswig
Texts included, with German translations
PAN CLASSICS PC10362 [59:06]
Soon after Antonio Caldara entered the service of the
imperial court in Vienna in 1716, he developed into one of the most
famous composers in Europe. He took up the position of vice-Kapellmeister
under Johann Joseph Fux and first court composer. In this capacity he
was responsible for the composition of operas and other vocal works,
not only for regular performances at the Hoftheater, but also at special
occasions like birthdays and namedays of the Emperor and Empress. Charles
VI was an ardent lover of music, as his predecessors had been, and that
had resulted in a musical infrastructure which was second to none in
Europe.
Caldara's oeuvre is huge; the number of his compositions being
estimated at around 3,400. Despite his historical importance only a
small part of his oeuvre is known today. It is telling that it is not
catalogued as yet. The fact that only a very small proportion of it
was printed in his lifetime doesn't help. This can probably be
explained by the fact that the largest part of his oeuvre consists of
large-scale works, such as operas, serenatas and oratorios, which were
mostly not printed. Moreover, his compositions were usually written
for specific occasions and places - such as the imperial court in Vienna
- or specific persons. The latter is the case with his cello sonatas
which he composed at the request of the German count Rudolf Franz Erwein
von Schönborn-Wiesentheid.
The present disc sheds light on pieces which date from before his time
in Vienna. Caldara composed his motets op. 4 when he worked in Rome.
He was in the service of Marquis Ruspoli, but dedicated the collection
to Cardinal Ottoboni. They are scored for two or three voices and bc;
none of the motets includes a part for a treble instrument. The texts
are either biblical or liturgical. The disc opens with Caro mea
vere est cibus, a setting of verses from the 6th chapter of the
gospel of John. The second, Laboravi in gemitu meo, is based
on the 7th verse from Psalm 6. Transeunte Domino is an antiphon
for Sunday Quinquagesima, and the closing motet, O sacrum convivium,
is a Magnificat-antiphon of the second Vespers of Corpus Christi.
Stylistically these motets are rather old-fashioned. Gerhard Poppe,
in his liner-notes, states that “[the] motets could well have
been composed at least 50 years previously, but this at least prevented
them from falling quickly out of fashion”. They are examples of
Caldara’s mastery of text-expression. Respice in me, Domine,
a setting of verses from Psalm 24 which is the introit for the third
Sunday after Pentecost, opens with a descending chromatic line. More
chromaticism comes later: first an ascending, later a descending figure,
on the words "lacrimis meis". In Benedictus Deus
chromaticism is used for the word "tribulatione". Miserere
mei Domine, on a verse from Psalm 6, includes some poignant dissonants,
and the same is the case with Peccavi super numerum (I have
sinned beyond the number of the sands of the sea). The closing line
is an eloquent example of text-illustration: "I have provoked your
wrath, and done evil in your sight." It is quite theatrical and
reminds us of Caldara's skills as an opera composer. Another
example is the coloratura on the word "clamavi" (I have cried).
Transfige, dulcissime Jesu, a setting of lines from the Oratio
Sancti Bonaventurae, has an intimate character which fits the text
very well.
The six singers deliver wonderful performances. They have captured the
character of every single piece perfectly and their voices blend very
well. Thanks to their perfect intonation the harmonic peculiarities
which are such an important tool of expression, come off to the full.
The balance could have been a little better; especially the bass is
often a bit overshadowed. It is quite odd that the motets are alternated
with organ pieces by composers from northern Germany and the teacher
of some of them, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck. “The organ compositions
featured on this recording originated in the Netherlands and North Germany,
but are still regarded as an element of a pan-European tradition displaying
significant details of Italian style”, Poppe writes. That may
be true, but I find this connection rather stretched. I would have preferred
the inclusion of pieces from the time these motets were written. It
can't be too difficult to find such pieces, for instance in the
oeuvre of Bernardo Pasquini, who worked in Rome until his death in 1710.
Johannes Hämmerle plays the organ pieces well, though, and uses an organ
which perfectly suits them.
Johan van Veen
www.musica-dei-donum.org
twitter.com/johanvanveen
Disc contents
Antonio CALDARA (1660-1737)
Motetti a due e tre voci op. 4
Matthias WECKMANN (1618/19-1674)
Toccata vel praeludium [2:31]
Antonio CALDARA
Caro mea vere est cibus [3:18]
Laboravi in gemitu meo [3:14]
Respice in me, Domine [3:43]
Franz TUNDER (1614-1667)
Auf meinen lieben Gott [7:53]
Antonio CALDARA
Miserere mei, Domine [3:43]
Benedictus Deus [3:25]
Exaudi, Domine, vocem meam [3:11]
Jan Pieterszoon SWEELINCK (1562-1621)
Toccata 2. toni [2:45]
Antonio CALDARA
Ad Dominum cum tribularer [2:35]
Transeunte Domino [2:58]
Transfige, dulcissime Jesu [3:49]
Peccavi super numerum [2:59]
Jan Pieterszoon SWEELINCK
Psalm 116 'Ick hebb den Heer lief' (SwWV 313)
[6:18]
Ego sum panis vivus [2:24]
O sacrum convivium [3:50]
