While Domenico Scarlatti is mainly known for his magnificent oeuvre of 555
harpsichord sonatas, he also composed other music, including several sacred
vocal works. Growing up in the shadow if his father, the greatest vocal composer
of the time, Alessandro Scarlatti, it is possible that he found it difficult
to 'compete' with his elder. Yet, as these works show, he was a master of
emotional sacred vocal music.
From the very first measures of the mournful Stabat Mater, one feels the
pain and piety behind these works. Scored for ten voices and basso continuo,
the Stabat Mater features long vocal phrases that seem to wash over the listener
like waves. Scarlatti uses all ten voices to their maximum effect - sometimes
the voices are doubled, sometimes they sing in counterpoint, sometimes four
sopranos sing with a tenor; but the overall texture and tone of the work
is rich and opulent. This is far from the polychoral tradition of Benevolo
and his contemporaries, which was popular in Rome at the time. Yet it is
not quite the vocal style of madrigals, either. There is a lush polyphony,
but it also exhibits a certain starkness.
The Missa Breve 'La Stella' is one of three works on this disc for double
choir. While parts of the work approach a polyphonic style, where all the
voices sing together, the first two movements are written in stile
concertato, where there are contrasts between tutti and solo parts. As
in the Stabat Mater, this work shows a unique vocal style that is rich in
counterpoint and texture. The two choirs are well-balanced, and the continuo
holds the music together perfectly without intruding.
The motet O Magnum Mysterium, by Domenico's father Alessandro Scarlatti,
provides an interesting counterpoint, showing the similarities and differences
between the works of the father and son.
The final piece, a short work, Iste Confessor, is a delightfully positive,
triumphant, yet intimate work. A solo soprano sings a simple, elegant melody
(a hymn that sounds almost like a Christmas carol), which is accompanied
in alternating voices by the choir. This small work is huge in its emotional
content, and soprano Catherine Greuillet's limpid voice is magnificent.
This is a beautiful performance of some powerful, emotional music. The singers
are excellent, and the balance between the voices and the continuo is perfect,
as is the recording itself. This deserves the highest recommendation.
Kirk McElhearn
William Byrd Ensemble, Graham
O'Reilly
