Philharmonia Baroque "Pergolesi in Naples" Berkeley
The Philharmonia Baroque has instructed me in how much I love this period's music. The lecturer before the concert says that Baroque is always attempting to provide a happy ending to a piece, so it does not follow history. He also pointed out that music composed in Milan preferred strings as opposed to wind. Venice was known for brass and winds.
Pergolesi (1710-1736) died when he was 26; like Mozart, who lived into his 30's, both wrote music which is youthful and full of melody and passion. Pergolesi was educated at the Conservancy in Milan. The first piece played was from "l'Olimpiade, which was about two brothers, mistaken identity, a sports competition, and a love object. The overture hoped to get the audience's attention.
Then, Handel (1685-1759) was played, with a duet and and aria from Rodelinda and a duet and aria from Guilio Cesare, sung by Carolyn Sampson, who sings with passion and melodically, and David Daniels, a counter tenor, whose voice is definitely in the high pitched courtly manner. The lecturer pointed out that Handel has been recast as a religious composer because of his beloved "The Messiah", but that he composed many operas.
The Durante piece was a bow to Pergolesi as he had been the teacher of Pergolesi; the concerto was fascinating in its counterpoint. The finale was Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater", which is not performed so often, and was beautiful, in the voices of David Daniels and Carolyn Sampson, singing of Mary at the tomb watching the crucifixion of Christ. My background in Latin helped me appreciate it even more. Nuns performed this in convents, as they were women who could sing. Bach adapted and elaborated upon this version. Curiously, or perhaps not so, the world premiere on radio, tonight, of "Mary Magdalene" conceived as an opera in world premiere by the SF Opera, was broadcast on KFDC. I returned home in time to catch the last part of the last Act. Now, I need to read Colm Toibin's Mary Magdalene, as it was set to theater in Manhattan this past winter, successfully.
Pergolesi (1710-1736) died when he was 26; like Mozart, who lived into his 30's, both wrote music which is youthful and full of melody and passion. Pergolesi was educated at the Conservancy in Milan. The first piece played was from "l'Olimpiade, which was about two brothers, mistaken identity, a sports competition, and a love object. The overture hoped to get the audience's attention.
Then, Handel (1685-1759) was played, with a duet and and aria from Rodelinda and a duet and aria from Guilio Cesare, sung by Carolyn Sampson, who sings with passion and melodically, and David Daniels, a counter tenor, whose voice is definitely in the high pitched courtly manner. The lecturer pointed out that Handel has been recast as a religious composer because of his beloved "The Messiah", but that he composed many operas.
The Durante piece was a bow to Pergolesi as he had been the teacher of Pergolesi; the concerto was fascinating in its counterpoint. The finale was Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater", which is not performed so often, and was beautiful, in the voices of David Daniels and Carolyn Sampson, singing of Mary at the tomb watching the crucifixion of Christ. My background in Latin helped me appreciate it even more. Nuns performed this in convents, as they were women who could sing. Bach adapted and elaborated upon this version. Curiously, or perhaps not so, the world premiere on radio, tonight, of "Mary Magdalene" conceived as an opera in world premiere by the SF Opera, was broadcast on KFDC. I returned home in time to catch the last part of the last Act. Now, I need to read Colm Toibin's Mary Magdalene, as it was set to theater in Manhattan this past winter, successfully.
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