Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin & René Jacobs - Pergolesi: Septem verba a Christo (2013) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Now attributed to Pergolesi on the basis of recent research, the ‘Seven Words of Christ’ has been regarded as ‘one of the most heartfelt works of art, full of profound tenderness and an all-conquering sense of beauty’ [Hermann Scherchen, on its discovery in 1930]. However, his judgment has remained unheeded and only the discovery of two more manuscripts in the abbeys of Kremsmünster and Aldersbach, by the musicologist Reinhard Fehling, prompted the firm of Breitkopf & Härtel to publish a critical edition.

In principle this recording follows the Breitkopf edition. Its editor very kindly gave René Jacobs facsimiles, not only the individual parts from Kremsmünster (his principal source), but also those from Metten and Zurich. Pergolesi’s work, probably composed between 1730 and the year of his early death, 1736, was intended for an extra-liturgical devotion on Good Friday. This major discovery of the Neapolitan Baroque was given its concert premiere at the Beaune Festival in July 2012, a few days before this world premiere recording.

Rene Jacobs has received many distinctions from music critics including Record of the Year from Gramophone for Mozart’s ‘Le nozze di Figaro’ in 2004. Classica magazine voted him ‘Artist of the year 2009’ for his recordings of Telemann’s ‘Brockes-Passion’, Mozart’s ‘Idomeneo’, and Haydn’s ‘Die Schöpfung’.

More recently, his astonishing version of Mozart’s ‘Die Zauberflöte’ has been released to enthusiastic acclaim (CD des Jahres in Opernwelt, Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, Choc de l’année 2010 in Classica, BBC Music Magazine Award).

Long a professor at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, René Jacobs has maintained a privileged relationship with this institution where he has trained many singers who now appear with him in the leading international venues.

Tracklist:

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-36)

01. Verbum I: Pater, dimitte illis: non enim sciunt qui faciunt (Luke 23:34), Christus (bass) Recitativo Huc, o dilecti filii
02. Verbum I: Pater, dimitte illis: non enim sciunt qui faciunt (Luke 23:34), Aria En doceo diligere
03. Verbum I: Pater, dimitte illis: non enim sciunt qui faciunt (Luke 23:34), Anima (alto) Aria Quod iubes, magne Domine
04. Verbum II: Amen dico tibi: hodie mecum eris in Paradiso (Luke 25:43), Christus (tenor) Recitativo Venite, currite
05. Verbum II: Amen dico tibi: hodie mecum eris in Paradiso (Luke 25:43), Aria Latronem hunc aspicite
06. Verbum II: Amen dico tibi: hodie mecum eris in Paradiso (Luke 25:43), Anima (soprano) Aria Ah! peccatoris supplicis
07. Verbum III: Mulier ecce filius tuus (John 19:26), Christus (bass) Recitativo Quo me, amor?
08. Verbum III: Mulier ecce filius tuus (John 19:26), Aria Dilecta Genitrix
09. Verbum III: Mulier ecce filius tuus (John 19:26), Anima (soprano) Recitativo Servator optime
10. Aria Anima "Quod iubes, magne Domine"
11. Verbum IV: Deus meus, deus meus, ut quid dereliquisti me? (Mark 15:34), Christus (bass) Aria Huc oculos
12. Verbum IV: Deus meus, deus meus, ut quid dereliquisti me? (Mark 15:34), Anima (alto) Aria Afflicte, derelicte
13. Verbum V: Sitio (John 19:28), Christus (bass) Aria O vos omnes, qui transitis
14. Verbum V: Sitio (John 19:28), Anima (tenor) Aria Non nectar, non vinum, non undas
15. Verbum VI: Consummatum est (John 19:29), Christus (bass) Aria Huc advolate mortales
16. Verbum VI: Consummatum est (John 19:29), Anima (soprano) Aria Sic consummasti omnia
17. Verbum VII: Pater, in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum (Luke 23:44-46), Christus (bass) Recitativo Quotquot coram cruce statis
18. Verbum VII: Pater, in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum (Luke 23:44-46), Aria In tuum, Pater, gremium
19. Verbum VII: Pater, in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum (Luke 23:44-46), Anima (tenor) Aria Quid ultra peto vivere

Personnel:
Sophie Karthäuser (soprano)
Christophe Dumaux (countertenor)
Julien Behr (tenor)
Konstantin Wolff (bass)
Akademie für Alte Musik
René Jacobs (conductor)