Christmas in Rome (DVD)

This package, released on Archiv Laserdisc and VHS in December 1993, was recorded a year earlier at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome in cooperation with a consortium of European television broadcasters. It consists of two distinct but complementary programs, the first under McCreesh followed by another under Pinnock. As the notes point out, the basilica is the perfect site for such a program, since it has claimed to possess the very crib in which the infant lay on the first Christmas. For centuries the papal celebration of the Midnight Mass of Christmas was held “ad praesepe,” at the altar where the crib was venerated. Typically for such concert videos, we see appropriate scenes in the basilica alternating with views of the singers and players.
McCreesh chose a program of short pieces, beginning outside with the pifferi playing. Even the motet and the two Mass movements of Palestrina are separated by other pieces. The performers are varied, with the opening traditional melody played in the manner of peasants coming into town to play for the feast. The Anerio is a dialogue for three soloists while the second Frescobaldi piece is a tenor solo. Instruments are used in some selections, including one of the two Victoria motets and the Palestrina Mass movements, as Roman practice of the 17th century allowed. A standout piece is the Josquin des Prez motet for Christmas, the basis of a Mass by Cipriano de Rore. Most of McCreesh’s program was issued on CD (Archiv 437833), for which the Mass was recorded again (complete) in London a couple of months later with added chant, organ pieces, and a remake of Exulta gaude.
Pinnock offered three major works. The Scarlatti is a pastoral cantata featuring a delightful soprano, Nancy Argenta, a work recorded quite a few times before and since this. The Corelli is his very familiar op. 6/8, and he concludes with a splendid version of the much-recorded Vivaldi work. Pinnock’s program was issued intact on CD (Archiv 437834). Neither of these two CDs seems to have been reviewed over here. The DVD, however, is a delightful program, visually stunning, beautifully captured in surround sound.

FANFARE: J. F. Weber

Program:
1. Tu scendi dalle stelle by Traditional
2. Nell'apparir del sempiterno sole by Giovanni F. Anerio
3. O magnum mysterium by Tomás Luis de Victoria
4. Missa Hodie Christus natus est "Kyrie" by Giovanni Palestrina
5. Il primo libro delle canzoni: no 13, La Bianchina by Girolamo Frescobaldi
6. Missa Hodie Christus natus est "Gloria" by Giovanni Palestrina
7. Quem vidistis, pastores by Tomás Luis de Victoria
8. Liber secundus diversarum modulationum: O Iesu mi dulcissime by Girolamo Frescobaldi
9. Exulta gaude filia Sion by Giacomo Carissimi
10. Praeter rerum seriem by Josquin Des Préz
11. Hodie Christus natus est (motet) by Giovanni Palestrina
12. Oh di Betlemme altera povertà "Cantata pastorale" by Alessandro Scarlatti
13. Concerti grossi (12), Op. 6: no 8 in G minor "Christmas" by Arcangelo Corelli
14. Gloria in D major, RV 589 by Antonio Vivaldi

Details:
Runtime: 102 minutes
Size: 6.54 GB
Video: Untouched
Type: Interlaced MPEG2
Aspect ratio: 4:3 (Fullscreen)
Region Code: None
TV System: NTSC (720 x 480)
Audio: Untouched (PCM Stereo, DTS 5.1)
Language: Italian\Latin
Subtitles: German, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese
Menus: Untouched (Menus are in English)
Format: VIDEO_TS Folder
Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
Recorded: 12/1992
DVD Release Date: November 13, 2007
Extras: Scans in separate archive