Vivaldi: Concerto for 2 Trumpets in C major, RV 537
Allegro
Largo
Allegro
Although Torelli is credited with the concept of the solo (or, as in this case, soli) concerto, Antonio Vivaldi's 500-plus concerti certainly make him the form's chief proponent. Two hundred of these are for the violin, of which instrument the composer was himself a great virtuoso. According to Stravinsky and probably many other wags, Vivaldi merely wrote the same one concerto 500 different ways! In reality, however, there is plenty diversity among these works, especially in the instrumental combinations used, this concerto being a case in point. Some of the concerti, particularly in their slow middle movements, are extremely beautiful, a quality which was not considered in Vivaldi's era a requirement of a concerto. Indeed, one of today's most beloved works is his Four Seasons violin concerti, a cycle which is near the top of almost any classical top ten.
Known as the "Red Priest" because of his flaming red hair, Vivaldi was a teacher at the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice, a kind of young ladies' orphanage cum music conservatory. On the general assumption that many of his works were written for the students, the virtuosity required of the performers, especially of this concerto, implies that the students must have been very accomplished. This is even more true when you remember that the wind instruments at their disposal were technically quite primitive compared to today's modern versions.
The Concerto for 2 Trumpets is one of a kind among Vivaldi's works, and there are probably no more than a handful of such works in today's repertoire. It is a masterful work considering that the composer was able to rely on only eleven different pitches from the instruments. The first and last movement are both marked Allegro and are tuneful and exciting, if a little repetitive. The middle movement, scored for strings alone, is more of a bridge between the movements, perhaps with the intention of giving the soloists a much needed rest for the lips!
Vivaldi: Gloria in D major, RV 589
Gloria in excelsis deo (Chorus - Allegro)
Et in terra pax hominibus (Chorus - Andante)
Laudamus te (Soprano I, Soprano II - Allegro)
Gratias agimus tibi (Chorus - Adagio)
Propter magnam gloriam (Chorus - Allegro)
Domine Deus (Soprano I - Largo)
Domine Fili Unigenite (Chorus - Allegro)
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei (Alto & Chorus - Adagio)
Qui tollis peccata mundi (Chorus - Adagio)
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris (Alto - Allegro)
Quoniam tu solus Sanctus (Chorus - Allegro)
Cum Sancto Spiritu (Chorus - Allegro)
It is surprising, considering that Vivaldi (1678-1741) was ordained in 1703, that he wrote so little sacred music. Sometimes, he was called upon to deputize for the Maestro di coro at the Ospedale and it is to one of those periods that we owe this work. This is the second and better known of the two very similar Glorias which Vivaldi wrote. It is not known for certain when it was written. Except perhaps for the opening, which is wholly Vivaldi, the style is reminiscent of his slightly junior contemporary J. S. Bach.
As befits a Gloria, it is an uplifting work, well suited to Vivaldi's art. It begins brilliantly in D major using all available forces, particularly the trumpets (which are then silent until the Quoniam, thematically a reprise of the opening). This is followed by a poignant Et terra, in B minor, the relative minor of D major. The Laudamus te is a joyful duet for two sopranos.in G major. The very brief Gratias is in E minor (again the relative minor). Next comes the Propter, a vigorous fugue in the same key. The Domine Deus is a beautiful duet in C major for soprano and oboe, with a light and bouncy basso continuo. The Domine Fili is an F major chorus with an insistent dotted rhythm accompaniment. In the Agnus Dei (D minor, again the relative minor), a rather more upbeat work than we are accustomed to for its counterpart in a requiem mass, the alto and chorus alternate after a cello introduction. The mood becomes suitably penitent for the Qui Tollis (back to E minor), after which comes the reassuring Qui Sedes for alto solo in B minor. After the Quoniam, the setting concludes with a grand fugual chorus, Cum Sancto, closely related to the Propter, but this time in the home key of D major.
Stultz: Suite Nativität, opus 3 (1980)
I. Maria Walks Amid a Thorn Wood
II. Wake, Awake for Night is Flying
III. Susani
IV. Come Running, You Shepherds
V. Quem pastores laudavere
VI. Gloria
Marie Stultz is on the faculty of the Boston Conservatory, as well as being the founder and Artistic Director of the Treble Chorus of New England, a group dedicated to the classical music education of children eight to sixteen years old. The chorus, which is based in Massachusetts, has, under Stultz' direction, earned a reputation well beyond New England for its performances, particularly of contemporary music, as well as music from all periods.
Also a fine composer, Marie Stultz wrote this suite based on 14th and 15th century German carols originally for organ and choir. She later prepared an orchestral version (which we hear tonight) and another with harp, percussion and organ. The suite premiered in Andover in 1980 and the orchestral version premiered in Marblehead in 1984.
The carols express, in direct fashion, a naive and simple time. Mary is the central figure of the Suite, dominating the work as a subject in much the same way she dominated the religious thought of the time. There is an awestruck quality in Quem pastores laudavere and a mysterious element in the opening movement, "Maria Walks Amid a Thorn Wood." Both movements express the religious sentiments of the age. The angel choirs in Susani and the final Gloria are reflective of the great European cathedrals of the period, with their large acoustic spaces.
The suite is recorded by Stultz and the Treble Chorus of New England on the AFKA label (SK-510), on which these notes have been based.
Rutter: Shepherd's Pipe Carol (1973)
Light and Lively
John Rutter (born 1945) is an English composer who has earned a devoted following in the United States, particularly for his Requiem Mass, which is frequently performed by community choruses. The latest in a long line of great English choral composers, Rutter uses a very simple, though thoroughly modern, style that is perhaps most similar to that of Ralph Vaughan Williams. His performance instructions tend to be quite specific - the challenge is to follow them faultlessly.
The Shepherd's Pipe Carol is a delightful early work scored for S.A.T.B. choir and small orchestra.