A. SCARLATTI
Sedecia · re di Gerusalemme Perez · Capici · Frisani · Cecchetti · Vinco Ars Cantica Choir · Marco Berrini Alessandro Stradella Consort · Estévan Velardi conductor
Alessandro Scarlatti 1660-1725 Sedecia, Re di Gerusalemme Five voiced oratorio with instruments Poetry of the Excellency Mr Principe D. Antonio Ottobini Edited by: Estévan Velardi
1. Sinfonia: Spiritoso 2. Adagio 3. Allegro 4. Recitativo: “Già il possente Monarca” (Nadabbe) 5. Aria: “Le corone ad un regnante” (Nadabbe) 6. Recitativo: “E qual strano timore” (Sedecia) 7. Aria: “Si che il barbaro tiranno” (Sedecia) 8. Recitativo: “Tanto sperar degg’io” (Nadabbe/Sedecia/Ismaele) 9. Aria: “Del mio cor” (Ismaele) 10. Recitativo: “Valoroso consorte” (Anna) 11. Aria: “Se il generoso cor” (Anna) 12. Recitativo: “Nei cimenti” (Sedecia/Anna) 13. Aria: “L’empia sorte” (Sedecia) 14. Sinfonia: Allegro 15. Recitativo: “Del Signor d’Israele” (Nabucco) 16. Aria: “Contro te, di sdegno armato” (Nabucco) 17. Recitativo: “Sire, del fier nemico” (Nadabbe/Ismaele) 18. Aria: “Il nitrito de’ fieri cavalli” (Ismaele) 19. Recitativo: “Figlio, oh quanto m’aggrada” (Sedecia) 20. Aria: “Vado” (Nadabbe) 21. Recitativo: “Arrida, o chiaro Duce” (Anna) 22. Aria: “Va’, ma torna vincitore” (Anna) 23. Recitativo: “Padre, deh mi concedi” (Ismaele) 24. Aria: “Per tua difesa, o Padre” (Ismaele) 25. Recitativo: “Su, su miei fidi” (Nabucco) 26. Aria: “In mezzo ai rai del dì” (Nabucco) 27. Recitativo: “Mio diletto Ismaele” (Anna/Ismaele) 28. Duetto: “Caro figlio/Madre cara” (Anna/Ismaele) 29. Recitativo: “Vedi, ah vedi” (Anna/Ismaele) 30. Aria: “Troppo tenero ancor sono” (Ismaele) 31. Recitativo: “Ahimé lassa, che veggio?” (Anna/Ismaele)
1’03 1’25 1’03 0’44 2’49 0’51 1’53 1’19 5’25 0’35 4’28 0’50 3’38 0’54 1’27 1’53 0’41 2’20 0’55 2’15 0’19 2’09 0’33 2’41 1’00 2’50 1’37 4’44 1’01 4’10 1’27
32. Aria: “Fermati, o barbaro” (Anna) 33. Aria: “Denso stuol de’ miei pensieri” (Anna) 34. Recitativo: “Ma qual nuovo fragore” (Anna) 35. Aria: “Doppio affetto nel mio petto” (Ismaele) 36. Recitativo: “Figlio, consorte” (Sedecia) 37. Aria: “Copri o Sol l’aurato manto” (Sedecia) 38. Recitativo: “Or ti sovvenga o Padre” (Îsmaele) 39. Aria: “E che dirai” (Ismaele) 40. Recitativo: “Tolga, benigno fato” (Anna) 41. Aria: “Nelle tue cure estreme” (Anna) 42. Recitativo: “Ah, troppo è il ciel” (Sedecia) 43. Aria: “Per punire” (Sedecia) 44. Recitativo: “Ma Nadabbe dov’è?” (Sedecia/Anna) 45. Aria: “Come, la tua costanza” (Anna) 46. Recitativo: “Ferma, o infelice” (Nabucco) 47. Aria: “Va’ d’Egitto” (Nabucco) 48. Recitativo: “Anzi, perché non soffra” (Nabucco) 49. Aria: “Fermati o barbaro” (Ismaele) 50. Recitativo: “O di tenera prole” (Nabucco/Ismaele) 51. Aria: “Caldo sangue” (Ismaele) 52. Recitativo: “Oh Dio! Sento che morte” (Anna) 53. Duetto: “Col tuo velo i lumi miei” (Sedecia/Anna) 54. Recitativo: “Oh del morto mio figlio” (Anna/Sedecia/Nadabbe) 55. Aria: “Come turbine rapace” (Nadabbe) 56. Recitativo: “Sedecia, per pietà di tue” (Nabucco) 57. Aria: “Gite pur” (Sedecia) 58. Recitativo: “Vieni, o infelice Re” (Nabucco) 59. Aria: “lo v’adoro o mie ritorte” (Sedecia) 60. Recitativo/Arioso: “Ma lasso! Io ben comprendo” (Sedecia) 61. Recitativo: “Orsù fidi campioni” (Nabucco) 62. Coro: “Vieni incontro alla vittoria” (Tutti)
SEDECIA Amor Lilia Perez alto ANNA Alessandra Capici soprano ISMAELE Rosita Frisani soprano NADABBE Mario Cecchetti tenor NABUCCO Marco Vinco basso
3’11 5’51 1’00 2’46 0’39 4’25 0’49 3’18 0’42 2’05 0’48 2’24 1’22 2’50 0’55 2’02 0’24 3’27 1’15 6’07 0’33 4’32 2’14 1’52 1’00 5’17 0’45 3’52 1’49 0’47 1’36
Ars Cantica Choir Soprani: Paola Busci · Sara Berrini · Bergamaschi Miriam · Cristina Fregugia Graziella Tiboni · Roberta Riccardi · Silvia Capra · Antonella Fasoli Contralti: Simonetta Bruzzone · Maria Francesca Francese · Laura Morandini Paola Vecchi · Sara Piutti · Clara Ferretti. Tenori: Renato Diaferia · Danilo Guadagnini · Alessandro Giarnera Emilio Marinelli · Giuseppe Berrini · Davide Rufo Bassi: Ivan Cò · Giorgio Vianini · Luigi Leo · Vincenzo Iaselli Mauro Bersani · Luca Azzi Marco Berrini choir master
Alessandro Stradella Consort Violini: Fabrizio Cipriani* · Laura Corolla · Riccardo Vartolo · Rossella Borsoni Raffaello Negri* · Liana Mosca · Alessandra Bottai Viole: Mauro Righini* · Paolo Botti · Daniela Gaidano Violoncelli: Giorgio Matteoli* · Claudio Frigerio Violoni: Giuliano Eccher* · Nicola Moneta Contrabbasso: Roberto Massetti Chitarra, Tiorba e Liuto: Ugo Nastrucci* · Giangiacomo Pinardi Oboe: Ruggero Vartolo Fagotto: Alberto Santi Tromba: Mauro Bernasconi* · Tranquillo Forza Trombone: Ermes Giussani Cembali e Organo: Giorgio Paronuzzi* · Simone Giordano * Solo Estévan Velardi conductor
Sedecia, King of Jerusalem In the stylistic revolution taking place at the beginning of the 17th century during the period when polyphonic music was giving way to accompanied monody, the oratorio was especially important. lt is traditionally thought to have come from the “exercises” developed by San Filippo Neri in the oratories, pious gathering places attached on to some churches, in which the faithful met in their free time for edifying activities. The affirmation of the new genre was swept along on the popularity of the two collections of Spiritual lauds composed and published in Rome by Giovanni Animuccia. These and Other simple and devout pieces, mirroring the spirit of the Counter-Reformation, were sung at the beginning and end of services. The merit of giving unity to the texts of these two lauds flanking the sermon apparently goes to the Palermo poet Francesco Balducci, active in the Roman oratories of S. Maria della Vallicella and S. Marcello, a few decades after the death of San Filippo Neri; thus a new paradramatic genre had been born, which soon came to be known by the name of the place where these pious meetings were organised and held. At first the oratory continued to respect class differences: the nobility, the high clergy and the forensic order patronised the oratorio in Latin, derived from the motet which had already been transformed into a “sacred dialogue”; however, since understanding the words being sung was one of the basic ideals of the CounterReformation, this linguistic hurdle would have excluded Christians of Iower social condition from joining into the devotions. So a distinction soon grew up, initially at least not connected to textual diversification: at San Marcello the ostentatious habits of the patrons ended up reflected in the sophisticated products Of the most ingenious and acclaimed musicians, while in the more humble settingof S. Maria della Vallicella, the common people, natural target of an initiative aiming to guide the poor away from indolence and temptation, were attracted the music accompanying the devotions in the very same spirit as the Church of today entices young people with the Pinball machines and video games the parish priest keeps in the sacristy for their amusement. lt would be a mistake, however, to deduce from this the idea that the vulgar version
of the oratorio was in some way inferior: the best musicians active in Rome at the time were attracted to a genre that was moving closer to the melodrama. In the evolution of the oratorio, the choice of subject to be set to music was conditioned by circumstances, but the public’s preference for certain subjects made them familiar both to the Latin composers of San Marcello as well as those working at Vallicella. In 1632, Stefano Landi’s S. Alessio offered a first example of a hagiographic melodrama, although real or imagined episodes connected to the lives of the saints had been put to use for many years in the cultural area of the oratorio, a genre whose evolution moved parallel to that of its contemporary, the melodrama. Normally, the oratorio was performed without scenery, but for particularly important occasions at least some elements of scenery would have been prepared. From the very beginning of his long career Alessandro Scarlatti was exposed to the Roman oratorio. During the last decades of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th the popularity of this type of music was at least partially justified by the persecutory attitude of the various popes and the Curia toward opera, considered a constant source of scandal. But bans and threats had little effect, considering the position of the transgressors close to the top of the social pyramid. Then in 1682, a Spanish ambassador thought up a clever loop-hole: he put on his plays in his own language, maintaining that the papal prohibition regarded only Italian-language theatre.... The perfect structural ambivalence between opera and oratorio was evidenced by Arcangelo Spagna, who in 1706 gave the vernacular oratorio the definition of “spiritual melodrama”. The practical coincidence of the two genres allowed the most famous opera composers to continue using their favorite styles without incurring the wrath of the Curia. Noble patrons went along with this scheme, and when they were not able to get a Pope to open public theatres or to tolerate the occasional private performance, they took refuge in church to enjoy the musical equivalent of the “forbidden fruit”. The period of Lent favoured the intensification of this type of activity, especially in churches and oratories housing confraternities of nobility. A note in the registers of the Archconfraternity of SS. Crocifisso in San Marcello dated
January 27th, 1679 tells us that “Scarlattino alias the Sicilian” had been hired by the Duke of Paganica to compose an oratorio to be performed during Lent. That protection was not the only chance the young composer had, and soon he could count on much more important support: the word went around that Cristina of Sweden as well as Benedetto Pamphili and the Berninis were launching the Sicilian onto the most qualified Roman artistic scene. Even after his move to Naples (1683) Scarlatti stayed in close touch with his first patrons. Cristina of Sweden, who died in 1689, had been replaced by a new protagonist of Roman patronage: Pietro Ottoboni, twenty-two year old grandnephew Of Pope Alexander VIII, immediately named cardinal and vice-chancellor of the Church. The brief papacy of his great-uncle marked a truce in the war against the theatre and the young cardinal took advantage of the breathing space by putting on La Statira, his own melodrama set to music by Scarlatti, at the Capranica theatre, After Alexander VIII’s death, opera once again fell under papal hostility, culminating in the exemplary demolition of the Tor di Nona theatre (1697) and the prolonged closure of the Capranica. Roman reverberations of the Spanish war of succession favoured the continuation of penitential practices, and several earthquake tremors at the end of 1702 and the beginning of 1703 induced Clemente XI to interpret the calamities as signs of divine anger and to prohibit carnival masks and the performance of “comedies as well as tragedies, representations and such, even in music and even in Colleges, Seminaries, Monasteries, sacred and profane places.” Even this time the loophole was soon found: already by the beginning of the summer, serenades — not mentioned in the edict — offered music lovers a reasonable substitute for opera; besides that, the oratorio remained the closest replacement of forbidden melodrama. Occasionally, for the most magnificent performances, and with the tacit intention of accentuating its similarities with the “drama for music”, the oratorio moved out of its natural setting and was performed in the grand salons of the colleges or in the Chancellery Palace, where an impudent Ottoboni had allowed himself to defy papal ire by having a wooden theatre built, on whose stage the usual Italian and Latin texts alternated with those operas that had escaped persecution.
At the end of January 1706 an edict was issued prohibiting “under severe penalty all comedies, revelry and all sorts of carnival amusements”, but the oratorial counteroffensive was ready and at the beginning of April the Avvisi Marescotti noted “beautiful oratories” put on by Cardinal Ottoboni and Prince Odescalchi. At least one of these, Sedecia Re di Gerusalemme, previously performed in Urbino in 1705 and now put on again at the Roman Seminary, was dedicated to Ottoboni: in the preface to the libretto the boarders referred to him in terms that, with all the adulatory frills removed, illustrated the role of a personage hyperbolically but significantly defined as “the Genius of Rome”. The Cardinal was invited to note how Sedecia was the opposite to himself: an infidel and idolater; You full of piety and religion; He without light unable even to see the cause of his mockery; You in the light can see in all places, where Fame accompanies you and applauds you, He with his sinful and abominable actions receives the bloody punishment of Heaven; and You with your sublime and honoured works wait for full reward, both from Heaven and from Earth.” This would have been terribly edifying, had not Saint-Simon brutally re-established a much less rosy picture, comparing Ottoboni to a “bottomless basket who, blessed with great means and benefits and head of the most important offices in the Roman court, was despised for the chaos in his expenses, his business, his behaviour and his customs, despite his fine mind, his diplomacy and social charm”.... The title-page of the libretto states that the text is by Alindo Sirtoniano P. A. (Pastore Arcade), academic pseudonym of the poet Filippo Ortensio Fabbri; the music is by “Signor Alessandro Scarlatti”, shortly to be admitted to Arcadia. The Argomento summarises the story, taken from the Bible: the Second Book of Kings chapter XXV, Jeremiah chapter XXXIX and Ezekiel XII. The oratorio opens with a brilliant threepart symphony: two lively allegros with a brief melodic Adagio in between for violin with string accompaniment. The presentation of the characters is carried out in a series of recitatives and arias conventionally sketching their characterisations. The tenor voice of brave general Nadabbe is accompanied by an energetic staccato rhythm in the unison violins. Unheeding the advice of his generals, Sedecia does not realise the seriousness of
the clanger and boldly proclaims that the enemy shall be vanquished; the final syllables of the verses of the prophecy are particularly emphatic. A short reply by a dubious Nadabbe is cut short by Sedecia, then little Ismaele pronounces his agreement with the general, adding that a dark presentiment brings sorrow to his heart. Anna agrees with her son in a delicate siciliana (Andante - “Se il generoso cor”), but Sedecia once again reaffirms his proud certainty of victory. The presentation of the characters is completed with a recitative and aria of Nabucco, preceded by a brief warlike symphony. in which two trumpets and timpani join the strings to create the atmosphere for the recitative and aria (“Contro te, di sdegno armato”, with obbligato trumpet) in which the king of Babylon announces fiercely vindictive intentions. Once the five characters have been introduced, the oratorio begins with the news that the Babylonians are marching on Jerusalem. This news arouses warlike sentiments in little Ismaele, while the oboe joins the unison violins to accompany his galloping aria “Al nitrito di fieri cavalli”. Sedecia is proud of his son’s precocious bravery and invites Nadabbe to ready the defences. The general leaves vowing victory (aria with basso continuo “Vado, e il nome altero e grande”, accompanied by the Queen’s salutations (aria with unison violins “Va, ma torna vincitore”) and by the vain request of Ismaele, who wants to gird on the sword in the recitative “Padre, deh mi concedi”, but then states his plan to ask for mercy in case of defeat (“Per tua difesa, o padre”, aria with obbligato violin) Nabucco urges on his army in the recitative “Su, su, miei fidi all’armi”, followed by “In mezzo al rai del dì”, a threatening warlike aria with violin accompaniment. The first part of the oratorio ends with a dialogue between Anna and Ismaele. In vain the mother exhorts her son to calm his warrior impulses; then, from the highest tower in Jerusalem Anna and Ismaele, dismayed, watch the battle (a beautiful duet with oboe “Caro figlio, cara madre”), and Ismaele’s aria “Troppo tenero ancor sono” with two concertino violins, unison violins, violoncello and Iute, set out in contrasting sections Adagio, piano e staccato and presto. Finally Anna and Ismaele manage to see Sedecia, “il gran busto / del dispietato e fero / di Babilionia Regnatore altero” and the Queen asks her son to defend his father in case of defeat with the rash offer to die in his place (aria “Fermati, o barbaro” with strings; the second
section with the bass entrusted to the ‘cellos, without harpsichord or Iute). At the beginning of the second part of the oratorio Anna, worried, sings a sad aria (“Denso stuol de’ miei pensieri” Andante - Lento); this page, among the most evocative in Sedecia, is followed by an agitated recitative: the army has been put to rout and Ismaele is torn between fear and courage in an aria - “Doppio affetto” - that retraces the second aria (“Il nitrito di fieri cavalli”) sung by the boy in the first part of the oratorio with its galloping rhythm and the use of the concertante oboe. Prostrated by the defeat, Sedecia proposes to flee and asks the sun not to be witness to his shame in the aria “Copri, o Sol, l’aurato manto” (Andante lento, darkly accompanied by two violoncellos, violone or contrabass and harpsichord, while violins and violas together with the harpsichord enter only at the end for a brief refrain). Ismaele tells his father of Anna’s proposal for a way out from the end of the first part; almost certain that Nabucco will not accept such a rash plan, he will offer his own life to the triumphant army in exchange for that of Sedecia. This last, knowing full well he deserved the defeat (aria “Per punire il mio pubblico errore”, with two obbligato violins), looks for Nadabbe but sees the fierce Nabucco coming; Anna reminds him that a king must face death bravely (aria “Come la tua costanza” - Andante giusto, accompanied by violin, cello and lute). The story moves toward its tragic conclusion: Nabucco comes out with a furious aria (“Va’ d’Egitto ai regi indegni” - Allegro, with oboe and unison violins), marked by a staccato accompaniment that underlines the determination with which the angry victor condemns his rival to death. Ismaele carries out his plan, singing an exact replica of his mother’s suggestion from the end of the first part of the oratorio: the extraordinary expedient brings out the strong instinct Scarlatti had to use such an unusual resource to assure logical legitimacy to his dramatic choices. The outcome of the proposal is not what had been hoped for, however: far from being moved, Nabucco orders foolhardy Ismaele to be killed before his father’s eyes. The boy cries to his mother for help, but in vain she implores for pity; then, stabbed, he sings the aria “Caldo sangue che bagnando il sen mi vai”, considered the gem of the entire work. But despite the high quality of the music, here more than elsewhere we regret
the dramatic absurdity of the “a capo”, but evidently Scarlatti did not dare assume responsibility for negating the ritual embellishments to the singer, who needed a possibility to show off his ability. In a brief recitative, Anna cries that, seeing her son expire, she also feels herself dying; her duet with Sedecia follows (“Col tuo velo i lumi miei”, another beautiful passage of the oratorio), in which the two voices are sustained only by the basso continuo, in order to emphasise the contrast with the following accompanied recitative, expressly marked by Scarlatti “without harpsichord”: prostrated with grief, Anna calls to her dead son to wait for her and takes leave of her husband. Nadabbe reappears, more for an even distribution of arias among the singers than for true dramatic necessity: Nabucco tells Sedecia that the sacrifice of the “foolhardy little boy” has saved his life, but he will be blinded to save him from the horror of seeing himself in chains or of hoping to regain his throne. In his last aria (Largo, with two obbligato violins), Sedecia accepts his destiny. Nabucco tells him he will be taken to Babylon with him as the “biggest ornament” of his triumph and so that, “in a dark and narrow cell” he will be an example for “proud Monarchs”. Following the rules of distribution mentioned, the last aria of the oratorio goes to the defeated Nadabbe, who, strangely enough, blesses his chains, which he considers “the greatest gift” that fate could reserve for him. Sedecia recognises the justice of heaven’s punishment alternating simple and accompanied recitatives, leading into the arioso “Della guerra il gran Dio”. Finally Nabucco invites his soldiers to leave the “conquered shores” to return to Babylon, declaring that the blood spilled has quenched the thirst of his fury. A Chorus of triumphant soldiers (in five voices, using the singers already participating in the performance) invites the King to enjoy his victory. The solemnly triumphal effect is assured by the inclusion of all the instruments available: “Trumpets in unison with the oboe” and with “violas an octave below”, unison violins and kettledrums reinforcing the basses with D and A, tonic and dominant of D major, characteristically used for the baroque trumpet and thus reserved for triumphal music. © Roberto Pagano
Estévan Velardi, orchestral director, holds degrees in choral music and choral conducting. He was a pupil of M. Couraud and G. Bertola in choral conducting, F. Ferrara (as observer), F. Gallini, A. Détév and D. Nénov. He took his degree in orchestral conducting with Ivan Bàkalov in Sofia (Bulgaria). He studied composition with P. Renosto, G. Maselli, L. Chailly and G. Colardo. He also studied cello with Sante Amadori and G. Rossi. He attended courses at the Accademia Chigiana, and studied and collaborated with R. Clemecic. In 1987 he founded the vocal and instrumental group “Camerata Ligure”, which in 1992 became the Alessandro Stradella Consort, dedicated to publishing and performing the complete works of this great Italian composer of the seventeenth century. Velardi has conducted and participated in the revival of many works in their first performances in modern times throughout Italy and other countries. He collaborates with Sergio Vartolo at the XXX Festival oh Chaise-Dieux / France) and with René Clemencic at the Musikverein in Vienna, Teatro Real in Madrid, Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, Alter Oper in Frankfurt, Nordwest Deutscher Rundfunk in Hamburg, and others. He has worked with such renowned stage directors as Pierluigi Pizzi. After eleven long years of research he recovered the manuscript (thought to be lost) of Stradella’s opera La Doriclea. In 2004 he performed and recorded the world premiere of this work. As a specialist in baroque music, he has rediscovered and performed numerous operas, oratorios and vocal and instrumental works by three great Italian composers of the late 17th century; Alessandro Stradella, Alessandro Melani and Alessandro Scarlatti. He is tireless in exploring the treasures Italian music of the 17th and 18th centuries. He has published and recorded for Bongiovanni, Nuova Era Records, Dynamic, Chandos, Brilliant Classics and Concerto Classics. He has a degree in Social Studies in the Performing Arts from the University of Venice (Ca’ Foscari) under the supervision of Sandro Cappelletto, with the thesis “From project to product: Vivaldi’s Il Giustino. At the present time he teaches orchestral practice at the Piccinni Conservatory of Bari.
Recording: 20, 21; 23-25; 28, 29 October 1999, Oratorio di S. Erasmo a Sori, Genova, Italy Production & Art Supervision: Estévan Velardi Sound engineer: Michael Seberich Main musical sources: Italia-Rc/Austria/Wn Cover: Relief, from the palace of the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II (r. ca. 883-859 B.C.), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of John D. Rockefeller Jr., 1932 p & © 2018 Brilliant Classics