Cast

Sopranos, Monica Piccinini & Maria Espada
Altos, Ann Hallenberg & Milena Storti
Tenors, Emiliano Gonzalez Toro & Magnus Staveland
Basses, Frédéric Caton & Jussi Lehtipuu

Les Talens Lyriques
Direction, harpsichord and organ, Christophe Rousset

Programme

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1730-1786)
Salve Regina
Leonardo Leo (1694-1744)
Judica Me Deus
Haendel (1689-1759) / Ferrandini (1710-1790)
Il Pianto di Maria : (HWV 234)
Tommaso Traetta (1727-1779)
Stabat Mater (unpublished version, Munich manuscript)

Presentation

The trio of Neapolitan composers Leo, Traetta and Pergolesi represent three splendid generations of the Neapolitan school, of which Scarlatti can be considered the great founder. While they are better-known for their operas, they can also lay claim to a significant selection of sacred works, mainly composed during their youth (with the exception of Leo). One of the fundamental characteristics of 18th-century religious and church music is the stile antico mixed with the stile moderno, the stile a capella (church style) having a contrapuntal sophistication and a rigorous polyphony, contrasting with new harmonious and monophonic influences taken from the cantata. It is fitting that Traetta’s Stabat Mater, written for four voices and orchestra, was found in Munich. This magnificent work, probably composed in 1750, confirms the composer’s mastery of counterpoint and inclination towards solemn, chromatic choral works, as integrating the harmonic napolitan language from Leo and Pergolèse. In 2002, Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques made a recording of Miserere (Decca), as part of a collection of pieces to celebrate the holy
week of Leo. In this programme for “A Neapolitan Easter”, we follow Easter mostly towards the figure of Mary.