Pergolesi Stabat Mater Salve Regina [CD]

Baroque specialist Fabio Biondi masterfully leads his stellar ensemble Europa Galante on another wondrous recording, this time for another take on Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater" (one of many on the market) and two versions of his similarly devout "Salve Regina". There have also been a number of versions of the "Stabat Mater" from a variety of renowned Baroque composers, and in fact, Pergolesi's 1736 work was written specifically to replace an older piece by Alessandro Scarlatti, which had been deemed antiquated by that time. Even though Antonio Vivaldi's 1712 version is probably the most famous of the hymn, Pergolesi engendered controversy at the time by lending a more contemporary feeling to what is truly an inspirational poem that had been part of Catholic liturgy. A sort of James Dean of his generation, the composer broke existing rules by introducing elements of opera boffo, which offended religious purists, and then ensuring his legend by dying at age of 26 of consumption just as he completed the piece.

What elevates this recording to the top of the heap is the world-class vocal talent Biondi recruited, German soprano Dorothea Röschmann and American countertenor David Daniels (with whom Biondi worked on a magnificent 2002 disc of Vivaldi's "Stabat Mater"). Both well versed in the early music genre, they use their extensive interpretative skills on what is essentially a meditation on Mary's suffering during Jesus' crucifixion. Having worked together almost a decade earlier as Drusilla and Nerone in the Bayerische Staatsoper production of Monteverdi's "L'incoronazione di Poppea", Röschmann and Daniels manage to overcome the lyrical complexities and blend lusciously with whatever vocal disparities disappearing almost completely.

Daniels' superior talent in phrasing and diction comes across on the thirteen-minute F-minor version of the "Salve Regina". His shimmering tone brings all the drama Pergolesi intended in realizing the hopeful aspiration of the prayer. If Röschmann is slightly less stellar on the eleven-minute A-minor version, it is simply that she doesn't quite have Daniels's innate theatricality. The accompaniment by Europa Galante is expert and often stunning, though I think the pervasively somber tone could have benefited from a fuller orchestra at times. There are also some moments when the voices and instruments are not blending as much as I would have liked, but these are relatively minor quibbles. This disc is strongly recommended for early music followers and those who wish to hear Röschmann and especially Daniels in peak form.

DAVID DANIELS: A TEN STAR SINGER WITH TWO HANDICAPS: DORTHEA ROSCHMANN AND FABIO BIONDI.
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi achieved only modest success during his short lifetime, but the twenty years following his death at the age of 26 in 1736, saw a major change in appreciation of his works, and he became the most published composer of the 18th century.

Although this is music of great tenderness and sombre beauty, the works also includes chromatic sequences, sighing passages and dramatic dissonance straight out of the operatic style that made Pergolesi famous.

The 'Stabat Mater' is a setting of the sequence for the 'Feast of the seven Dolours'(sorrows) of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and was written during Pergolesi's last few months. Harmonically, he was ahead of his time; one technique he used was the application of chromaticism to create a bitter-sweet tone of expressive sensibility.

Fabio Biondi and his singers generate a thrilling theatrical change in movements, but at times somewhat overdone, an example being the movements such as 'Fac ut ardeat' and 'Inflammatus et accensus'. If you like an ESSENTIALLY OPERATIC APPROACH, Roschmann, with her MEGA-INTENSE, darkly vibrant tone, sings compellingly throughout (just throw away the concept that this is supposed to be somewhat sacred ). Daniels is always somewhat dramatic in his deliveries, but he sings this work very tastefully with just enough of the 'theater' element; a very intelligent interpreter. As to each of the Salve Regina's; they are both well done, and I much prefer Roschmann's singing on that work.

Pergolesi's 'Stabat Mater' has never lacked for partisons, but Biondi's sometimes reckless approach, sacrificing reasonable tempos relating to the overall meaning of the text for SPEED, almost turns the more rapid sections of the work into comedy.

The blend between Roschmann and Daniels is quite good in the duets, so those come off very nicely most of the time, thanks to Daniels. I do like Roschlmann's voice in works like 'Rodelinda', the Schumann duets with Bostridge; very good, but I must say she became much to operatic in this, and Biondi may have been partly the cause!

A short review to say that I have many recordings of the work, and by far this is my favourite for the steller levels of drama, passion, nuance and musicianship brought to the music by this GREAT baroque orchestra under Biondi, and by the two amazing singers Daniels and Roeschmann...what a team! 5 Stars.