Domenico Zipoli (1688–1726)
Domenico Zipoli was an Italian Baroque composer and Jesuit missionary who spent much of his career in South America, specifically in Córdoba, Argentina. Initially trained in Italy under prominent composers like Alessandro Scarlatti and Bernardo Pasquini, Zipoli joined the Society of Jesus in 1716 and soon traveled to the Jesuit Reductions of Paraguay.
In Córdoba, Zipoli served as music director at the local Jesuit church while completing his theological studies. He composed extensively during his time in South America, and his works became well known throughout the region. Zipoli died in 1726 from an illness before achieving ordination.
Missa Encarnación
This Mass is attributed to Domenico Zipoli and is believed to have been written during his time as a Jesuit missionary in South America. It was discovered in the Archivo Musical de Chiquitos, a collection of almost 600 musical works preserved at the Cathedral of Concepcion in Bolivia.
The Mass follows the traditional structure, including the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei. It is written for choir and a small orchestra, with instrumental textures that invite performances using contrasts between full choir and smaller groupings such as solos, duets, and trios. While the vocal writing, musical texture, and use of counterpoint are sophisticated, the brevity of the piece emphasizes its liturgical purpose.
Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643)
Claudio Monteverdi was a pivotal Italian composer whose work marked the transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque era. He made significant contributions to both secular and sacred music, excelling in the development of opera and shaping early Baroque innovations.
Baci soavi e cari
This madrigal is included in Monteverdi's First Book of Madrigals, published in 1587. The text, written by Battista Guarini, describes the sweetness and life-giving nature of kisses. Monteverdi uses a five-voice arrangement (SSATB) to create rich, interwoven textures which enhance the emotional impact of the text through word painting techniques.
Ecco mormorar l'onde
Featured in Monteverdi's Second Book of Madrigals (1590), this celebrated madrigal sets text by Torquato Tasso. It beautifully captures the serene scene of dawn by the sea, with voices entering successively to mimic the gentle motion of waves and soft singing of birds.
Lasciatemi morire
This piece is a madrigal arrangement for five voices and continuo from Monteverdi's Sixth Book of Madrigals (1614). It is based on the famous lament from his lost opera "L'Arianna." The lyrics, by Ottavio Rinuccini, express Ariadne's deep sorrow after being abandoned by Theseus, emphasized through expressive harmonies and dissonances.
Salamone Rossi (ca. 1570–1630)
Salamone Rossi was an Italian Jewish violinist and composer who served at the Gonzaga court of Mantua for forty-one years. He was a transitional figure between the late Italian Renaissance period and early Baroque.
Rossi and Monteverdi were both employed at the Gonzaga court in Mantua during overlapping periods. Despite their proximity, there is no concrete evidence that Rossi and Monteverdi directly collaborated or even met.
Rossi was the first person to compose and publish Jewish choral music to illuminate sacred Hebrew texts. His most notable work, "Ha-Shirim Asher Li-Shlomo" (The Songs of Solomon), includes settings of Psalms, hymns, and other liturgical texts.
Al Naharot Bavel (By the Waters of Babylon, Psalm 137)
This psalm is a poignant lament reflecting the sorrow of the Jewish people during their exile in Babylon. The emotions in this psalm range widely from sorrow and sadness to bitterness and rage. The musical lines are slow moving and almost static, seeming to portray the powerless nature of captivity. The piece is often performed for Tish'a Be'Av (a day of mourning in Judaism) and Holocaust memorial events.
Shir Hama'alot (A Song of Ascents, Psalm 126)
In complete contrast, this psalm celebrates the time when the Lord at last returned the exiles of Zion. This uplifting psalm is also often sung in Jewish liturgy. Rossi created several settings of this psalm, with the one performed here composed for three voices. The lively tempo, ornamented vocal lines and the shifts from duple to triple meter convey a sense of joy and celebration.
Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)
Antonio Vivaldi was an Italian composer and virtuoso violinist who had a significant influence on European music, particularly in orchestration and the development of the concerto form. He composed over 500 concertos, numerous sacred choral pieces, and more than 50 operas.
Magnificat in G minor, RV 610
Vivaldi composed multiple versions of his Magnificat in G minor, setting the text of the biblical canticle and doxology to music. The most well-known version, RV 610, was written for soloists, choir, and orchestra. Originally composed around 1715 for the Ospedale della Pietà, a Venetian orphanage for girls where Vivaldi worked, it was later revised in the 1720s and 1730s.
The Magnificat is structured in nine compact movements, each corresponding to a verse of the canticle. Vivaldi's interpretation is vibrant, combining grand choral sections with intimate solo passages. The work emphasizes contrasting emotions such as mercy and fear through chromatic lines and expressive harmonies. The final movement, "Gloria Patri," features a fugue that mirrors the opening, concluding with a lively and majestic "Amen."
Program Notes written by Patricia Jennerjohn