Stabat Mater (Boccherini)

The Stabat Mater is a musical setting of the Stabat Mater sequence, composed by Luigi Boccherini in 1781 (G. 532a) and revised in 1800 (G. 532b, Op. 61).^[1]

Boccherini (1743–1805) was a musician best known for chamber music (string quintets). His vocal work is played less often. He was married to a singer and wrote numerous religious works (including one mass, two motets and two oratorios).

Structure

His Stabat Mater was commissioned in 1781 by the King of Spain's younger brother Luis of Spain, Count of Chinchón. It was conceived for a liturgical service at Palacio de la Mosquera, Arenas de San Pedro, where they were living. The text dates from the 13th century and is attributed to Jacopone da Todi which meditates on the suffering of Mary during the crucifixion of Jesus. The first version consisted of one soprano voice accompanied by a string quintet (two violins, one viola, two cellos). It consists of 11 parts and lasts around three-quarters of an hour. Boccherini revised it around twenty years later for three voices, adding another soprano and a tenor, and using the Allegro of his second symphony as an added overture.^[2] The definitive work is known as his Opus 61.

• Overture

1. "Stabat mater dolorosa", Grave assai
2. "Cujus animam gementem", Allegro
3. "Quae moerebat et dolebat", Allegretto con moto
4. "Quis est homo", Adagio assai – Recitativo
5. "Pro peccatis suae gentis", Allegretto
6. "Eja mater, fons amoris", Larghetto non tanto
7. "Tui nati vulnerati", Allegro vivo
8. "Virgo virginum praeclara", Andantino
9. "Fac ut portem Christi mortem", Larghetto
10. "Fac me plagis vulnerari", Allegro comodo
11. "Quando corpus morietur", Andante lento

Discography

• Stabat Mater, (1781 G. 532 version), Barbara Vignudelli (soprano), Flavio Emilio Scogna (conductor), Benedetto Marcello Chamber Orchestra, Tactus TC 740208, 2006.
• Stabat Mater – Ensemble symposium, Francesca Boncompagni (2016, Brilliant Classics, 95356). Performance based on the Critical Edition prepared by Luca Lévi Sala (Bologna: Ut Orpheus, 2015).
• Stabat Mater – Roberta Invernizzi, L'Archibudelli (2003, Sony SK 89 926)
• Stabat Mater (1781 version) – Agnès Melon (soprano), Ensemble 415, Dir. Chiara Banchini (1992, Harmonia Mundi HM 901378)
• Stabat Mater – Isabel Rey (soprano), JONDE, dir. Riccardo Frizza, DECCA
• "Stabat Mater" Adelina Scarabelli (soprano) Solisti dell'Opera da Camera di Roma Federico Amendola ( 1990 NUOVA ERA)