New recording of Missa Votiva

Hi Alistair,

great to hear about this, and one always celebrates a new Zelenka recording. Missa Votiva will be out on Zig Zag - which is distributed by Harmonia Mundi. Finished copies should be in stock late June and after that it will start to trickle out to the shops. Collegium 1704 have entered into a long term co-operation with Zig Zag so it's exciting to see what comes next. I noticed on the website of Collegium 1704 they are doing one of Zelenka's arrangements of a Caldara Mass and although here his contribution was only adding cues to the oboes, let's hope this will come out on cd.

Earlier this year a Zelenka arrangement of a Sarri Mass was performed in Berlin, it was one of the works that turned up in the Singakademie Berlin collection which was returned from Kiev. A real Missa Brevis, only around 20 minutes it was no less than brilliant and one can hear the Zelenka colours. B.t.w. the Dresden source is so damaged it can't be looked at. Domenico Sarri / Sarro (1679-1744), was one of the main Naples composers and his works were treasured in Dresden. Zelenka entered 3 of his masses into his Inventarium, this Mass was probably the one No. 67, Missa Votiva, the last Mass entered into his Inventarium, was No. 68.

And what's more, we probably have a date for Missa Votiva: According to the newly discovered pages from the Jesuit Diarium for 1739-1742, it was probably performed on the 2nd of July 1739, when the following passage is entered into the Diarium:
Sacrum novum produxit D. Zelenka.

I intend to write more on this new source in a couple of weeks, as it tells us many things about a relatively unknown part of Zelenka's life and the state of musical affairs at the Dresden Catholic Church.

What wonderful news!

I've been waiting patiently (as I'm sure many others have) for a second recording of the Missa Votiva to be recorded. After a little of googling, I also came accross a possible future recording of the Missa Sancti Spiritus by
ZWV 4 by Capella Leopoldina (there was a ? after the title). I listened to the 2 instrumental sound samples on their website , and thought the ensemble were vigorous, competent, and very professional. Now, my interest is really stirred. Is it possible that we have yet another World Premiere of a great Zelenka Mass. I would be very curious if anyone knows more about this than I found on this website. I'm not adept at cutting and pasting (computer illiterate, what can I say!). The info is at newolde.com/zelenka.htm

Quote from Brian

What wonderful news!

I've been waiting patiently (as I'm sure many others have) for a second recording of the Missa Votiva to be recorded. After a little of googling, I also came accross a possible future recording of the Missa Sancti Spiritus by
ZWV 4 by Capella Leopoldina (there was a ? after the title). I listened to the 2 instrumental sound samples on their website , and thought the ensemble were vigorous, competent, and very professional. Now, my interest is really stirred. Is it possible that we have yet another World Premiere of a great Zelenka Mass. I would be very curious if anyone knows more about this than I found on this website. I'm not adept at cutting and pasting (computer illiterate, what can I say!). The info is at newolde.com/zelenka.htm

Thank you for the information, as I'm currently working on ZWV4, with only the Kyrie done for now.
Please let us know quickly if you learn more !

SK

Hello Skiaouros,

I have just emailed the office of Capella Leopoldina regarding the possible recording of ZWV4. I would not expect a reply this weekend, but hopefully will have an answer some time next week. The moment (if) I hear something I will post the information on this site.

regards, Brian

So some of the missing years of the Diarium have been found. Really DjDresden, I’m very curious! Does the Diarium contain any information about performances of one of the Missae Ultimae?

This must be the biggest biographical find concerning Zelenka in years! Alistair, you’re not the only one keeping a close watch on the pages of this site the following weeks.:)

Just to make our waiting a bit more pleasant: a few weeks ago I stumbled across the site of the Prague Cathedral Choir where you can download a complete recording of the Missa Nativitatis Domini (ZWV 8): http://pks.sdh.cz/mp3.htm. (By the way: the Kasseler Bachchoir sings this mass on December 13 – see http://www.kasselerbachchor.de.)

Best wishes,
Peter

Update: I did not get a reply from Capella Leopoldina. Perhaps the info on newolde.com was old. I did notice that G. Reusse on the main forum last year said there would be no recording of ZWV4 because a contract fell through. I'll check the site occassionaly for possible developments.
On another note, the Missa Votiva sound samples are now available on the Zig Zag Territories site, and the cd is for sale. I just listened to it and am very loathe to say that I'm not exactly "over the moon" about it. It sounded a bit flat to my ear. Perhaps others may feel differently, I hope so. Also, on their website they speak of a recording (in Prague) of a Zelenka Oratorio (which one?) this November as well as the Tenebrae Responses.

Brian

Quote from Peter

Just to make our waiting a bit more pleasant: a few weeks ago I stumbled across the site of the Prague Cathedral Choir where you can download a complete recording of the Missa Nativitatis Domini (ZWV 8): http://pks.sdh.cz/mp3.htm. (By the way: the Kasseler Bachchoir sings this mass on December 13 – see http://www.kasselerbachchor.de.)

Best wishes,
Peter

Peter, thank you very much for this link. The trumpet is having a hard time with high pitch.
ZWV8 has been completed with several parts from ZWV10 (Sanctus, Benedictus, Osanna, Agnus Dei).
Also that mass has been published by http://www.butz-verlag.de in 2007.

Brian, thanks for the ZWV4 info.
ZWV10 mp3s are almost finished, ZWV4 and 2 are next.

SK

Thanks Peter, for the link to ZWV 8 which I enjoyed very much even though the performance was wobbly at times.

I received the new Missa Votiva cd couple of weeks ago, which called for one more holy moment with our friend. This turned out to be excellent in every way. The only reservation I have is the tempi in the Credo, which is a bit too fast for my liking, and I also was not thrilled by the quality of the sound, and that's a first from ZZT, their cd's are usually crisp and clear, but not this one. However, nothing overshadows the quality of the work itself, and once again I am amazed by the power of this music.

As for the newly discovered pages from the Jesuit Diarium for the years 1739-42, I have posted more info in the Manuscripts section.

By the way, here is confirmation of what Peter had mentioned in another thread: Bernius is recording the Missa Votiva, today and the next couple of days in fact, in Switzerland, following their performance on the 6th.

http://www.theatreofearlymusic.com/temcal.html

Nice to see this work receive so much attention recently.

Diapason of Sept 2008 has published a critique of this record.
It is judged better than the Thorofon, interpretation "enthusiastic with some weaknesses", conductor "competent with a good knowledge of the baroque style".

SK

Review also in September 2008 Classica Repertoire where it achieved an "exceptional" grading both for music and performance, and the sound also haad top marks.

As a new member, not yet skilled in following all the links of this great website, but in case the number of this disc has not appeared before, it is Zig Zag Territories
ZZT 080901, distributed in France by Harmonia Mundi.

I just checked the new/olde site this morning. Good news, (as Derek has been saying) the Missa Votiva has been recorded by Bernius and will be released in 2009 by Carus. The performers are: Stuttgarter Kammerorchester,
Stuttgarter Kammerchor, Joanne Lunne, Soprano; Daniel Taylor, Countertenor;
Johannes Kaleschke, Tenor; Thomas E Bauer, Baritone.
I'm sure that we are all looking forward with great anticipation to this release.

More good news from Collegium 1704, who gave us the splendid Missa Votiva. In a couple of days they will perform the I penitenti al sepolcro del Redentore, ZWV 63 in Prag. They will record it this month for another release on ZZT next year according to:

http://www.fok.cz/de/programm/…ollegium-vocale-1704.html
http://www.multikulti.com/go/_info/?id=26075

They will also record the Tenebrae Responses, probably for release in 2010.

Quote from djdresden

http://www.multikulti.com/go/_info/?id=26075

That online review states:

Quote

The Missa Votiva was written in Dresden in 1739 as a thank-offering for his recovery from an illness from which he had suffered over the previous ten years.

Is that true? There's not even a known portrait of Zelenka, so how have they got hold of his medical records? Perhaps he wrote about his health on the front of the manuscript -- and I'm just showing my ignorance -- but given the nonsense about Zelenka being 'bitter' I'm now suspicious when alleged biographical detail emerges.

I think Zelenka makes references to his illness in only two places: In his Missa Purificationis ZWV 16 from 1733, when he writes that managed to finish it in ten days even though he was ill. The second is for Missa Votiva which he wrote as a vow, recovering from his illness. A nasty bug seems to have been going the rounds in Dresden in spring that year, Prime Minister Count Bruhl was also seriously ill for a few weeks at the same time in 1739.