Posts by Xanaseb

  • Leonardo Leo

    Agreed! Great find. This was lovely to listen to, and their other recordings look interesting, too. They seem to be focussing on the Neapolitan late baroque. Someone should, indeed...

  • Musica Aeterna

    Hello,


    Yes, very much agreed! Thanks for sharing. Orliński packs a punch. Zelenka's more galante style is conveyed with great energy and lightness by Il Pomo D'oro (The Tomato! :cool:)


    Seb

  • Miserere ZWV56 by Collegium 1704

    [FONT=&amp]https://collegium1704.com/en/universo-1704/miserere/


    Please check out this newest performance by the Czech ensemble, of the *other* Miserere, ZWV56 in D minor from 1722 (not the famous ZWV57 in C minor from 1738). They did a fantastic job.



    This piece was written for Lenten Holy Week sacred music, finishing Matins in the afternoon (as it was customarily held in Dresden).
    From Dr. Janice Stockigt's book:



    '...Zelenka set Ps. 50(51), Miserere (ZWV56), an extended work comprising several polyphonic movements, including retrograde canons for the setting of verse 15, 'Docebo. . . convertentur (titled 'Versetto circolare'). This movement was later retexted and published at the conclusion of the fourth lesson of Telemann's fortnightly journal Der getreue Musicmeister (...began in 1728) as 'Canon mit 14 Verkehrungen' (ZWV179 [Cantate Domino]).' - pg. 113.



    The polyphony is interesting indeed, but there's plenty of other good stuff in it too. The opening is probably my favourite. Note that the second, ostinato, movement is the same composition as the Christe Eleison from ZWV26, recorded last year by Collegium 1704 in 'Missa 1724'.



    Dr. Stockigt also cites how the piece was received (or almost received) by the Catholic Royal Court in Dresden in 1722, quoting from the Jesuit Diarium:



    "[Wednesday in Holy Week, 1 April] At about 3.30pm. Matins, Lamentations and Responses, Benedictus and finally, the Miserere, composed by Zelenka. The Prince and Princess were present throughout Matins. However, as the composed works were too long, the Prince had someone persuade Zelenka to shorten the singing. As a result the Miserere was omitted , and on subsequent days it was read in the usual manner." - pg. 87.



    Poor Mr. Zelenka! He should have seen it coming, though :D



    Then in 1737 this note is made by the Jesuits:
    "8 Apr. At four o'clock, a very long Miserere was produced by Zelenka." - pg. 219.
    Presumably, therefore, he got it out there in the end, unless they're referring to the other famous one, perhaps performed the year previous to the dating.



    Enjoy listening, thanks to Collegium 1704.

    [/FONT]

  • Missa dei Patris

    You beat me to it, Msl!
    This was a fantastic performance, and so interesting to hear it sung just by 8 soloists. It creates a very different dynamic.

  • Which Zelenka pieces still need to be recorded?

    Hello all,


    We've come to an amazing point now where the majority of Zelenka's works have been performed and recorded, including almost all of his truly 'great' compositions. How grateful we should be for this bountiful flourish of music over the past 10-15 years or so.


    But there are some more lurking around.


    Here's my bucket list. I wonder if you'd concur and if you have any which I may have missed which you much desire to be recorded, either for the first time or again in a better/improved way?


    [Pasted from this thread on new ZWV 3 video]
    1. I haven't personally heard any recordings of Zelenka's 'other' Miserere, ZWV 56, though I know it's come up in some performances over the years (please let me know if you have a recording of this!).
    2. Missa Eucharistica ZWV 15 would be well worth listening to, even though it's a bit truncated.
    3. I'd much love to hear like his 'a capella' Litaniae Lauretanae ZWV 150 for the pilgrimage to the Marian shrine at Graupen (Krupka) in 1725. This is a simple work which any ensemble should be able to pull off with ease (I would love my own choirmaster to give it a go)
    4. The other half of the Sub Tuum Praesidium ZWV 157 would be great to hear.
    5. Then there's the series of late 1720s Masses, glorious belters that could do with fresher recordings, especially Missa Circumcisionis ZWV 11 & Missa Gratias Agimus Tibi ZWV 13.


    All the best,


    Seb :cool:

  • Missa Corporis Domini ZWV 3 performed by Collelgium 1704

    Quote from Elwro

    This literally brought tears to my eyes. For years I so much wanted this to be performed...


    I think that now we have no known 'top tier' Zelenka work without a first-class recording!


    I think we can name a few:
    I haven't personally heard any recordings of Zelenka's 'other' Miserere, ZWV 56, though I know it's come up in some performances over the years.
    Also, Missa Eucharistica ZWV 15 would be well worth listening to, even though it's a bit truncated.
    Then there are a few special ones I'd much love to hear like his 'a capella' Litaniae Lauretanae ZWV 150 for the pilgrimage to the Marian shrine at Graupen (Krupka) in 1725. This is a simple work which any ensemble should be able to pull off with ease (I would love my own choirmaster to give it a go)
    Also the other half of the Sub Tuum Praesidium ZWV 157 would be great to hear.
    Then there's the series of late 1720s Masses, glorious belters that could do with fresher recordings, especially Missa Circumcisionis ZWV 11 & Missa Gratias Agimus Tibi ZWV 13.


    Edit: See this thread where I ask what would be on your Zelenka recording request list

  • Missa Corporis Domini ZWV 3 performed by Collelgium 1704

    Wow that was great, many gems throughout.


    The opening Kyrie takes multiple listens to appreciate its interwoven and variating texture and is very positive & uplifting.
    The Credo highlight was the 4 basses sing the Crucifixus, but other great stuff in there too.
    The Benedictus Bass solo is magnificent.
    I was personally most ecstatic to hear the Gregorian-chant-inspired Agnus Dei which I've been wishing to see an ensemble tackle. They all must have had a LOT of stamina to pull that one off.

  • Zelenka conference 2017-2019: articles published in Clavibus Unitis 2019

    Hello everyone,


    A little while back now Dr. Jiří Kroupa collated various papers from the Prague Zelenka Conferences 2017-2019: http://www.acecs.cz/cu_2019_08.php


    Here is the list of articles:

    ---
    DRISCOLL, Michael: Zelenka's arrangements of Dixit Dominus settings by other composers



    KAPSA, Václav: The place of Jan Dismas Zelenka within Prague's sacred music scene as viewed through the inventory of the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star



    KIERNAN, Frederic: Wolfgang Horn and Zelenka



    ÓSKARSSON, Kjartan: Zelenka and chalumeau



    SANYAL, Sebastian: The Zelenka family in Louňovice: Some findings from local history and parish registers



    STOCKIGT, Janice B.: The genesis and evolution of Missa Sanctae Caeciliae (ZWV 1), Jan Dismas Zelenka



    VOKŘÍNEK, Lukáš: Kmotrovství v rodině kantora a varhaníka Jiříka Zelenky Bavorovského [Godparenthood in the family of the schoolmaster and organist Jiřík Zelenka Bavorovský]
    ---


    These are well worth reading, enjoy!


    There is also an article by Jóhannes Ágústsson in Clavibus Unitis 2020, on the diaries of Crown Prince Friedrich Christian.


    Best wishes,


    Seb

  • Credo ZWV 31 premiere, Collegium 1704

    That was a sublime, top-class performance. Each showed a different facet to the jewel of 18thC sacred music. These three composers were absolute masters of that field, the music clearly shows.


    Again Zelenka surprises with this Credo! The sudden breakdown at 'at homo factus est', an extended and interesting 'crucifixus' and a jaw-dropping highly chromatic 'amen' fugue to finish, in keeping with those of his Vespers, indeed.


    Also, judging by these performances Caldara needs more attention by the musical world, thats for sure.


    Thanks djdresden!


    Seb

  • Ensemble Inégal, Litanie di. VM. ZWV149 (premiere) & ZWV4, 25 Nov 2020, Prague

    Ensemble Inégal are performing Zelenka's 1718 Litanie di Virgine Maria (ZWV 149) and Missa Sancti Spiritus (ZWV4) in Kostel U Salvátora, Prague. Details here:


    https://festivaly.eu/en/jan-di…el-u-salvatora-praha-2020


    Here it is revealed that the world premiere piece is ZWV 149
    https://www.wolfmatthiasfriedr…kloster-u-salvatora-prag/


    You can see the autograph manuscript score for ZWV 149 here: https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/32453/1/ or here on imslp for easier viewing


    Exciting to see a 'new' Zelenka piece being performed. Plus, the wonderful Missa Sancti Spiritus, which is truly magnificent and I hope will be recorded for CD some day (it was performed at Zelenka festival 2018 and it knocked my socks off).


    Seb

  • Harrer 'Domine ad adiuvandum me festina' HarWV 45

    I don't have any critical comments, but it looks like great work Elwro. A nice potential piece to perform, perhaps at the start of a 'Vespers' programme? Is that the context in which it is found, or is it for a Lutheran service? Where can the original document source be found?


    Gottlob Harrer deserves more recognition and recordings, which are scant.

  • Summary of 2019 Zelenka Conference Prague papers

    ****
    7. Pavel JURÁK: 'Nicola Porpora v Inventáriu Jana Dismase Zelenky' Eng. trans: 'Nicola Porpora in Jan Dismas Zelenka's Inventarium


    From zelenkafestival.cz:
    The discovery that Jan Dismas Zelenka had in his Inventarium compositions by Nicola Porpora, i.e., Dixit Dominus in C major, Laudate Pueri in B major and Magnificat in A minor, was a by-result of the bachelor thesis „J. D. Zelenka’s Magnificats in the context of contemporary compositions“. The paper demonstrates how three compositions in the Inventarium of Jan Dismas Zelenka, which were regarded as works of an anonymous composer, were by Nicola Porpora. These compositions were transcribed by Carl von Winterfeld (1784-1852) during his journey to Italy in 1812. The study of the oldest known surviving manuscript of the composition Magnificat in A minor by Nicola Porpora, copied by Josef Antonín Sehling (1710-1756), was an important step in making this identification. The analysis showed that Sehling arranged this work for the use of the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague. And this is why the search for the original version of the Porpora’s composition had to continue and finally ended at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin where the manuscript „Composizioni sacre di Nicolo Porpora“ of Carl von Winterfeld is preserved today. The author also considered the possibility that several other works from the Inventarium could be composed by Nicola Porpora. Furthermore, he deals with the question whether Jan Dismas Zelenka and Nicola Porpora knew each other and where they could meet.



    Jurák presented research from his bachelor's thesis which is about Zelenka's Magnificat settings in the context of contemporary compositions. The paper was an interesting topic with an interesting methodology. He argues that the great composer Nicola Porpora can be identified in three 'anonymous' pieces in the Inventarium. Designations by Zelenka as 'Po: N:' + 'Po:' could be referring to Porpora. And, also he speculates a Salve Regina with 'N: N:' + 'N:' could be, likewise.
    I can't quite remember now how Jurák backed these claims, but I think it partly was by comparison with the key signatures noted by Zelenka and the key signatures of the known pieces. He showed that RISM has a number of mistakes in it which has meant that the attributions to Porpora were made difficult amongst Zelenka's collection. He finished the presentation with a comparison between Zelenka and the Magnificats of Fux and Charpentier.



    ****
    8. Frederic KIERNAN: 'Wolfgang Horn and Zelenka'


    From zelenkafestival.cz:
    This paper uses the late Wolfgang Horn’s own reflections on his relationship with Zelenka as a lens through which to consider broader questions about the nature of Zelenka’s music, its reception history, and music historiography. Based on an interview conducted with Horn during the Zelenka Festival in Prague, October 2017, this paper considers Horn’s legacy as a driver of, and witness to, the rise of Zelenka studies in the 1980s, and the impact of this German scholar on our understanding of Zelenka today.



    This was a very fitting and loving tribute to Prof. Wolfgang Horn (†7 May 2019) which drew upon an interview which Fred Kiernan made with Horn in 2017. Here is the full paper as published in Clavibus Unitis 2019, which is well worth a read. It demonstrates Horn's nuanced and revealing perspectives of the culture of Zelenka within musicology.



    --------------



    Final comment: the conference was great (also generating a heated discussion afterwards!) and continues the streak of wonderful festivals and conferences in the glorious city of Prague. Here's to more in the future.



    Seb
    :cool: