Antonio Caldara - La Conversione di Clodoveo, Rè di Francia

"Antonio Caldara is still not very well known by music lovers. Yet he is one of the most interesting and appealing composers of the Italian Baroque, and one of the most prolific in the history of music. He enjoyed great celebrity during his lifetime, and indeed throughout the entire 18th century, before sinking into oblivion. Based in Vienna, he had considerable influence on German composers: on Telemann, on Bach (who copied one of his settings of the 'Magnificat'), on the Mannheim school and, finally, through later generations, on the Viennese composers of the Classical era such as Dittersdorf, Haydn and Mozart.

"The son of a violinist, Caldara was born, probably in 1670, in Venice or possibly in Padua; we do not have more precise information, and this birth date is deduced from the statement in his death certificate that died 'in his 66th year'. Caldara began his studied with Giovanni Legrenzi, 'maestro di cappella' at San Marco in Venice, and as a boy he sang in the basilica's choir. Then, for six years beginning in 1694, he was a gambist and cellist for San Marco; he also played the organ and the harpsichord. In 1689, his first opera, 'L'Argene', was staged in Venice, and shortly after the publisher Sala printed two sets of sonatas in the style of Corelli: opus 1 in 1693, and opus 2 in 1699. Meanwhile, in 1697, his first oratorio, 'Il trionfo della continenza', was performed.

"In May 1699, Caldara was appointed 'maestro di cappella, da chiesa e dal teatro' to Ferdinando Carlo, the Gonzaga Duke of Mantua, who lavished enormous sums on opera productions. Caldara held this post until 1707 and he probably went with his employer to Paris in 1704. During these years, Caldara made brief sojourns in Bologna and in Rome, where he met Corelli and the Scarlattis, both father and son. During a trip to Spain in the summer of 1708, his opera 'Il più bel nome' was staged in Barcelona as part of the festivities to celebrate the wedding of Charles III, the Hapsburg claimant to the Spanish throne. When the French won the War of Succession in Spain three years later, Philippe, Duke of Anjou, supplanted Charles. Caldara had given lessons in counterpoint to Charles and won his admiration and the position as his resident composer. Later, as we will see, the musician was able to take advantage of the patronage of the Hapsburg dynasty.

"Caldara returned to Rome in 1709, where he succeeded Handel as 'maestro di cappella' to Prince Francesco Maria Ruspoli in the Palazzo Bonelli. Over the course of the subsequent years, Caldara composed, for Prince Ruspoli, four operas, three 'intermezzi', 10 oratorios, several 'serenate', and a large number of madrigals, cantatas, and vocal duos. He also worked for Cardinal Ottoboni and for Prince Colonna, rich Roman patrons for the arts. Then, in 1711, he married the singer Caterina Petrolli. In that same year, Charles III of Hapsburg became Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor of the German States, and moved to Vienna. Soon, in 1712, Caldara visited the Austrian capital, seeking a post with the new monarch, his former patron.

"He did not obtain the desired post until 1716, one year after the death of Marc'Antonio Ziani, 'kapellmeister' of the imperial court. Johann Joseph Fux succeeded Ziani and Caldara, who had been given leave by Prince Ruspoli, travelled to Vienna (stopping 'en route' in Salzburg), to help Fux as 'vice-kapellmeister'. He held this position until his death, 20 years later; Fux, though older than Caldara, outlived him by several years. Caldara died in Vienna on December 28, 1736 in the quarters reserved for Italians in the service of the court. Vivaldi died here, in humbler fashion, five years later. We don't know how Caldara managed his affairs, but despite his considerable income, he was so heavily in debt that the emperor deign to make a grant of 12,000 florins to his widow to help her make ends meet.

"Caldara left several hundred works of all sizes. Almost all of these works are vocal: they include more than 80 operas with libretti by Apostolo Zeno and Pietro Metastasio, 38 oratorios, 50 'serenate', 100 or so cantatas, hundreds of motets, more than 20 masses (some of which are written in strict counterpoint and for performance 'a cappella', while other are in the more luxurious concertante style), several sonatas, madrigals, and about 300 vocal canons. Caldara's work did not immediately disappear when he died, as was the case with Vivaldi, and the work of many other musicians of the period who had enjoyed celebrity during their lifetimes. Writing in the 1780s, the English musicologist Charles Burney expressed his high esteem for Caldara. It was only gradually that Caldara slipped into obscurity. In the middle of the 19th century some connoisseurs, such as Brahms and von Köchel, still appreciated Caldara's great skill in polyphony and suppleness of his melodic expression. Closer to our own time, Roland de Candé said that 'his music achieves a magnificent synthesis of the Venitian choral style, the Neapolitan melodic and harmonic style, and the Viennese Baroque, which was at its peak.'

"The oratorio written in Italian, known as 'oratorio volgare', is a close relative of the opera. Towards the end of the 17th century it supplanted the old 'historica sacra' in Latin, the gren in which Giacomo Carissimi had excelled. The Italian-language oratorio featured several historical or symbolic persons who, without the help of a narrator or a chorus, presented themselves through a series of characteristic recitatives and 'da capo' arias. In his 'Dictionnaire de musique', published in 1703, Sébastien de Brossard described this kind of oratorio as 'a kind of sacred opera [...] whose subject is drawn from scripture or from the history of a saint, or which is an allegory on one of the mysteries of religion, or on some point of morality.' He added that 'nothing is more common in Rome, especially during lent, than these kinds of oratorios.' Similar works, but without any stage scenery, were sung in private salons during those periods of the liturgical year when operas were prohibited. In the intermission between the two parts of the work, instead of listening to the sermon that would be delivered if it was being performed in a church, the audience at such private performances was served liquor.

"In composing his oratorios in Rome for Prince Ruspoli, Caldara's style evolved rapidly. The works can be divided into two groups. As Adélaïde de Place noted, 'the first group, those written around the years 1708 and 1710, are still impregnated by Venetian influence, while the later works, composed between 1712 and 1715, are marked by the elegant traits of the early 'galant' style: they are simple in shape, luminous, and supple.' Instrumental accompaniment became lighter. (It is unlikely that this development was driven by a desire on the part of the hyper-rich Roman aristocracy to cut costs.) 'The orchestra tended to be reduced to two string sections supported by the basso continuo, which was more present in the accompaniment than were the violins, while the ranges of the vocal soloists seemed to be moving upwards, sometimes even to the extent that there no low voices at all.' (On March 31, 1715, a German traveler heard an oratorio by Caldara performed by 'a great number of musicians, three female singers, [one of whom was surely the composer's wife], and a little castrato.')

"The oratorio 'La Conversione di Clodoveo, Rè di Francia' belongs to this second, later group. Its libretto is by Sigismundo Capece, who also wrote the libretto for Handel's 'La resurrezione' in 1708. The first performance of 'La Conversione' was given in Rome on April 14, 1715 at the Palazzo Bonelli. The work is scored for four solo voices and an ensemble of strings without viola, to which winds may be added. Its arias are 'accompanied by the orchestra, or by a very lively basso continuo, and they generally take the 'da capo' form and are in a dramatic vocal style, full of melissimas, coloraturas, and 'arioso' passages.' The work is a remarkable example of the concern, typical of the period, that nuances of text and character should be rendered musically and clearly. Its recitatives are free, clever, and expressive. Its arias are sensitive, moving, often set to dance rhythms, and varied: one after another they are either warlike, gracious, tormented, or confiding, depending on a character's emotions.

"The work tells the story of how his love for his wife, the beautiful and pious Clotilde, led the bellicose Clovis to convert to the Christian faith. In the beginning of the first part Clovis, King of the Francs - also known as the Sicambres - wants to go off to war. Clotilde accuses him of only seeking glory and, not hiding her concern, gives him the following advice: 'When you are in greatest danger, do not forget that the God that I worship is the God of battle.' Once Clovis and the captain Uberto have left, Clotilde confides her fears to Remigius, the bishop of Rheims and a future saint. He reassures her with these words: 'It often happens that, by the power of heaven itself, from seeds of sorrow springs a harvest of happiness.' Captain Uberto returns, bearing bad news: faced by certain defeat, Clovis has charges him with the mission of protecting the queen.

"The second part open with the worries of Remigius, who is preparing to flee with Clotilde and Uberto. But Clovis returns and announces his victory, which he attributes to the advice of his queen. Just when he was about to lose the battle, he tells them, and after having vainly called upon Mars, he successfully called on the Christian God for help. Now a member of the true faith, he declares: 'Because of this victory, I worship only your God.' Clotilde then asks Remigius to prepare 'the sacred rite, baptism, by means of which divine grace will pour down on the royal head.' After the ceremony, a love duet, in which the voices follow each other and intertwine in thirds and sixths, joins the two spouses in the same faith and ends the oratorio.

"Since Caldara's work relates one of the founding myths of the history of France, let us leave the final word to the author of the 'Legenda Aurea', Jacques de Voragine, who tells us that 'there was no sacred oil at the baptismal fonts when they reached them, but then a dove appears, carrying a vial of the oil in its beak, and the pope anointed the king with it.' Since then, 'this vial is conserved in the church of Rheims, and used to this day to anoint the kings of France.' Finally, the history books tell us that on the occasion of Clovis' batpism on December 25, 496, soon after his victory at Tolbiac over the Germans, Saint Remigius pronounced his celebrated words: 'Bow down your head, proud Sicambre. Worship what you have burned, and burn what you have worshipped.'" (François Filiatrault, 2010, tr. Sean McCutcheon. From the liner notes.)

Performers: Le Nouvel Opéra, Alexander Weimann, Suzie LeBlanc, Allyson McHardy, Nathalie Paulin, Matthew White

1.1. Parte I: Sinfonia

1.2. Parte I, Scena I: 'Invitto Clodoveo'

1.3. Parte I, Scena I: 'Di Tua Gloria'

1.4. Parte I, Scena I: 'Vanne Uberto'

1.5. Parte I, Scena I: 'Voglio Quel Seno Stringere'

1.6. Parte I, Scena II: 'Clodoveo, Mio Signor'

1.7. Parte I, Scena II: 'Rasserenatevi'

1.8. Parte I, Scena II: 'Con Prove Di Fierezza'

1.9. Parte I, Scena II: 'Volgi Il Cuore'

1.10. Parte I, Scena II: 'Clotilde, Ben Sovente'

1.11. Parte I, Scena II: 'Con Tuoi Begl'occhi'

1.12. Parte I, Scena III: 'Mio Signor, Mio Giesu'

1.13. Parte I, Scena III: 'Se Mesta L'alma'

1.14. Parte I, Scena IV: 'Remigio, Amato Padre'

1.15. Parte I, Scena IV: 'Io Non So'

1.16. Parte I, Scena IV: 'Scaccio Il Vano'

1.17. Parte I, Scena IV: 'Non Sempre Tuona'

1.18. Parte I, Scena V: 'Signora, Infausto Messo'

1.19. Parte I, Scena V: 'Vorrebbe L'Affetto'

1.20. Parte I, Scena V: 'Regina, Sono Del Ciel'

1.21. Parte I, Scena V: 'Picciol Legno'

1.22. Parte I, Scena V: 'A Tuoi Detti Mi Rendo'

1.23. Parte I, Scena V: 'Mio Dio Per Me Svenato'

1.24. Parte I, Scena V: 'Se Tanto Il Cuore Ottiene'

2.1. Parte II, Scena I: 'Agitato Da Speme'

2.2. Parte II, Scena II: 'Clodoveo Superato'

2.3. Parte II, Scena II: 'Quando Il Turbino E Vicino'

2.4. Parte II, Scena II: 'Andiamo'

2.5. Parte II, Scena III: 'Clotilde, Vincesti'

2.6. Parte II, Scena III: 'Mio Sposo'

2.7. Parte II, Scena III: 'Gioisco Che Il Tuo Cuore'

2.8. Parte II, Scena III: 'Clotilde, E Ver'

2.9. Parte II, Scena III: 'Come Cerva Che Ferita'

2.10. Parte II, Scena III: 'Remigio A Questi Accenti'

2.11. Parte II, Scena III: 'Sommo Dio'

2.12. Parte II, Scena IV: 'Con Esempio Si Bello'

2.13. Parte II, Scena IV: 'Che Santo E Bel Piacer'

2.14. Parte II, Scena V: 'Consorte Amato'

2.15. Parte II, Scena V: 'L'amor Mio'

2.16. Parte II, Scena V: 'Quest'e L'altare'

2.17. Parte II, Scena V: 'Santo Amor'

2.18. Parte II, Scena V: 'Signor, Troppa Ostinata'

2.19. Parte II, Scena V: 'V'adoro, O Padre'

2.20. Parte II, Scena VI: 'Mio Redentor'

2.21. Parte II, Scena VI: 'E' Un Piacer'

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