"Even though he did not gain the post he desired, it is certain that Legrenzi had many fruitful contacts with the Viennese Courts. Several of his oratorios were written for the 'Capella dell'Imperatrice' or the 'Capella dell'Imperatore' from 1665 onwards, as well as in 1676, 1692 and 1707. Later, undoubtedly with the same end in view of gaining a place in Vienna, he dedicate his volume of instrumental pieces entitled 'La Cetra' to the Emperor. Published in 1673, it is composed of violin sonatas. It seems that Legrenzi had nevertheless taken care to include two compositions in this publication that would certainly appear to its dedicatee as a highly respectful token of the Emperor's acquaintance with musical tastes in Austria at the end of the 17th century, these being two 'Sonate a quatro viole da gamba'. The viola da gamba and more particularly the 'concerto de viole' was still very much appreciated in German-speaking countries and especially in the circle around Leopold I, a musician as well as Emperor. The dedication, however, failed yet again to have its desired effect. We should add that Legrenzi had also failed to win the post of maestro di capella for St. Mark's in Venice several years earlier, losing the post by only one vote. Legrenzi would have to wait for Antonio Sartorio's departure in 1681 before finally gaining this pinnacle of his career.
"Legrenzi was an extremely productive composer: his works include twenty operas that were performed in Ferrara and in Venice in particular between 1668 and 1684, the ten oratorios already mentioned that were performed in Vienna, printed collections of instrumental music both sacred and secular that make up 18 opus numbers, as well as a great quantity of various works that remained in manuscript form.
"Such is the case with the 'Dies Iræ' recorded here, the most important work of the recording. The manuscript was curiously enough preserved in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris (Vm 1298) with the title 'Prosa pro mortuis, 8 voc. cum 3 viol. et organo del Sgre Maestro Legrenzi'. How did this manuscript come to find its way to Paris? Could is be linked to the offer made to him to become a member of the Chapelle Royale? Whatever the truth may be, it seems that his music had indeed been heard in France, in particular at the private concerts organised by Nicolas Mathieu, parish priest of the church of Saint André-des-Arts; many Italian names are to be found in the list of composers whose works were performed at these concerts, including Rossi, Cavalli, Cazzati, Carissimi, Stradella and Legrenzi. What is more, we know that the Abbé Mathieu's library contained many volumes of Italian music.
"This 'Dies Iræ' may well be associated in one way or another with the discover of Italian music that was being made by those who madeup the Abbé's inner circle. It is highly likely that it is only one part of a much larger composition, i.e. a full Requiem Mass. The composition call for two vocal quartets accompanied by a viol quartet. Even though the manuscript's use of the word 'viol.' may give rise to come confusion as to whether viols or violins were intended, the low tessituras used and the polyphonic style employed unequivocally display the characteristic style of the ensemble of viols. As far as the voices are concerned, it is clear that we are dealing with an ensemble of eight solo voices rather than block choral writing; the soloists take over all the verses either as solo voices, duos, trios, quartets or sextets and, naturally enough, the 'tuti'.
"The ensemble of viols adds its commentary to a good number of the verses, not only to the sections in eight parts but also to certain of the others, providing a polyphonic accompaniment to several solos. It plays a solo role only in the few bars of the Symphonia at the beginning of the sumptuous 6-part 'Ingemisco'.
"This 'Prosa pro-mortuis' nevertheless raises other questions, one of these being the date of its composition and the other being the identification of the chapelle for which it was written. It is not at all easy to provide an answer to the first of these questions, but it is possible to supply a possible solution for the second. Certain elements of the work make one think that it could have been composed for Vienna; on the other hand the concerto de viole that Legrenzi had used in the two 'Sonatas' from 'La Cetra' that had been dedicated to the Emperor Leopold I, and on the other the work's astonishing similarity to the 'Requiem' by Johann Kaspar Kerll that had been published in 1689. Kerll was the organist to the Viennese Court and had been a pupil of Carissimi in Rome. His Requiem also makes use of a vocal ensemble accompanied by a quartet of viols. Its 'Dies Iræ' is intricately structured also; each verse is presented in a different way and uses various combinations of singers and viols. Given that the date of Legrenzi's work remains unknown, it is there not possible to trace an exact link between the two compositions; we can only discuss their similar styles.
"Other works by Legrenzi recorded here include not only the two 'Sonate a quatro viole da gamba' from 'La Cetra' but also two motets for solo voice. These motets come from Legrenzi's op. 10 entitled 'Acclamationi divote', a volume of motets for solo voice and continuo that was published in Bologna in 1670. The source material for these motets is the copy that was preserved in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris. The motet 'Angelorum ad convivium' is here presented in its original form for solo voice and continuo, whilst the poignant motet 'Suspiro Domine' for bass is accompanied here by the concerto di viole. This accompaniment was written specifically for this recording by Philippe Pierlot in the polyphonic style that was often to be met with during the 17th century. We should add that various other scores often make use of this type of accompaniment, but that such sources are often silent as far as to precisely which of the instrumental parts should be either realised or reconstituted. (Jérôme Lejeune, tr. Peter Lockwood. From the liner notes.)
Performers: Ricercar Consort, Philippe Pierlot
1. Sonata Sesta A Quatro Viole Da Gamba
2. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Dies Irae
3. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Quantus Tremor
4. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Tuba Mirum
5. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Mors Stupebit
6. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Liber Scriptus
7. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Judex Ergo
8. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Quid Sum Miser
9. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Rex Tremendae
10. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Recordare
11. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Quaerens Me
12. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Juste Judex
13. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Ingemisco
14. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Qui Mariam
15. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Preces Meae
16. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Inter Oves
17. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Confutatis
18. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Oro Supplex
19. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Lacrimosa
20. Prosa Pro Mortuis: Pie Jesu
21. Ricercar Del Secundo Tono
22. Angelorum Ad Convivia
23. Sonata Quinta A Quatro Viole Da Gamba
24. Suspiro Domine
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