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Caldara: Christmas Cantata

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Caldara - Christmas Cantata (Vaticini di Pace) Sinfonias Nos. 5 & 6 From as early as 1676 until 1740, one of the features of Christmas...

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Caldara - Christmas Cantata (Vaticini di Pace)

Sinfonias Nos. 5 & 6

From as early as 1676 until 1740, one of the features of Christmas celebrations in baroque Rome was the performance of a cantata on Christmas eve in the Palazzo Apostolico. Each year a composer, usually one based in Rome, was selected to provide the music and after the Christmas Eve Vesper service the Pope and his invited guests would retire to supper and to hear the new cantata performed by the best singers in the papal choir.

In 1713 the Venetian-born Antonio Caldara (1670-1736) was to provide the

Cantata da recitarsi la Notte del SS^mo Natale nel Palazzo Apostolico. He had been in Rome since 1709 as maestro di Cappella to Francesco Maria Ruspoli, Prince of Cerveteri, and very likely the Christmas cantata written for his patron in 1712 secured him the 1713 commission. It is the earlier work that we have here, and the "per il SS^mo Natale" inscribed on the surviving manuscript of the Vaticini di Pace suggests that Ruspoli, perhaps Rome's most lavish patron of the arts, was imitating papal tradition. In one respect, however, Caldara's Christmas cantata performed in Ruspoli's Palazzo Bonelli in 1712 did have a direct connection with the Vatican. The libretto of Vaticini di Pace was not new. In 1703 Paolo Gini's text, rich in allusions to the contemporary political scene, had been performed (in Domenico Bottari's setting) at the Palazzo Apostolico. Nearly a decade later, in the midst of efforts to heal the longstanding rift between the Pope (Clement XI) and the Holy Roman Emperor (Charles VI), Ruspoli's re-use of this particular libretto seems quite deliberate.

The estrangement was a legacy of the war of the Spanish succession. From its beginnings in 1701 Italy had been embroiled in this conflict between Bourbon and Habsburg for the Spanish throne. Even the Pope was not immune. At first carefully neutral, he eventually sided with the Bourbon cause. In May, 1708,

Habsburg armies, triumphant across northern Italy, threatened the eternal city.

Ruspoli raised militia in its defence. Forced so ignominiously to acknowledge

Charles III, the Austrian contender for the Spanish kingdom, it is no surprise that the Pope exacted revenge three years later when that same claimant, as Charles VI, suddenly succeeded to the imperial throne in Vienna and to the title of Defender of the Faith. Clement withheld papal recognition.

On the eve of the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), the finale of the Spanish saga, Ruspoli found himself in a unique position. This loyal supporter of the Pope now was also the patron of a composer who, after a visit to Vienna between 1711 and 1712, was highly regarded by the Emperor himself.

Through a prominent performance of his maestro's new setting of Gini's libretto

Ruspoli ensured that Clement XI's early concerns for peace and Italy's troubled state (barely disguised in Core umano's plaintive: "Bella pace; ove sei? Care

spiaggie latine ...prive ancor voi del mio tesoro amato?") were well remembered just prior to the diplomatic negotiations from which the church was to be excluded. He saw too that Gini's flattering allusions to Clement XI ("un sol Clemente la Clemenza Regnante La Clemente amica stella"), propagandist patriotism in 1703, now would help restore an image tarnished by military miscalculation, for the Pope was about to lose territory under the Utrecht settlement. But perhaps above all, Ruspoli hoped a lesson in reconciliation might be learned from the change of heart displayed by Gini's seemingly implacable Giustitia. Indeed, Clement XI did relent - eventually. His confirmatio electionis is of February, 1714, finally acknowledged Charles VI as Holy Roman Emperor. The prophecy of peace had come about.

Today, these considerations of politics and prestige bear little on our appreciation of Caldara's music. The composer himself seems to have paid them scant attention, content to focus on what Gini offered by way of character differentiation, varying emotional states and opportunity for musical symbolism.

Core umano, an allegorical Everyman, desires peace ("Pace bella ridi a noi") - a peace which, conceived in human terms, means a cessation of martial activities.

That peace, says Pace ("Vuoi pace al core"), can only come from an inner spiritual peace and, to achieve this, true repentance is necessary. The absence of an outward peace reflects the disarray of humanity's soul. Amor Divino, a universal intermediary and the protector of Core umano, offers hope: although war is the reward for mankind's turning from the true path, God will forgive the guilty. In "Quel bianco latte" -a lullaby inspired by a vision of the Virgin and Child - Amor Divino pleads for mercy, not retribution on those who offend the Almighty.

Ciustitia, who represents the avenging righteousness of the Old Testament, remains unmoved ("Che dici, che pretendi"); errors must be punished, despite pleas for forgiveness. In "Da nemica ultrice spada" and again in "Si, si, perira" angular vocal phrases and powerful figurations for unison violins conjure up terrifying retribution. In " Amor trionfera" Amor Divino comforts an anguished Core umano faced with bewildering options ("Ciustitia vuol ch'io pera").

If Ciustitia will not listen to entreaty, perhaps the crying of the innocent Holy-infant will bring about a change of heart. In "Qual pargoletto infante" Pace confronts Ciustitia with the merciful justice of the New Testament, personified in the Christ-child. For this lyrical moment Caldara invokes some of the traditional imagery of the Nativity. The gentle siciliano rhythm of the aria captures the pastoral setting of the holy birth; delicate intertwinings of voice and violins in senza basso

scoring enhance the serenity of contemplative devotion. Ciustitia is persuaded.

From henceforth justice will be tempered with mercy ("Cia vi sento intenerir"), and the reconciliation of Pace with Ciustitia is complete in "1 tuoi bacci", the only concerted vocal movement in the cantata.

The contrite Core umano, now assured of forgiveness, not retribution, extols

Christ's nativity in "Bella notte" before returning to the initial request, the plea for universal peace. Both Amor Divino ("No, no non piu crudel") and Pace ("La clemente amica stella") prophesy that this will quickly follow, and Amor Divino concludes the cantata with a eulogy of peace ("Quanto dolce"). Its benefits to mankind are recounted, mirrored in the broad sweep of the ornate violin accompaniment.

In the summer of 1716 Caldara left Ruspoli and Italy to take up the position of Vizekapellmeister to the Imperial court in Vienna.

There, one of his many tasks was to contribute to the sequence of oratorios performed each year in the Hofkapelle during the weeks immediately preceding Easter. By the time of his death in December, 1736, he had written 23 such works for the court chapel.

The two sinfonias featured here are actually the overtures (or "Introduzione" as

Caldara termed them) to his oratorios San Pietra in Cesarea

(1734) and Sant' Elena al Calvario (1731). Originally two-movement (adagia-allegra) structures full of contrapuntal writing, we now hear each sinfonia in a unique version that includes a second pair of slow-fast movements. The author of these additions remains unknown but probably was not Caldara. Both Sinfonias are from a collection of twelve similarly-enlarged overtures and the existence of this manuscript in the archive of the Minorite monastery in Vienna, suggests this music had been specially selected and adapted for performance during the more elaborate ceremonies of the Order.

� 1996 Brian W. Pritchard

Disc 1

Vaticini di pace

(more info)

Composed by: Antonio Caldara
Conducted by: Kevin Mallon
Mary Enid Haines, soprano
Linda Dayiantis-Straub, soprano
Jennifer Lane, mezzo-soprano
David Arnot, tenor
Christopher Dawes, organ
Recording date: 19-23 January 1996

Sinfonia - Allegro - 1:54
Allegro - 1:15
Recitative: Bella pace, ove sei? (Core Umano) - 1:10
Aria: Pace bella (Core Umano) - 3:36
Recitative: O folle umano core (Pace) - 1:06
Aria: Vuoi pace al core (Pace) - 2:16
Recitative: Pace son io (Pace, Amor Divino) - 1:51
Aria: Quel bianco latte (Amor divino) - 2:27
Recitative: Che dici, che pretendi (Giustitia) - 0:52
Aria: Da nemica ultrice spada (Giustitia) - 2:36
Recitative: Gravi tanto l'offese (Core Umano, Giustitia) - 1:50
Aria: Si, si perira (Giustitia) - 0:45
Recitative: Ohime, chi mi soccorre (Core Umano, Amor Divino) - 0:38
Aria: Amor trionfera (Amor Divino) - 3:17
Recitative: Non perirai, no, no (Amor Divino, Core Umaro) - 0:22
Aria: Giustitia vuol ch'io pera (Core Umano) - 2:30
Recitative: Giustitia, se non vuoi (Pace) - 0:44
Aria: Quel pargoletto (Pace) - 5:17
Recitative: A lagrime si belle (Giustitia) - 0:34
Aria: Gia mi sento intenerir (Giustitia) - 3:43
Recitative: O Pace, amata (Giustitia, Pace) - 0:27
Aria: I tuoi baci (Giustitia, Pace) - 1:03
Recitative: Di Giustitia e di Pace (Core Umano) - 1:02
Aria: Bella notte (Core Umano) - 3:07
Recitative: Vedesti, o Core umano (Core Umano) - 1:01
Aria: No, no non piu crudel (Amor Divino) - 2:58
Recitative: Su questo eccelso monte (Pace) - 0:46
Aria: La clemente amica Stella (Pace) - 3:36
Recitative: O fortunato cor (Core Umano, Amor Divino) - 1:04
Aria: Quanto dolce (Amor Divino) - 3:05

Sinfonia No. 5 in B flat major

(more info)

Composed by: Antonio Caldara
Conducted by: Kevin Mallon
Recording date: 19-23 January 1996

Andante - 0:53
Allegro - Adagio - 2:03
Allegro - 1:17

Sinfonia No. 6 in G minor

(more info)

Composed by: Antonio Caldara
Conducted by: Kevin Mallon
Rene Clemencic, nay
Recording date: 19-23 January 1996

Adagio - Allegretto - 2:20
Adagio - 0:43
Allegretto - 1:18

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Flash 9 required. Click to download.

Composer(s):
Caldara, Antonio

Conductor(s):
Mallon, Kevin

Artist(s):
Arnot, David; Dawes, Christopher; Dayiantis-Straub, Linda; Enid Haines, Mary; Lane, Jennifer

Label: Naxos Classics
UPC: 730099477222
Item Number: 8553772
Release Date: Oct 8, 1996