History (based on materials from Robert King's booklet essay and the Grove Dictionary of Music): Before musicologist Hans Volkmann's intervention, Emanuele d'Astorga's (1680-1757) life and work, despite running parallel to those of Bach and Handel, virtually remained for almost one and a half centuries after his death under the creative license of romantics. The few certain facts of his life story are, indeed, unusually novelistic - a tyrannical father who seemingly led the young man to a nomadic, adventurous way of life; a patchy compositional history of striking musical interest; a curious reclusion from his family in the final quarter of his life. Other than his great number of chamber cantatas, few of Astroga's works survive or have achieved any kind of renown in recent times. The sole exception is the work in question: a setting of the "Stabat mater" for solo voices, chorus, strings and continuo. Volkmann has suggested that the work was written in 1707--8 on purely stylistic grounds, though no performances are known before the middle of the century. Its first known performance outside the liturgy took place in Oxford where it was featured in the musical entertainments of the Academy of Ancient Music in 1753. From then on, the piece enjoyed great popularity, attaining a cult following by the beginning of the 19th century which prompted numerous novels, dramas and epics. Composer Johann Abert went as far as writing in 1866 an opera in which Astorga becomes deranged, only being brought back to sanity when his wife plays a few bars from the "Stabat Mater". At any rate, the work remains to this very day one of the only reminders of Astorga's existence.

Narrative: "Stabat Mater", most notably set by Pergolesi, is originally a Roman Catholic sequence, describing in striking detail the suffering of Mary "who stood in tears beside the Cross" during Christ's crucifixion. The hymn consists of twenty verses. Mary's torment is the subject of the first eight, while the remaining sections deal with the impassioned expressions of empathy of the people around her, culminating in a prayer for grace at Judgment Day. The subject is extremely potent, and Mary herself is one of Christianity's most majestic symbols.

Music: Astorga's work is an undeniably attractive succession of light liturgical choruses and intimate ensembles of great charm and elegance, though personally I did find it to be less interesting a work than its legendary status might suggest. However, I did become enraptured with the gratifyingly lyrical terzettino that follows the work's choral introduction. It is an ensemble of striking simplicity which only underlines its tremendously affecting character. The opening string motive, foreshadowing to the terzet proper, sounds curiously as an echo of Bach's monumental "Ich habe genug"; however, this possible hint of plagiarism passes unnoticed, as the following trio is undoubtedly original and breathtakingly beautiful. Elements of the fugal form are suggested, though the piece never becomes a true fugue, instead elaborating and overlapping the vocal and orchestral lines into a stunning tapestry of sound. The accompaniment, focusing on a mournful violin line, is suitably restrained, though this artlessness belies its actual complexity. The soprano and bass open the ensemble (0:31 & 0:36), stating a movingly sincere descending line, lightly adorned with sensitive ornamentation. The tenor enters in a matter of a few bars (0:52), echoing the main theme and virtually repeating the preceding soprano/bass exchange, replacing the former. The soprano's restatement of the main theme provokes a brief suggestion of a fugue (1:05) which, however, overflows almost immediately into a tortured coda of extended phrases on the words "mother of an only son". The genteel B section adopts a slightly warmer sound, alternating chorales for all three soloists and a brief solo passage (1:50). This enlightened episode, however, moves directly into what could be named a varied repeat of the first movement, Astorga engaging in an advanced thematic elaboration of the A section. Thus, a suggestion of a formal da capo gives way, after a breathless "when she saw" (2:34), to a handsome juxtaposition of the trio's decorated lines. The piece is resolved by a return to the above-mentioned coda. Through the simplest touches Astorga creates a piece of mesmerizing dramatic force.

Score: The complete sheet music of the present number can be found here:
[ Ссылка ]

Recording: The 1999 Hyperion recording, coupling Astorga's setting of the "Stabat mater" with Boccherini's similar work, is expertly done on all counts, uniting sensible conducting from Robert King, handsome playing from the King's Consort and expressive singing from the soloists.

Susan Gritton - Soprano,
Paul Agnew - Tenor,
Pater Harvey - Bass.

Hope you'll enjoy =).

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