Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Christophe Rousset, Barbara Bonney, Andreas Scholl, Les Talens Lyriques - Pergolesi: Stabat Mater /Bonney * Scholl * Les Talens Lyriques * Rousset

Certainly the somber beauty of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater for soprano, alto, and strings has a lot to do with its popularity. But it must be said that the story of the 26-year-old composer completing the work on his deathbed has always been too romantic for the public--or the music business--to resist. "The instant his death was known," wrote the famous 18th-century traveler Dr. Burney, "all Italy manifested an eager desire to hear and possess his productions." And so it's been ever since. In spite of the competition already on the market, it seems Decca just had to get its prize lyric soprano and hotshot young countertenor together to record the piece.

The result isn't bad as such: Barbara Bonney sings graciously and prettily, though with a sound better suited to Schumann or Strauss (for example, she lets her vibrato smudge the suspended dissonances that make the first movement so effective); Andreas Scholl gives a nicely judged, intelligent performance that would probably seem marvelous in another setting. But I can sense no spark at all: the whole recording feels as though it were made because Decca's marketing department thought it would be a good idea, not because the performers felt strongly about the music in any way. The two settings of the Salve Regina (one for each soloist; both share some material with the Stabat Mater) come off a bit better, but they aren't what you'd buy this disc for. Dedicated fans of Scholl and Bonney probably won't be (too) disappointed, but compared to the exemplary, elegant Gillian Fisher and Michael Chance or the thrilling, often surprising Concerto Italiano, this one is hard to recommend. --Matthew Westphal Amazon.com

Two beautiful voices

I will agree with one of the other reviewers that the tempi was too fast at some parts. An exception might have been the track "Fac Ut Ardeat." I thought it was magnificent. Scholl's rendition of "Quae Morebat" was classic. I thought the tempi for "Vidit Suum Dulcem Natum" was perfect, as it is typically too slow and drug out in the Hogwood version, which tend to slow down the performance. Both performers sing magnificently. Bonney was a sweet, strong voice, which maintains in the higher range, where other sopranos usually become shrill. And Scholl.....what else can be said? His voice is amazing, and he showcases that here. His Salve is breathtaking. June 3, 2007

a voice teacher and early music fan

HEY CHRISTOPHE ROUSSET!!!WHAT'S YOUR HURRY???

A short life and a merry one, which brought laughter and merriment to others, was Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's (1710-1736). He was the only son of poor people, and attended the Conservatory for the Poor in Naples. The handsome youth, who played the violin with a flourish had no difficulty after graduation finding a teaching job, a patron,and time to compose. Several light comic operas, violin sonatas,and a mass won him a measure of recognition. Pergolesi loved life, lived it to the hilt during his 26 years, and conveyed it to his music in the form of radiant vitality.

No composition, not even his famed intermezzo 'La Serva Padrona' (the maid-mistress), was more important in spreading Pergolesi's fame than the 'Stabat Mater'. The 13th century text is strongly emotional in its retelling of the Passion from the viewpoint of the Virgin Mary, and was already familiar to Neopolitan audiences by way of Alessandro

Scarlatti's setting that was usually performed during Lent. However, eventually Pergolesi's setting became the most published works in the 18th century. NO less a personage than Bach was among the composers who made adaptations of it, and its popularity has endured to this day. It was composed in the final 2 months of his life,and it was the first sacred work in the 'galant' style, exemplifying that syle's lean textures and emphasis on melody, to win wide dissemination. The composer Bellini described it as : "divina poema del dolore" (divine poem of suffering).

Of the various settings of the 'Salve Regina' that have been attributed to Pergolesi, only the two heard on this recording are authentic. The text lacks the sombre tone of the'Stabat Mater', yet the music contains many similaritites. Like the 'Stabat Mater' these were composed in the final 2 months of his life.

As to the performance of these works, who could not enjoy them? I definitely do, but must also say that I have another disc that I prefer to this one. It is the 1987 recording with Gillian Fisher as soprano and Michael Chance as countertenor with The Kings Consort conducted by Robert King. Here are my reasons: first and foremost the tempi througout the entire 'Stabat Mater' by and large are much to fast, thus destroying much of the sense of melody and phrasing, not to mention 'muddying' up some of the clarity of the Latin. I blame the conductor for this fault. Barbara Bonney,whose voice I really like, somehow did not come forth with the type of interpretation and implementation that best suits Pergolesi; there was not enough 'joy' in her sound overall. Scholl is so great I hate to even criticize him, but there again the fast tempi did not allow him to make the most of his excellent voice. On the other hand, in the l987 disc with Chance he sang his phrases and had time to taper them properly, bring out the lovely melodies and all with his uniquely smooth resonant tone quality. And Gillian Fisher is superb all the way through.

In the 'Salve Regina' in f minor sung by Scholl I have to say that it was superbly done. To my thinking it's the best thing on the disc. Anyway, if you're shopping around for a first time rendition of the 'Stabat Mater' , there's nothing drastically wrong with this one; my preference is MY preference.
February 20, 2007

DRAMATIC

When I bought this CD, I did so for the voices of soprano, Barbara Bonney and countertenor, Andreas Scholl. Giovanni Pergolesi was really only a name in a music history book. I knew he was Italian and that he lived sometime in the 18th century. I had no idea, for instance, that of all notable composers, his was the shortest life: at 26 he died 9 years younger than Mozart and 5 years younger than Schubert. I also knew some bits and pieces of his most famous work, the opera LA SERVA PADRONA.

I was not at all prepared for the truly astoundingly beautiful, somber, medatative, moving STABAT MATER. This is really wonderful music. The performance here, with period instruments under Christophe Rousset, is first rate. Bonney and Scholl sing beautifully together and in their solos. It is a dramatic performance worth owning. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. July 7, 2002

Shimmering, haunting, profound masterpiece of Baroque pathos

I was not familiar with the works of G.B. Pergolesi until I saw the Québécois film «Jésus de Montréal,» which used a portion of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater (Quando Corpus Morietur) in the film. I am completely devoted to Andreas Scholl's gorgeous voice, and own almost all of his solo recordings and several of his ensemble works. I had previously purchased Scholl's recording of Vivaldi's Stabat Mater and was interested to hear another interpretation of the Stabat Mater by yet another Baroque Italian composer.

Next to Matthäuspassion by Bach, this has become my favourite Baroque religious work. Since purchasing this version of Stabat Mater, I have also bought the June Anderson/Cecilia Bartoli version and the Sara Mingardo/Gemma Bertagnolli version for comparison, but this is still my favourite and will remain so. Andreas Scholl is able to truly convey a sense of passionate melancholy and a adds a touch of the divine to this listening experience. June 2, 2002

Bonney is wonderful -- everything else falls slightly short

Pergolesi's Stabat Mater is truly one of the greatest ever written and these artists are really top-notch. I recommend this CD because Barbara Bonney is really wonderful in it. And Rousset's interpretation is very smooth, layered orchestral textures against the voices. I'm glad I have it. However, against Bonney's strong, pure sound and mostly perfect intonation, the orchestra does sound flaccid at times, and Andreas Scholl's remarkably beautiful voice is unable to mask slightly flat intonation. That can be annoying but otherwise it's a great early instruments recording. June 27, 2001

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