Selva Morale e Spirituale
Encyclopedia
Stattkus-Verzeichnis
The Stattkus-Verzeichnis is a catalogue of the musical compositions of the Italian Baroque composer Claudio Monteverdi. The catalogue was published in 1985 by Manfred H. Stattkus ; a second, new, revised and enlarged edition is due to appear in 2007. A free online version is already accessible....
252-288) is the short title of a collection of sacred music by the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
composer Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist, and singer.Monteverdi's work, often regarded as revolutionary, marked the transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the Baroque period. He developed two individual styles of composition – the...
, published in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
in 1640 and 1641. The title translates to "Moral and Spiritual Forest". The full title is: "Selva / Morale e Spirituale / di Clavdio Monteverde / Maestro di Capella della Serenissima / Republica Di Venetia / Dedicata / alla Sacra Cesarea Maesta dell’ Imperatrice / Eleonora / Gonzaga / Con Licenza de Superiori & Priuilegio. / In Venetia M DC X X X X / Appresso Bartolomeo Magni".
History
Selva morale e spirituale is regarded as Monteverdi's "most significant anthology of liturgical works since the Vespers in 1610". The collection of various works in different instrumentation was published in Venice in 1640 and 1641. While the 1610 publication summarizes Monteverdi's sacred works written for Vincenzo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, Selva morale e spirituale presents works composed at San Marco, Venice, where Monteverdi had served since 1613. The collection was dedicated to Eleonora Gonzaga and published by Bartolomeo Magni. The date in the original title is 1640, but the process of publishing lasted until 1641. The edition is considered Monteverdi's testament of church music, compiled when he was already 74 years old.Content
The collection contains various forms of sacred music, from madrigalsMadrigal (music)
A madrigal is a secular vocal music composition, usually a partsong, of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Traditionally, polyphonic madrigals are unaccompanied; the number of voices varies from two to eight, and most frequently from three to six....
in Italian to a complete Mass
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
, the instrumentation varying between a single voice to eight voices with orchestra. The first three works are morale madrigals on poems in Italian by Francesco Petrarca and Angelo Grillo
Angelo Grillo
Livio Celiano was the pen name of Don Angelo Grillo O.S.B. an Italian early baroque poet whose madrigal texts were set by Monteverdi, Orazio Vecchi, Luca Marenzio, Salamone Rossi and others....
. The Mass, Messa à 4 da capella, is set in stile antico
Stile antico
Stile antico, literally "ancient style", is a term describing music from the sixteenth through the twentieth centuries. It refers to a manner of composition which is historically conscious, as opposed to stile moderno...
(old style) for four voices and basso continuo. It is complemented by a seven-part Gloria
Gloria in Excelsis Deo
"Gloria in excelsis Deo" is the title and beginning of a hymn known also as the Greater Doxology and the Angelic Hymn. The name is often abbreviated to Gloria in Excelsis or simply Gloria.It is an example of the psalmi idiotici "Gloria in excelsis Deo" (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest")...
à 7 in stile concertato, and separate parts of the Credo
Credo
A credo |Latin]] for "I Believe") is a statement of belief, commonly used for religious belief, such as the Apostles' Creed. The term especially refers to the use of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed in the Mass, either as text, Gregorian chant, or other musical settings of the...
, such as Crucifixus, Et resurrexit and Et iterum. A prominent feature of the anthology is psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
compositions, especially the ones used regularly for a vespers
Vespers
Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Western Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran liturgies of the canonical hours...
service such as Dixit Dominus (Psalm 110 in Hebrew numbering, Psalm 109 in Vulgate numbering), Confitebor tibi Domine (Psalm 111), Beatus Vir (Psalm 112), Laudate pueri Dominum (Psalm 113) and Laudate Dominum
Laudate Dominum
Laudate Dominum are the opening words of Psalm 116 or 117 in Latin. As with the other Psalms, "Laudate Dominum" is concluded with a trinitarian doxology when used in Roman rite...
(Psalm 117), most of them in various settings. The collection also contains Marian hymns such as the Magnificat
Magnificat
The Magnificat — also known as the Song of Mary or the Canticle of Mary — is a canticle frequently sung liturgically in Christian church services. It is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymns and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn...
in two versions and three settings of Salve Regina
Salve Regina
The "Salve Regina", also known as the Hail Holy Queen, is a Marian hymn and one of four Marian antiphons sung at different seasons within the Christian liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. The Salve Regina is traditionally sung at Compline in the time from the Saturday before Trinity...
. The last section contains motet
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
s for a single voice.
Table of content
Following is the original table of content in ItalianItalian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
:
A
- O Ciechi il tanto affaticar Madrigale morale à 5 voci & due violini
- Voi ch'ascoltate Madrigale morale à 5 voci & due violini
- E questa vita un lampo à 5 voci
- Spontava il di Canzonetta morale a 3 voci
- Chi vol che m'innamori Canzonetta morale a 3 con due violini
- Messa à 4 da capella
- Gloria à 7 voci concertata con due violini & quattro viole da brazzo
- overo 4 Tromboni quali anco si ponno lasciare se occoresce l'acidente
- Crucifixus à quattro voci. Basso Tenore Quinto & Alto
- Et resurrexit à due Soprani o Tenori con due violini
- Et iterum à 3 voci. Basso & due Contralti Concertato con quatro Tron-
- boni o viole da brazzo quali si ponno anco lasciare il qual Crucifixus servirà per variatione
- della Messa a quattro pigliando questo in loco di quello notato tra li due segni
B
- Motetto à Voce sola in Basso Ab æterno ordinata sum
- Dixit Primo à 8 voci concertato con due violini & quattro viole on Tron-
- boni quali se portasse l'accidente anco si ponno lasciare
- Dixit secondo à 8 voci concertato co gli stessi istromenti del primo &
- nel medesimo modo
- Confitebor Primo à 3 voci con 5 altre voce ne repleni
- Confitebor Secondo à 3 voci concertato con due violini
- Confitebor Terzo alla francese à 5 voci quali si può concertare se piacerà
- con quattro viole da brazzo lasciando la parte del soprano alla voce sola
- Beatus primo à 6 voci concertato con due violini & 3 viole da brazzo ove-
- ro 3 Tromboni quali anco si ponno lasciare
- Beatus Secondo a 5 voci qual si pou cantare ridoppiato & forte o come piacerà
- Laudate pueri Primo à 5 concertato con due violini
- Laudate Pueri Secondo à 5 voci
- Laudate dominum omnes gentes Primo à 5 voci concertato con due violi-
- ni & un choro a quattro voci qual potrasi e cantare e sonare co quattro vio-
- le o Tromboni & anco lasciare se acadesse il bisogno
- Laudate Dominum Secondo à 8 voci & due violini
- Laudate Dominum Terzo à 8 voci
- Credidi à 8 voci da Capella
- Memento à 8 voci da Capella
- Sanctorum meritis Primo à voce sola & due violini sopra alla qual aria si
- potranno cantare anco altri Hinni pero che sijno dello stesso Metro
- Sanctorum meritis secondo à voce sola concertato con due violini sopra
- a la qual aria si puo cantare anco altri Hinni dello stesso Metro
- Iste Confessor voce sola & due violini sopra alla qual Aria si puo cantare
- parimente Ut queant laxis die S. Gio. Batt. & simili
- Deus tourum militum Hinno con doi violini
- Magnificat Primo à 3 voci & due violini & quattro viole overo quatro
- Tronboni quali in acidente si ponno lasciare
- Magnificat Secondo à quatro voci in genere da Capella
- Salve regina con dentro un Ecco voce sola risposta d'ecco & due violini
- Salve Regina à 2 voci due Tenori o due soprani
- Salve Regina à 3 voci Alto Basso & Tenore o Soprano
Motetti A Voce Sola
- Iubilate à voce Sola in Dialogo
- Laudate Dominum voce sola Soprano o Tenore
- Pianto Della Madonna sopra al Lamento del'Arianna
Recordings
Selva morale e spirituale is a collection of individual works, not intended to be performed in that order. An early recording of the complete collection was performed by the Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne, conducted by Michel Corboz, in 1965 to 1967. Several movements have been grouped to form vespers serviceVespers
Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Western Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran liturgies of the canonical hours...
s. A vespers sequence was recorded in 1992 by Musica Fiata Köln, including Dixit Dominus II, Confitebor I, Beatus vir I, Laudate pueri I, Laudate Dominum III, Magnificat I and Salve Regina. The vocal movements were combined with instrumental works of Giovanni Picchi
Giovanni Picchi
Giovanni Picchi was an Italian composer, organist, lutenist, and harpsichordist of the early Baroque era. He was a late follower of the Venetian School, and was influential in the development and differentiation of instrumental forms which were just beginning to appear, such as the sonata and the...
from his Canzoni da sonar (1625). A first complete recording of all works was recorded in 2001 by Cantus Cölln. A 2003 recording of the Ensemble Vocal Akadèmia combined movements to Masses and Vespers. In a similar approach, the ensemble La Venexiana provided in 2008 two Vespers and a Mass, trying to recreate the solemn Mass, which celebrated the cessation of the plague in Venice on 21 November 1631.
- Michel CorbozMichel CorbozMichel Corboz is a Swiss conductor.Corboz was born in Marsens, Switzerland and educated in his native canton of Fribourg. He founded the Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne, with which he has recorded and toured extensively...
, Ensemble Vocal et Instrumental de Lausanne, EratoEratoIn Greek mythology, Erato is one of the Greek Muses. The name would mean "desired" or "lovely", if derived from the same root as Eros, as Apollonius of Rhodes playfully suggested in the invocation to Erato that begins Book III of his Argonautica....
1965–87, reissued 6 CDs 2009 - Monteverdi: Selva Morale e Spirituale (excerpts), La Capella Ducale / Musica Fiata Köln, Roland WilsonRoland Wilson (conductor)Roland Wilson is an American cornet player, and conductor based in Germany.Roland Wilson originally studied trumpet at the Royal College of Music, London, then specializing in the baroque cornet...
1992 - Konrad JunghänelKonrad JunghänelKonrad Junghänel is a German conductor and lutenist. He has given numerous solo concerts all around the world and has also worked with ensembles such as Les Arts Florissants and others....
, Cantus Cölln, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, 2001 - Françoise Lasserre, Ensemble Vocal Akadèmia, ZigZag Territoires, 2003
- Gabriel GarridoGabriel GarridoGabriel Garrido is an Argentinian conductor specialising in the recovery of the baroque musical heritage of Latin America.Garrido was born in Buenos Aires, and at the age of 17 Argentine recorder quartet, Pro Arte, undertaking two tours in Europe...
, Ensemble ElymaEnsemble ElymaEnsemble Elyma is an early music ensemble specialising in the baroque musical heritage of Latin America, led by Gabriel Garrido.-Selected discography:See...
, Ambronay CD, 2005 - Claudio Cavina, La Venexiana, 3 CDs, Glossa GCD 920915, 2008
- Monteverdi: Selva Morale E Spirituale, The SixteenThe SixteenThe Sixteen are a choir and period instrument orchestra; founded by Harry Christophers in 1979.The group's special reputation for performing early English polyphony, masterpieces of the Renaissance, bringing fresh insights into Baroque and early Classical music and a diversity of 20th century...
, Harry ChristophersHarry ChristophersHarry Christophers is an English conductor. He attended the King's School, Canterbury and was a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral under choirmaster Allan Wicks and played clarinet in the school orchestra alongside Andrew Marriner...
, 2010
Missa in F
The Mass for four voices in stile antico has been published as Missa in F. Its duration is given as 13 minutes.Gloria à 7
The Gloria for seven voices, two violins and basso continuo has been published as Gloria à 7. Its duration is given as 8 minutes.Magnificat I
The first Magnificat for four voices in stile antico has been published as Magnificat primo tuono à 4 voci. Its duration is given as 8 minutes.Magnificat II
The second Magnificat for four eight voices and instruments has been published as Magnificat a 8 voci con 6 vel 10 istromenti. It is set for double choir, two violins, four trombones, four viole da gamba (alternative combinations: 3 vga and 1 cello, or 2 and 2) and basso continuo. Its duration is given as 13 minutes.Literature
- Denis ArnoldDenis ArnoldDenis Midgley Arnold, CBE was a British musicologist. After being employed in the extramural department of The Queen's University, Belfast, he became a Lecturer in Music at the University of Hull, and from 1969 to 1975 was Professor of Music at The University of Nottingham...
: Monteverdi. revised by Tim CarterTim Carter (musicologist)Tim Carter is an Australian musicologist with a special focus on late Renaissance music and Italian Baroque music. An active member of the field of musicology, Carter is presently a department chair at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he holds the position of David G. Frey...
. London: Dent 1990 (The Master musician series) - Claudio Monteverdi. in: The New Grove Dictionary of Music and MusiciansGrove Dictionary of Music and MusiciansThe New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart, it is the largest single reference work on Western music. The dictionary has gone through several editions since the 19th century...
. Hg. Stanley SadieStanley SadieStanley Sadie CBE was a leading British musicologist, music critic, and editor. He was editor of the sixth edition of the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians , which was published as the first edition of the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.Sadie was educated at St Paul's School,...
. Bd. 12. London: Macmillan 1980
External links
- Free Scores on ChoralWiki (GNU)