Product Description
Program note.
The greatest challenge of the Stabat Mater text is to figure out how to set twenty stanzas of "pain and suffering" without making it all sound too depressing. So, before I began composing, I looked at a number of scores and recordings of Stabat Mater by various composers: DesPrez, Palestrina, Pergolesi, Boccherini, Vivaldi, Haydn, Dvorak, Rossini, Poulenc, Szymanowski, Penderecki, et al. It was fascinating to see what each composer did with regard to text setting: the variety of musical textures from movement to movement, different approaches to the use of fast or "allegro" music to offset the mood of the text, solo versus choral sections, etc. Each composer took a very personal and creative approach to the task. It was a fascinating study!
After weeks of listening and scrutinizing, I decided to divide the twenty-stanza text into six sections. It is my hope that the end result is formally coherent and emotionally affecting.
I. Lento
Stabat Mater dolorosa
II. Allegro
Cuius animam gementem
O quam tristis et afflicta
Quae moerebat et dolebat
III. Recitativo
Quis est homo qui non fleret
Quis non posset contristari
Pro peccatis suae gentis
Vidit suum dulcem natum
IV. Moderato
Eia Mater, fons amoris
Fac, ut ardeat cor meum
Sancta Mater, istud agas
Tui nati vulnerati
Fac me vere tecum flere
Iuxta cruce tecum stare
Virgo virginum praeclara
Fac, ut portem Christi mortem
V. Prestissimo
Fac me plagis vulnerari
Inflammatus et accensus
Fac me cruce custodiri
VI. Moderato
Quando corpus morietur
Amen.
Audio link. Copy and paste the URL link into your browser.
https://thomasoboelee.bandcamp.com/album/stabat-mater-2002
Video link: https://youtu.be/_ApUlmSb4Ho
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