I have not listened to Pergolesi’s masterpiece in quite some time, so I was grateful for an opportunity to hear this new performance. Before hearing it, I would have listed Alessandrini’s dramatic reading on Naïve as my primary recommendation, but this new reading proved even more emotionally persuasive.
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Alessandrini is fiercely dramatic, treating the music as if it were a multi-movement madrigal. Tempos tend toward extremes, likely intended to create a greater variety of atmospheres and moods, and to give his singers greater opportunity for virtuosic singing. Yet it ultimately dilutes the collective emotional weight of the text, which describes a mother’s unchanging, heavy grief that is inconsolable – what is very much felt in this new performance.
Engeltjes and Patchornik are a well-matched pair, their intonation (in both solos and duets) consistently excellent. More importantly, their interpretation is always at the service of the text. The opening movement’s ominous tread, perfectly weighted by Prjct Amsterdam, creates an atmosphere of grief and fragility, which is only heightened when the voices enter. Patchornik displays wonderful control of the many trills in the second movement, even as the string’s accented quarter vividly paints the sword stabbing the mother’s heart. The chromatic dialogue between the voices and violins in “O quam tristis” (track 3) is grief stricken without ever veering into maudlin sentimentality.
Enjeltjes really comes into his own in the sixth movement, “Vidit suum.” The text is an invitation, or challenge to the listener to fully empathize with Mary’s pain. Enjeltjes’ phrasing and technique are excellent, but I was particularly taken with the gradual intensification of the line (especially around 1’55”), as if he knows we are uncomfortable with Mary’s grief and need encouragement to continue. His singing, and the playing of Prjct Amsterdam get to the heart of the message. And while I love the purity of Lezhneva’s voice in the Jaroussky/Fasolis reading (Erato), Patchornik’s richer timbre draws us into the story in a more immediate way, making us feel the emotional weight of a mother watching her beloved adult son die at the hands of his oppressors. In short, this is a reading where all the technical excellence points us to the music’s spiritual and emotional core.
Engeltjes’ reading of Vivaldi’s ״Nisi Dominus״ is a well-chosen disc-mate, as listeners will surely ready for its predominantly happy mood. Engeltjes’ performance is brisk when compared to James Bowman with the Academy of Ancient Music and Christopher Hogwood (Decca). Hogwood’s reading is heavier, and the phrasing is four-square. Engeltjes sets faster tempos, making his reading more overtly showy, which feels closer to Vivaldi’s intentions. Just sample the melismatic runs in the first movement, which Engeltje makes sound deceptively easy. Bowman, by comparison, seems cautious, which weakens the sense of joy the music is meant to convey.
Philippe Jaroussky’s reading with Ensemble Matheus and Jean-Christophe Spinosi embraces speeds similar to Engeltjes, but at times his tone, at least as caught by the Naïve engineers, becomes overly bright. Once again, Engeltjes and his players find the emotional hub of the slow ‘Cum dederit delectis’ movement. Listen to how beautifully he spins the line, with evenness of tone across the range, as the strings decorate with a countermelody of delicate filigree.
Pentatone’s recording is exemplary: clear and warm, voices and instruments beautifully balanced in an intimate acoustic. Engeltjes’ liner notes do not really discuss the music itself, but rather focuses on its spiritual and emotional meaning. This is Prjct Amsterdam’s first release on the Pentatone label – hopefully, we will hear more from them soon – recommended.
Image: ©️ Hans Van Der Woerd
Pergolesi – Stabat Mater, Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus
Recommended Comparisons
Fasolis (Pergolesi) | Hogwood (Pergolesi) | Fasolis (Vivaldi) | Hogwood (Vivaldi)
Check offerings of this PRJCT Amsterdam album on Amazon.
| Album Details | |
|---|---|
| Album name | Pergolesi – Stabat Mater, Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus |
| Artist | Shira Patchornik – Soprano |
| Artist | Maarten Engeltjes – Countertenor, Conductor |
| Artist | Prjct Amsterdam |
| Catalogue No. | PTC5187053 |
| Label: | Pentatone |
| Work | Pergolesi – Stabat Mater |
| Work | Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus |
| Amazon link | Buy here |
| Apple Music link | Stream here |
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