Bella Madre de' fiori : Work information

Composers
(Pietro) Alessandro (Gaspare) Scarlatti ( Music, Images,)
Performed by
Romana Righetti (Soprano), Societã Cameristica di Lugano, Edwin Loehrer (Conductor)

This work

Work name
Bella Madre de' fiori
Work number
n/a
Key
n/a
Genre
A
Composed
n/a

This recording

Label
Nuova Era
Producer
Edwin Loehrer
Engineer
Hans Müller-Talamona, Lucien Rosset
Recording date
1971-11-01 01:01:00

The Composers

(Pietro) Alessandro (Gaspare) Scarlatti

Father to the more famous Domenico Scarlatti, Alessandro was no less influential in his own lifetime.  Born in Palermo, he moved to Rome in 1672 where he studied with Carissimi.  His first known opera, L'errore innocente, was performed in 1679 under his own supervision.  Royal appointments followed; in 1694 he became maestro for the Viceroy at Naples, and he had close links with the Queen of Sweden.  In 1703 he commenced as assistant maestro at S. Maria Maggiore in Rome, taking full responsibility in 1707.  In 1709 he returned to Naples where he was engaged at the Royal Chapel - a position his son Domenico had previously held.

Like his son, he was extremely prolific; he wrote around 115 operas, of which only one is a comedy.  In addition there exist over 800 cantatas, 12 symphonies and a huge quantity of church music.  It is thought that he wrote over 200 masses.  He left a great influence, and was known as the founder of the "Neapolitan School".

MIDI FILE -Sonata for cello and b.c. No.1 (8'08'')

MIDI FILE - Aria: "Se tu della mia morte" (3'36'')

Track listing

  • Sinfonia 2:48 min
  • Recitativo: Bella madre de' fiori 3:16 min
  • Aria: Tortorella dai flebili accenti 5:32 min
  • Recitativo: Ah Fileno, adorata cagion de\' miei martiri 0:46 min
  • Aria: Vanne, o caro su le sponde 6:02 min
  • Recitativo: Ma folle, e con chi parlo 0:48 min
  • Aria: Aborrita lontananza 2:52 min
  • Largo: Così la bella Clori 2:02 min

Notes

Alessandro Scarlatti is thought to have composed about 600 secular cantatas for 1 or 2 voices with instruments.

Bella Madre de' fiori, is a very long one - it lasts almost 30 minutes. It starts with a Sinfonia in the form of a trio sonata for 2 violins and bc. After that a series of recitatives and arias follow. The violins are more than simple instrumental accompaniment. In some sections they are as important as the solo voice. Very beautiful is the aria "Vanne o caro" which is a dialogue between the voice and the first violin. The cantata doesn't close with an aria, but with a "finale" in the form of an arioso, in which the emotion of the singer reaches its peak. There are some very striking harmonies in this arioso.