Divine Pergolesi - Oxford Prospect Arts

Pergolesi's Stabat Mater is one of the most celebrated vocal compositions of the eighteenth century. A setting of a devotional text addressed to the Virgin Mary, it is so inspired, so exquisitely melodic and subtly chromatic, that it would move the heart of the most obdurate sceptic. In short it is a masterpiece, and it was given a masterly performance by Charivari Agréable yesterday in Exeter College Chapel, a perfect setting for this small-scale, chamber work.

The well-known Kah-Ming Ng directed the performance and played continuo on the chamber organ, a gentle-voiced and intimate instrument that soothes the soul. The two baroque violinists, Edmund Taylor and Hannah Parry, who played a sonata by Rosenmüller and one by Vivaldi in the first half of the concert, blended their mellifluous tones most satisfyingly, putting us into a receptive mood. The singers, Olwen Turchetta (soprano) and Charlotte Sleet (mezzo-soprano) began by perforing the Salve Regina by Domenico Scarlatti, who is of course better known for his prolific keyboard works.
When it came to the Pergolesi, the violins provided an ideal, expressive background for the soaring voices of the sopranos in the ideal acoustics of the chapel.

The fact that the programme provided the complete Latin text of the poem, with an English translation, enabled the audience to appreciate how perfectly Pergolesi moulded the music to match the words and emotions of each stanza. This was a superb performance of a profound and exalting work, and the audience found it deeply moving.

For more concerts in the series, see the website

https://www.charivari.co.uk/charivari-concerts/early-music-by-candlelight.html

Tickets are also available at the door.

https://www.charivari.co.uk/

https://www.charivari.co.uk/charivari-discography.html