Sydney Philharmonia Choirs - Italian Opera Arias and Rossini Stabat Mater

Choral Singing / Music from Italian Masters

Rossini Stabat Mater and Opera Highlights from Italian Masters

Dates:
   Saturday, 6 May 2017, 8 pm
   Sunday, 7 May 2017, 2 pm
   Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House




Reviews:

Rossini Stabat Mater (Sydney Philharmonia Choirs), by Clive Paget. LimelightMagazine.Com. May 7, 2017.

The Passion and Powers of Italian Prayers. www.garjones.com. May 7, 2017. 

Experience the celestial power of the voice. Soloists and choir perform highlights from the operas of the Italian masters which find characters addressing heaven, from Moses leading his people in prayer to a glorious Easter Hymn in an Italian village.

When masters of the stage compose sacred music, they create work as powerfully dramatic as any opera.  Gioachino Rossini, best known as a composer of brilliant comedy and moving tragedy, also wrote a handful of choral masterpieces after his early retirement from the theatre.  Like his operas, they celebrate the beauty of the human voice, none more so than his Stabat Mater.

This medieval poem describing Mary’s contemplation of her son on the cross is a vividly drawn drama in its own right and it has elicited profound musical responses from composers for centuries. Rossini sets the words with exquisite sensitivity to emotion and mood in the manner of his grandest operas, including virtuoso solos and ensembles and overwhelming choruses, sweeping listeners up in a gripping, living narrative.

Unfortunately, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs don't have a video recording of Stabat Mater that I can share; in place, I've included this performance of  Gioachino Rossini's Stabat Mater performed by hr-Sinfonieorchester (Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra) ∙ Solisten ∙ MDR Rundfunkchor ∙ Andrés Orozco-Estrada. With soloists Marina Rebeka, Sopran ∙ Marina Comparato, Mezzosopran ∙ Michele Angelini, Tenor ∙ Marco Spotti, Bass ∙ MDR Rundfunkchor ∙ Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Dirigent ∙ Rheingau Musik Festival 2015∙ YouTube, uploaded by FRankfurt Radio Symphony. Accessed April 30, 2021. 

Wolfgang A. Mozart Piano Sonatas

Classical Music / Piano Sonatas

 

Over his short life, Mozart composed 18 numbered piano sonatas, sonatas for four hands, 36 violin sonatas, and 17 Church Sonatas, as well as trio sonatas for chamber instruments.

Mozart’s piano sonatas date from 1773 until 1788, with his style maturing at a truly remarkable rate. The earliest sonatas are very much in the galant style of W.F and CPE Bach, and in places Scarlatti’s influence can be detected. The late sonatas, such as K457, are full of surprises, with 'Papa' Haydn's influence to the fore. The years from 1773 to the late 80s saw the rapid development of the piano from a novelty and experimental instrument, to the stage where its power and range provided composers with a palate of colours and expression. Mozart exploited the new instruments to maximum effect in his concertos and his sonatas.

Below is Wolfgang A. Mozart's Complete Piano Sonatas / Piano Pieces - Youtube. Sorry, it's an unknown recording.




Please refer to videos below for other Mozart Sonatas links.