Scarlatti: Sedecia, Re Di Gerusalemme

Alessandro Scarlatti (Composer), Gerard Lesne (Conductor, Performer), Il Seminario musicale (Orchestra), Philippe Jaroussky (Performer), Virginie Pochon (Performer), Mark Padmore (Performer), Peter Harvey (Performer), Patrick Cohen-Akenin Blandine Rannou (Performer), Pascal Monteilhet / Bruno Cocset (Performer), Patrick Cohen-Akenin (Artist), Blandine Rannou, Richard Myron Bruno Cocset (Artist), Pascal Monteilhet (Artist), Fabrizio Cipriani (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Gerard Lesne, Philippe Jaroussky, Virginie Pochon, Mark Padmore, Peter Harvey, et al.
• Orchestra: Il Seminario musicale
• Conductor: Gerard Lesne
• Composer: Alessandro Scarlatti
• Audio CD (November 13, 2001)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Virgin Veritas (Angel Records)
• ASIN: B00005AFRB
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #304,520 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Prima Parte: Sinf - Il Seminario Musicale/Gerard Lesne

2. Prima Parte: Recitativo: Gia Il Possente Monarca - Mark Padmore

3. Prima Parte. Aria: Le Corone Ad Un Regnante - Mark Padmore

4. Prima Parte. Recitativo: O Qual Strano Timore - Gerard Lesne

5. Prima Parte. Aria: Si, Che Il Barbaro Tiranno - Gerard Lesne

6. Prima Parte. Recitativo: Tanto Sperar Degg'io - Mark Padmore/Gerard Lesne/Philippe Jaroussky

7. Prima Parte. Aria: Del Mio Cor Nel Piu Segreto - Philippe Jaroussky

8. Prima Parte. Recitativo: Valoroso Consorte - Virginie Pochon

9. Prima Parte. Aria: Se Il Generoso Cor - Virginie Pochon

10. Prima Parte. Recitativo: Nei Cimenti L'uom Saggio - Gerard Lesne/Virginie Pochon

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Seconda Parte. Aria: Denso Stuol Dei Miei Pensieri - Virginie Pochon

2. Seconda Parte. Recitativo: Ma Qual Nuovo Fragore - Virginie Pochon/Philippe Jaroussky

3. Seconda Parte. Aria: Doppio Affetto - Philippe Jaroussky

4. Seconda Parte. Recitativo: Figlio, Consorte - Gerard Lesne

5. Seconda Parte. Aria: Copri, O Sol, L'aurato Manto - Gerard Lesne

6. Seconda Parte. Recitativo: Tolga, Benigno Fato - Virginie Pochon

7. Seconda Parte. Aria: Nelle Tue Cure Estreme - Virginie Pochon

8. Seconda Parte. Recitativo: Ah, Troppo E Il Ciel - Gerard Lesne

9. Seconda Parte. Aria: Per Punire Il Mio Pubblico Errore - Gerard Lesne

10. Seconda Parte. Recitativo: Ma Nadabbe Dov'e - Gerard Lesne/Virginie Pochon

See all 29 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

From International Record Review - subscribe now

In his ground-breaking 1905 biography of Alessandro Scarlatti, Edward Dent pronounced the oratorio Sedecia, re di Gerusalemme a tedious work, and was quite at a loss to explain its contemporary popularity. Dent's damning judgement has dogged the piece ever since, and despite a flurry of interest in the 1960s it has taken until now for it to be revived in its entirety. Il Seminario Musicale first tested the water with performances at the Ambronay and Royaumont Festivals in the summer of 1999: encouraged by the results, they lost no time in taking Sedecia into the studio. This première recording proves Dent's judgement seriously flawed, though if he'd heard it he would surely have come to very different conclusions. Sedecia may not be quite the masterpiece the booklet note writer (and editor of the score) claims, but it is a dramatically compelling work, at least the equal of the magnificent Il primo omicidio, so successfully revived by Rene Jacobs and Harmonia Mundi in 1998. As a genre, Scarlatti's oratorios fared rather poorly in the early-music revival of the last century. Although we can confidently attribute around 30 works to him – making him the most significant composer between Carissimi and Handel – only five scores have so far been published. This new recording is clearly an important event and it is satisfying to be able to recommend it unreservedly. Unlike Handel's English oratorios, Sedecia was written for performance in a religious setting, probably at the Oratorio dei Filippini in Rome around 1706. It's a good 45 minutes shorter than Il primo omicidio (1707), but no less substantial as a drama. Limiting himself to just five main characters, the librettist tells the tragic tale of Zedekiah, the last King of Jerusalem, who set his face against God's will and therefore suffered the death of his sons and his own blindness at the hands of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. Divided into two halves, the first is full of bravura and battle (the War of the Spanish Succession briefly threatened Rome at this time); the second part is more thoughtful, moving inexorably towards its heart-rending conclusion. With a plot which is more political than religious, and some exceptionally vivid characters, Sedecia feels much more like opera than oratorio, an impression reflected by the scorching, larger-than-life performances of the soloists. Gerard Lesne excels as Sedecia, making so much of his swaggering opening aria that you feel it belongs in one of those 'favourite Baroque aria' collections. His son, Ismaele, is skilfully sung by the sensational treble ('sopraniste') Philippe Jaroussky, and Peter Harvey is rich and powerful as the King of Babylon. Scarlatti's inspiration was running high when he penned this score: I was particularly struck by the gorgeous, ever-so-subtle accompaniments reflecting the emerging Roman concerto grosso. Full texts and translations, enthusiastic booklet notes and a pleasingly close and detailed recording complete the picture. Captivating. Simon Heighes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Baroque indulgence, August 13, 2004

By 

S Duncan "sfedlandd" (London) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scarlatti: Sedecia, Re Di Gerusalemme (Audio CD)

I'm inclined to believe that the instrumentation from Il Seminario Musicale is necessarily divine and thus a given, but I shy away from such absolutes. What is true, however, is that the conducting, playing and choice of instruments are demonstration class. I defer to the informed Editorial review on more technical matters concerning periodic style and but can definitely concur that this is a baroque indulgence; such imaginative and varied accompaniment.

The singers are uniformly excellent with the exception of one; and that's because he is phenomenal! I'm referring to Philippe Jaroussky whose voice is peerless among men. It is no exaggeration or even a superlative to say that his soprano puts MANY sopranos to shame. I have heard many women sing even female baroque roles with far less accuracy, control, skill and sheer beauty. His voice is cast as `sopraniste' rather than `alto' or `contretenore' and rightfully so! `Del mio cor nel piu segreto' will melt your heart. You will be fascinated, and that's a promise.

The rest, as I said, are excellent. Gerard Lesne had proven his virtuosity with the Stradella/Caldara Medea/Motets recording. Here, I expected no less: warm voiced and secure, though lacking a little of the brilliance of his more youthful voice. His direction of Il Seminario further attests to his musical brilliance. Virinie Pochon, a soprano that I was not previously familiar with, has a beautiful voice that is less `airy' than the norm. That, I suppose, adds to the more operatic feel of this oratorio. Who could ask for a more expressive and pure-voiced tenor than Mark Padmore? Very much the concerned Nadabbe. Peter Harvey's Nabucco is without criticism: firm, imposing (without the `barking' menace) and virile.

A real pleaser without too much generalisation.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a voice teacher and early music fan, April 27, 2006

By 

George Peabody "Ariel" (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Scarlatti: Sedecia, Re Di Gerusalemme (Audio CD)

'BLUE RIBBON' SINGERS RECREATE A DELIGHTFULLY EXCITING SCARLATTI.
Alessandro Scarlatti composed over 30 oratorios yet only 5 have been published and they are the most significant compositions of the genre
between Carissimi and Handel. And because only five have been published, we have an incomplete picture of Scarlatti as the Oratorio composer. With this present premier recording of 'Sedecia.....' we are hearing Scarlatti's most significant oratorio on a biblical theme.

This oratorio tells of the last King of Judaea and his punishment by Nebuchadnezzar. There are 5 main characters in this work: Sedecia(alto-Gerard Lesne);Anna (soprano-Virginia Pochon);Ismale(sopraniste-Philippe Jaroussky); Nabucco(bass-Peter Harvey); Nadabbe(tenor-Mark Padmore). All of these singers have excellent voices. But what really impressed me the most was how very skilled they were in projecting their characters. I was especially surprised at Lesne's ability to do so. I've always enjoyed his singing, but have felt that his sense of drama was not always profound. But this role was absolutely wonderfully done; his voice was outstanding in every way.

One has to mention Jaroussky: his versatility and skill cannot be denied. His aria "Il nitrito dei fieri cavalli" in which he goes one on one with a trumpet at breakneck speed into the stratisphere is phenominal! And one of my favorite tenors Mark Padmore with his warm lush tone quality also is in top form. Peter Harvey creates a very convincing and frightening Nabucco. This is a marvelous listening experience.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent!, February 3, 2007

By 

Christian V. Pampinella "musician" (Bloomington, IN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scarlatti: Sedecia, Re Di Gerusalemme (Audio CD)

I just had to agree with the other two reviewers. This is an outstanding performance. Not to detract from Jacobs' recent Scarlatti recordings, because I am a huge fan and they are also very good, but it is a shame to see one so fine as this (it surpasses Jacobs' recorded performances in my opinion, and the score itself may be superior) leave the catalog and possibly fall into obscurity because of EMI/Virgin's flaky distribution. If you are a fan of dramatic baroque vocal music don't hesitate to snatch this out-of-print title as soon as you come across it.