Zelenka: Responsoria pro Hebdomada Sancta (2 CD Set)

Jan Dismas Zelenka (Composer), Ludwig Gossner (Conductor), Capella Montata (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Capella Montata
• Conductor: Ludwig Gossner
• Composer: Jan Dismas Zelenka
• Audio CD (June 27, 2000)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: MD&G Records
• ASIN: B00004SWMA
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #622,134 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Good performances of Zelenka's responsories, January 7, 2012

By 

G.C. (St. Louis, MO, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zelenka: Responsoria pro Hebdomada Sancta (2 CD Set) (Audio CD)

The music on this CD dates from 1723, as Zelenka wrote settings of all 27 responsories which the Roman liturgy prescribed for the Matins services. They fall into 3 subcategories, "Feria V", "Feria VI" and "Sabbato Sancto". In general, the music is fairly severe in spirit, which is fitting given the serious Biblical subject matter, although there is the occasional more "sprightly" movement in texture and tone. All of the performances are solid and dedicated, from the Germany-based ensemble Capella Montana.

In the booklet for this set, the original Latin texts and German translations are given, but no other translations. Thus, for English-speakers, you'll need to have a Bible on hand for the texts, but also an understanding of German or Latin abbreviations for the various books in the Bible from which various lines are taken. Some are obvious, e.g. "Mt" for Matthew, "Lk" for Luke, and "Ps" for Psalms. However, "Jes" in "Ecce, vidimus eum" (CD 1, track 3) evidently refers to a passage from Isaiah, but in "Sicut ovis" (CD 2, track 10), the abbreviation is "Is", yet the text there also appears to be taken from Isaiah. In other words, there is potential confusion where the same book of the Old Testament from which the respective passages were taken has 2 different abbreviations. Likewise, for a non-German speaker, it will not be immediately obvious that the abbreviation "Klgl" refers to Lamentations.

Overall, if you have a taste for Baroque sacred music, and want to explore beyond Bach, this is worth a hearing.