About the composer
Girolamo Abos was born on the island of Malta in 1715. Still very young, he was sent to
Naples to study and he never returned to his birthplace. He started his career
in 1742 by composing opera buffo for the Teatro Nuovo. From 1754 he was a teacher at the
S.Maria della Pietà dei Turchini, where he had Paisiello under his students. For all purposes, Abos can be regarded as an Italian composer. He was well known in
Europe, where he traveled quite a lot. In London he was musical director of the Italian
Theatre for some years. Abos composed many operas and sacred works. He died in 1760.
| Date | 1750 |
| Performers | 2 Sopranos, Alto and Orchestra |
| Length | 30.41 minutes (CD 1) and 23.17 (CD 2) |
| Particulars | The work is divided into six sections, with the final Amen -
a fugue - as a separate section. The first stanza reminds me strongly of Pergolesi, even
if it is quite different. It is fine music, clearly influenced by his work on operas.
What surprises me is the difference in tempo between the two performances. |
| Textual variations | The "Analecta"-version of the text is used, but
with some variations, especially in CD 1. - Stanza 4, line 2: Not "Et tremebat cum videbat" but "Pia Mater dum videbat" - Stanza 5, line 2: Not "Christi Matrem" but "Matrem Christi" - Stanza 16, line 2: Not "Passionis eius sortem" but "Passionis fac consortem" - Stanza 17, line 3: Not "Ob amorem Filii" but "Et cruore Filii" - Stanza 18, line 1: Not "Inflammatus et accensus" but "Flammis ne urrar succensus" In CD 2 follows the Analecta much closer, and only deviates in the stanzas 4 and 16. |
| CD 1 | The High Baroque - Composers from Malta (2 CD's) |
| About this CD | The CD has no number, as it is not from a commercial company.
It seems to be part (Volume 3) of a series of CD's, made for a Foundation to conserve the
Maltese culture: Fondazzjoni Mermorja Kulturali Nazzjonali. It was recorded at the St.George's Basilica in Victoria Gozo, Malta, February - June 2002. I received the CD as a present from Doris Caruana of Malta. |
| Orchestra | Baroque Ensemble |
| Conductor | Joseph Vella |
| Soloists | Miriam Cauchi and Claire Debono, sopranos Claire Massa, alto |
| Other works | Pietro Gristi: Beatus vir + Missa di Gloria + Nisi Dominus Mikielang Vella: Salve sancta parens Girolamo Abos: 4 opera arias (Pensa ben mio + Pensa a serbarmi + Belle luci ch'accendete + No, non mi so risovere) |
| CD 2 | Cypres Records CYP1639: Stabat Mater - Abos - Tartini - Gasparini |
| About this CD | The CD contains three Stabat Mater compositions
from about 1760, which have in common that the almost the same soloist
voices have been used. It was recorded at the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, December 2002. |
| Orchestra | Stradivarius |
| Conductor | Daniel Cuiller |
| Soloists | Isabelle Poulenard and Isabelle Desrochers, sopranos Martin Oro, countertenor |
| Other works | Giuseppe Tartini: Stabat Mater Quirino Gasparini: Stabat Mater |
E-mail:
stabatmater@dds.nl