About the composer
These Stabat Maters are still sung in the village of Ceriana during the Passion week.
They are sung by the four lay brotherhoods still in existence in this village.
Each brotherhood is related to one of the churches in Ceriana, and they are
recognized by the name of a colour (red, founded in 1340, blue and green,
founded about 1450, and black, the brotherhood of the Good Death, founded in the
19th century). As they were not allowed to play a
role in liturgy, the laudesi sang in processions, certain Holy Week ceremonies and played
a role in passion plays or religious mysteries celebrated on the church square.
However, the style of
singing in Ceriana is much more "civilized" as compared to the Sardinian Stabat Maters. These brotherhoods can also be
found on other islands like Sicily and Corsica. Moreover, in villages throughout the
southern part of Italy polyphonic Stabat Maters are still being sung during processions,
for instance in the area of Naples.
This is not a recording of the performances by the Brotherhoods, but by a choir
from Ceriana.
| Date | 1400 - 1600? |
| Performers | Baritone and male choir |
| Length | 5.28 minutes |
| Particulars | This Stabat Mater dell'oratorio di Santa Marta is sung by the Confraternito dei verdi (Green Brotherhood). The singing is polyphonic, using a baritone as lead voice. |
| Textual variations | Only the stanzas 1, 2 and 20 are performed. |
| Date | 1400 - 1600? |
| Performers | Baritone and male choir |
| Length | 7.16 minutes |
| Particulars | This Stabat Mater dell'oratorio di Santa Caterina is sung by the Confraternito dei rossi (Red Brotherhood). The singing is polyphonic, using a baritone as lead voice. |
| Textual variations | Only the stanzas 1, 2 and 20 are performed. |
| Date | 1400 - 1600? |
| Performers | Bass and male choir |
| Length | 7.58 minutes |
| Particulars | This Stabat Mater della compagnia della misericordia is sung by the Confraternito dei neri (Black Brotherhood). The singing is polyphonic, using a bass as lead voice. |
| Textual variations | Only the stanzas 1 and 20 are performed. |
| Date | 1400 - 1600? |
| Performers | Tenor and male choir |
| Length | 7.39 minutes |
| Particulars | This Stabat Mater dell'oratorio della visitazione is sung by the Confraternito degli azzurrii (Blue Brotherhood). The singing is polyphonic, using a tenor as lead voice. |
| Textual variations | Only the stanzas 1, 2 and 20 are performed. |
Colorbar (Stabat Maters 1+2, 3 and 4)
| CD | Gallo VDE - CD 1018 CDVC 004: Alma, contempla |
| About this CD | This CD is a recording of religious music,
which still can be heard during the Passion Week in the
village of Ceriana. Recorded in 2000. I bought this CD directly from the VDE-GALLO company in Switzerland. |
| Performers | Coro Della Valle - Ceriana |
| Conductor | Angelo Caviglia |
| Soloists | Stefano Soldano and Ilario Embriaco, baritone Domenico Embriaco, bass Enzo Valerga, tenor |
| Other works | 4 x Miserere (from the red, blue, green and
black brotherhoods) 2 hymns (Alma, contempla + Domine Jesu Christe) |
E-mail:
stabatmater@dds.nl