About the composer
Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874) was born in Mainz, Germany. He as a man of many talents,
composer, violinist, poet, actor and a linguistic genius, but filled with indecision and
not able to devote himself to one profession. He was a friend and admirer of Liszt, Wagner
and Berlioz. His music did not meet with much success during his lifetime, even though
Liszt himself conducted his first opera Der Barbier von Bagdad. After a festival
devoted to his work, organized in Weimar in 1905, especially his operas became very
popular. He wrote beautiful songs (in which he used poems of his own!), which are still
sung today, in particular his Weihnachtslieder. His church music is regarded as his
best work.
| Date | 1849 |
| Performers | Soprano, alto, tenor, bass, choir and orchestra |
| Length | 43.27 minutes |
| Particulars | The work is divided into 10 sections, in accordance with the structure of the poem. Its originality is without doubt: The duo for soprano and bass is accompanied by a solo cello, there are three a cappella choruses which bring back the polyphony of the Renaissance and a brilliant fugue by choir and soloists. Cornelius is one of the composers who omits the final "Amen". |
| Textual variations |
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| CD | Harmonia Mundi HMA 1905206: Peter Cornelius, Stabat Mater *Requiem |
| About this CD | The two major sacred works of Cornelius Recorded at the Théâtre de la Colonne, Miramas (Bouches-du-Rhône) in March 1989 I bought this CD in a record shop in the Netherlands, 1997 |
| Orchestra | Orchestre Régional de Cannes-Provence-Alpes |
| Choir | Choeur Régional de Cannes-Provence-Alpes |
| Conductor | Michel Piquemal |
| Soloists | Danielle Borst, soprano Jacqueline Majeur, alto Jean-Luc Viala, tenor Frédéric Vassar, bass |
| Other works | Peter Cornelius: Requiem |
E-mail:
stabatmater@dds.nl