About the composer
José de Nebra was born in Calatayud, Zaragoza, in Spain in 1702. At the age of
sixteen he started his career as an organist, from 1724 at the Capilla Real in
Madrid. In 1749 he became the main organist and in 1751 its vicemaestro.
He lived under the reign of three emperors, so he had to adept to musical tastes
and wishes of all of them. Starting to compose around the age of 30, he at first
composed mainly works for the theatre, but the last 20 years of his life were
dedicated almost completely to sacred works. In his last years he was charged
with the education of the infante don Gabriel, so he had to write pieces
for keyboard with which the prince could study, and his output in sacred works
was reduced. He died in 1768.
| Date | 1752 |
| Performers | 2 Sopranos, Alto, Tenor and Orchestra |
| Length | 11.59 minutes |
| Particulars | The work is not really divided into different sections, but part of the stanzas are sung by the soloists together, wile others are given to single voices. The music does not feel deeply tragic, I would say rather optimistic, culminating in the final Amen - a fugue - as can be heard in many Stabat Mater compositions. |
| Textual variations | The "Analecta"-version of the text is used,
with some minor variations: - Stanza 5, line 2: Not "Christi Matrem" but "Piam Matrem" - Stanza 16, line 2: Not "Passionis eius sortem" but "Passionis fac consortem" |
| CD | Clara Vox Ref 5.1846: José de Nebra, Stabat Mater |
| About this CD | The CD seems to be sponsored by the city of
Madrid, but it was recorded in Belgium in 2005, at the Kapel van het
Bijbelklooster in Gent. It was given to me by my good friend Federico Gómez Figueroa. |
| Orchestra | Capilla Principe de Viana |
| Conductor | Angel Recasens |
| Soloists | Greta de Reyghere and Katelijne van Laethem, sopranos Petra Noskaiová, alto Philip Defranck, tenor |
| Other works | Responsorio "Beate viscera" Lamentación II de Miércoles Santo Lamentación II de Viernes Santo Motete "Circumdederunt me" Himno de San Juan Himno a San Pedro Salmo 110 "Dixit Dominus" Salmo 117 "Laudate Dominum" Salmo 139 "Domine probasti me" |
| Added | 2005 (NEB 01) |
E-mail:
stabatmater@dds.nl