About the composer
Krzysztof Penderecki was born in Debica, Poland, in 1933. He is a composer whose merits
are being judged rather variably. His "Stabat Mater for three mixed a cappella
choruses" is regarded as the beginning of a period in which Penderecki abandons the
avant-garde movement and attempts to develop a certain link between the modern and the
traditional: the twelve note thinking, new sonoristic techniques and at the same time,
polyphony which dates back to the Renaissance. He wished to refer to the great tradition
of sacred music: Gregorian chant, Palestrina's music and the works of Bach. Yet, he
introduces a new perspective in sacred music: the central point of reference is no longer
God, but man. It is his individual experiences and emotions that cause the dramatic
tension. The Stabat Mater was some years later used by him as part of a Lukas Passion.
| Date | 1962 |
| Performers | 3 mixed Choirs |
| Length | 8.31 minutes |
| Particulars | The Stabat Mater is based on six selected stanzas. The melodic line of the central theme hovers around the main note in a typically slow manner. The sequence develops in several phases reaching its climax in the dramatic, repeated plaintive cry "Christe". Afterwards, the early prayerful, litany-like motifs return and lead to the closure on the words "Paradisi gloria" with a powerful, clear sound of the D major triad, which carries a symbolic message of hope. |
| Textual variations | Only the stanzas 1, 5, 9, 10, 19 and 20 of the "Vatican"-version are used. |
| CD 1 | Finlandia 4509-98999-2, Penderecki, Complete sacred works for chorus a cappella |
| About this CD | Recorded at the Olari Church, Espoo, Finland, in 1993. I bought this CD in a record shop in the Netherlands, 1997 |
| Choir | Tapiola Chamber Choir |
| Conductor | Juha Kuivanen |
| Other works | Miserere In pulverem mortis Sicut locutus est Agnus Dei Song of Cherubim Veni creator Benedicamus Domino Benedictus |
| Added | 1997 PEN 01 |
| CD 2 | Stabat Mater 2007 A Capella This CD is produced by the Stabat Mater Foundation. |
| About this CD | This cd is a recording of a concert performed on March 25, 2007 in the St.Petrus church at Oirschot. |
| Choir | Dutch Chamber Choir |
| Conductor | Klaas Stok |
| Other works | Franz Wüllner, Stabat Mater William Cornysh, Stabat Mater Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Stabat Mater Alphons Diepenbrock, Stabat Mater |
| Added | 2007 (WULL 01) |
E-mail:
stabatmater@dds.nl