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Archives for April 2016

Stefaan Vanheertum

23-04-2016

Stefaan Vanheertum, a composer from Ghent in Belgium, was so kind to invite me for the world Premiere of his Stabat Mater composition. He composed this work in 2010 – 2012. On his site  Stefaan announces the concert himself:

The Stabat Mater uses the Latin text but projects it to the present. This piece is not so much about the suffering of the Mother of God but the suffering of mothers in general. The starting point of the music is the loss of a child and the feelings this causes to the mother:  pain, anger, despair and finally acceptance. Whether a mother loses a child due to illness, hunger, an accident or a war situation; the suffering is universal. Unfortunately the events in 2015 illustrate the relevance: both fanatic Syrian fighters killed in Syria and Iraq (or Paris), as the innocent victims of attacks such as those in Paris and throughout the Middle East, the young refugees who drowned during the hazardous crossing of the Mediterranean as well as the soldiers and police officers who were killed, they all have family that is left orphaned. The Stabat Mater is an oratorio for orchestra, percussion, choir and two soloists (soprano and mezzo-soprano). The soloists are Hilde Coppé and Inez Carsaw, the orchestra Arc-en-Ciel  (prepared by Tom Deneckere) and the choir Amici Cantantes under the direction of Florian Heyerick.

So we were in Ghent on April 16th. We had a fine weekend, we enjoyed the city and we loved the Stabat Mater, the percussions and especially the xylophone.  A CD of this concert will be made soon. On his site you will find a link to the score of the Stabat Mater and information about other compositions by Stefaan Vanheertum.
Stabat Mater Ghent, April 16th, 2016

Holy week in Ceriana

14-04-2016

Ceriana is one of the places in Italy where the Stabat Mater is sung on Good Friday, during processions through the village. I knew this from the CD Coro della Valle Ceriana, which Hans added to his collection in 2002. This CD has four different Stabat Maters of the four local Brotherhoods, the Black, the Red, the Blue and the Green Brotherhood. Although the CD booklet provides detailed information about the traditions in Ceriana, this is unfortunately only in Italian.
Who ever imagined that I should visit Ceriana myself in 2016! My new love happens to have friends who have been living near Ceriana for more than 30 years, so  I was very happy to visit them with him, especially in the week before Easter.

Holy Thursday

I found the program for Settimana Santa in Ceriana  in the internet announcements, for Holy Thursday at 2:30 pm: Realizzazione dei tradizionali corni di corteccia in Piazza Marconi. We have no idea what is going to happen there. On the Marconi Place in front of the Church of St Peter & Paul we see a few men carrying tables. The tables are put down at the edge of the square. Another man arrives with a wheelbarrow full of small trunks from chestnut trees. With a knife, actually a little saw, they carve a nick into the trunk, from top to bottom. After that the bark has to be removed from the trunk. The bark is rolled into the shape of a horn. The horn produces a very dark sound. It is a difficult job. Sometimes the bark breaks into two or three pieces. These are then used to make small horns, to be given to the children.

Mass

The horns are used during the mass in church that evening. The church is not really full. We see about ten men of the different brotherhoods. They are dressed in a white robe and wear a black, red, blue or green cape around the shoulders. The black brotherhood does not have a white robe but a black one. We expect the brotherhoods to sing during the mass, but that does not happen. When the mass is over, no one leaves the church and after a while the men of the black brotherhood enter the church, singing. They are preceded by men and by boys and girls carrying crosses, and by children with symbols referring to the crucifixion of Christ. Four children are carrying a box with the dead body of Christ and a boy is hitting the box with a rope, symbolizing the scourge of Jesus. The men of the brotherhood line up in a semicircle behind the altar, singing their songs among which the Stabat Mater. During the singing of Miserere they walk out of the church in a procession and after a while the next brotherhood enters. They all get their turn, the red brotherhood after the black, then the blue and finally the green brotherhood.

Good Friday

The next day is Good Friday, the day of the proper processions. Every brotherhood starts from its own oratory, a sort of chapel, to the Church of St. Peter and Paul. From there the brotherhoods are going through the narrow streets and little alleys of the medieval village. Every brotherhood, preceded by children and men carrying crosses, visits all oratories of the other brotherhoods. They sing polyphonic, continuously Miserere, a Lauda and of course Stabat Mater. Everywhere you can hear the sound of the singing men and sometimes the horn of the chestnut. All the villagers of Ceriana are there, it seems. People are happy. The atmosphere is informal, not at all sacral or religious. An annual ritual that radiates togetherness and harmony. How special it is to participate in this, in this beautiful village where the people are so kind!

Saturday

On Saturday I buy a CD of Compagnia Sacco di Ceriana, a group of seven male singers. Compagnia Sacco is founded in 1926. On this CD they sing sacral songs from the brotherhoods of Ceriana, including two Stabats (from the red and the blue brotherhood). Their repertoire is in fact not only religious. They also sing many traditional secular Italian songs. On the picture in the CD booklet we recognize two men who sang in the red and the blue brotherhood on Good Friday. Compagnia Sacco is famous. They have performances all over the world.

Ceriana
St. Peter & Paul Church
a nick in the bark
a small horn

Black brotherhood
Red Brotherhood
procession
Black Brotherhood

Campagnio Sacco CD
The children
Small streets and alleys
Green Brotherhood

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Oct 29

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Stabat Mater by Eric van Boxtel, commissioned by Stabat Mater Foundation in 2008.

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Oct 11

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My friend Marten Kuilman from Amsterdam, is painting the stations of the cross. Here is his 12th station of the cross. October 10th 2020, having dinner together.
#stationsofthecross  #stabatmater  #stabatmaterdolorosa #sacredmusic

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Jul 15

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12th station of he cross in Church Veenhuizen, Drenthe, The Netherlands during cycle trip in Appelscha, July 15th 2020.

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Jun 5

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Kruiswegpark in Roermond, very special, during our visit on May 24th 2020.

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Dec 15

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12th station of the cross painted by P. Cornelis de Moor, in St Jans Basiliek, Laren (nh), during performance Bach's Weihnachtsoratorium, December 15th 2019.

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Dec 12

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Autel d' or (Golden Altar), Niki de Saint Phalle (1962). Museum Beelden aan Zee, Scheveningen, Holland, December 11th 2019

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Nov 20

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Twelfth station of the cross in Parish Church of Portimão in Portugal, enjoying family time in Ferragudo.
#stationsofthecross #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa #Portimão

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Oct 21

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12th station of the cross, mosaic in stone, Holy Cross Church in Bloomsbury (London) enjoying a sunday city walk. 
#london #stabatmater #stationsofthecross #stabatmaterdolorosa #sorrowfulmother #holycrosschurch #bloomsbury

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Oct 20

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Trinity church, London, sculpture. Invited  for the premiere of Pieta by composer Richard Blackford in Cadogan Hall. Impressed!
#stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa #chelsea #london #sculpture #crucifixion

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Sep 16

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Werner Tübke, Crucifixion scene (1984), chalk litograph on zinc plate.
I made this photo in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, June 22th 2019 during our cycle tour along the Elbe river.

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Aug 9

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12th station of the cross, psinted by Johan Lange from Aken (Germany) 1884-1890.

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Aug 9

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Our Lady of the Basilica, Zwolle. 
#zwolle #crunchyslime #mary #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa

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Aug 9

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Michael Triegel, Deus absconditus (God is hidden). Museum De Fundatie in Zwolle. I  love his paintings.
#triegel #michaeltriegel #mary #crucifixion #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa #zwolle #fundatiezwolle

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Aug 9

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Zwolle, Grote kerk of St. Michaels Churc. A vey old sculpture of Crucifixion in the wall, maybe 12th station of the cross. Unfortunately very damaged. Please, could you translate the latin text?
#zwolle #zwollecentrum #oldchurch #stationsofthecross #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa

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Jul 16

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Magdenburg Cathedral June 24th 2019, cycling trip along the Elbe in Germany.
#magdenburg🇩🇪 #mothermary #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa #crucifixion #religiousart #stationsofthecross #artstations #sorrowfulmother #motherofjesus #classicalmusic #sacredmusic #pergolesi #golgotha #calvary

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Jul 16

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Paul Sinkwitz, Crucifixion group, tempera draft (1957)  Lutherstadt Wittenberg, exhibition modern Christian Art. #Lutherstadt #Wittenberg #mothermary #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa #crucifixion #religiousart #stationsofthecross #artstations #sorrowfulmother #motherofjesus #classicalmusic #sacredmusic #pergolesi #golgotha #calvary  #mary

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Jul 16

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Otto Pankok, Mary and John under the cross, woodcut (1958). Lutherstadt Wittenberg, exhibition modern Christian Art. #Lutherstadt #Wittenberg #mothermary #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa #crucifixion #religiousart #stationsofthecross #artstations #sorrowfulmother #motherofjesus #classicalmusic #sacredmusic #pergolesi #golgotha #calvary  #mary #john #woodcutting

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Jul 16

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Marc Chagall, Crucfixion, 1969, (1) and Crucifixion, Mother and Child, 1964 (2). In Lutherstadt, Wittenberg, June 2019, Exhibition Modern Christian Art. #Lutherstadt #Wittenberg #mothermary #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa #crucifixion #religiousart #stationsofthecross #artstations #sorrowfulmother #motherofjesus #classicalmusic #sacredmusic #pergolesi #golgotha #calvary #chagall #marcchagall

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Jul 16

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Keith Haring, 1982, Untitled, without Mary. Lutherstadt Wittenberg Exhibition Modern Christian Art.
#Lutherstadt #Wittenberg #mothermary #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa #crucifixion #religiousart #stationsofthecross #artstations #sorrowfulmother #motherofjesus #classicalmusic #sacredmusic #pergolesi #golgotha #calvary #keithharing

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Jul 16

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Lutherstadt Wittenberg Exhibition Christian Art from Chagall to Beuys. Willi Baumeister, Crucifixion, Lithograph.
#Lutherstadt #Wittenberg #mothermary #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa #crucifixion #religiousart #stationsofthecross #artstations #sorrowfulmother #motherofjesus #classicalmusic #sacredmusic #pergolesi #golgotha #calvary

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Jul 15

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Wilhelm Lehmbruck, Crucifixion, 1912, Etching. Mueum Lutherstadt Wittenberg during our cycling trip in Germany, June 2019.

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Jul 15

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Exhibition Lutherstadt Wittemberg Modern Christian Art from Chagall to Beuys. James Ensor, Crucifixio, print 23 from Portfolio Scenes Life of Christ, colour lithograph, 1912-1921.
#religiousart #stabatmaterdolorosa #stabatmater #crucifixion #golgotha

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Jul 15

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Exhibition Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Christian Art from Chagall to Beuys. Georges Rouault, Christ on the cross, 1936, colour aquatint etching.June 21th 2019
#religiousart #golgotha #crucifixion #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa #mothermary

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Jul 9

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July 5th, Bremen, Church of our Lady. I noticed groups of little figures in a glass display case showing scenes from the passion of Jesus. They are made by the woodcutters David Guenou and his son Daniel from Togo in Africa. They converted to Christianity in the the sixties when a priest from Bremen was a missionary in Togo. The woodcarving was a present from the Togo Parish. By the way: we loved Bremen during our cycling trip in Germany.
#bremen #woodcarving #crucifixion #religiousart #africanart #stabatmaterdolorosa
#thecross #stabatmater #mothermary

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Jul 9

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Bremen Cathedral, beautiful painting of the crucifixion on the front wall of the church dedicated to St. Peter. July 5th 2019.
#bremencathedral #religiousart #stabatmater #crucifixion #paintings #stationsofthecross #artstations #sorrowfulmother #motherofjesus #religiousart #classicalmusic #sacredmusic #pergolesi

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Jul 4

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In Damnatz, during our cycling trip from Dresden to Hamburg, we stumbled upon this old, timber framed church with a painting of the crucifixion. July 2th 2019
#stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa #crucifixion  #religiousart #elb

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Jun 28

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Tangermünde, June 27th 2019, St Stefan's Church. On the baptismal font, as wel as at the baroque pulpit I found a relief of Mary near the cross.

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Jun 28

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St. Jacobi Church in Perleberg, Germany June 28th 2019 during our cycling tour from Dresden to Hamburg. In the wall of the tower is a crucifixion sculpture of sand stone. Though Mary is not present, I just could not resist taking this picture because of the inscription above: ANNO DOMINI MCCCLXI.
#perleberg #stationsofthecross #stabatmater  #religiousart #stabatmaterdolorosa #crucifixion #sculpture #stabatmaterdolorosa

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Jun 8

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Church Museum New Bavo Haarlem. Station of the Cross XII 1920. Artist unknown. 
#stationsofthecross #stabatmater #sorrowfulmother #religiousart

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Jun 8

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Church New Bavo Museum Haarlem, Jan van Scorel 1525.
#calvary #religiousart #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa #triptych

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May 2

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Stralsund, Germany, Nicolai Kirche and painting of the Crucifixion in the church.

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May 2

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Family vacation in Germany, May 2019, A trip to Stralsund, Nicolaikirche. Several altars from the 15th century:: (1)Burgermeister-altar with Jesus is taken down from the cross, short after 1500. (2) Altar by Riemer and Betler (1451) and High altar (ca. 1480), Crucifixion by J P Hinze.
#church #art #altar #religiousart #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa

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Apr 28

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Nehringen, Germany, during a family vacation. St. Andreas kirche. Stations of the cross.

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Apr 28

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Stations of the cross-Jesus meets his mother Maria and  Jesus is nailed to the cross- paintings by Jan Wiesman, a Dutch painter. Exhibition in Pop-up Gallery in Bloemendaal. Netherlands.

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Apr 24

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Art stations of the cross Amsterdam 2019: Jesus meets his mother (Station 2). A colorful installation by Lynn Aldrich is made from all sorts of ordinary cleaning tools, such as plastic sponges and brushes.
#stationsofthecross #artstations #sorrowfulmother #motherofjesus #religiousart #classicalmusic #sacredmusic #pergolesi

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Apr 24

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Project Art stations of the cross, number 7: Jesus falls for the second time. Two drawings by Paul van Dongen: Judgement and Resurrection. The Small Museum, Paradiso, Weteringschans 6-8. In 2016 the music venue and cultural center Paradiso, housed in a converted former church building from the nineteenth century, opened The Small Museum. The smallest museum in the Netherlands, it is located in one of the cabinets where the Vrije Gemeente (Free Congregation) used to display its announcements. The exhibitions regularly link to the religious past of the building.
#stationsofthecross #artstations #sorrowfulmother #motherofjesus #religiousart #classicalmusic #sacredmusic #pergolesi

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Apr 24

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Art stations of the cross 2019 Amsterdam. Number 2: Jesus takes up the cross by G. Roland Bierman. De Hoftuin, Nieuwe Herengracht 18.
#mothermary #jesus #thecross #crucifixion #passion #virginmaryartwork #virginmaryart #stabatmater #stabatmaterdolorosa #stationsofthecross #artstations #sorrowfulmother #motherofjesus #religiousart #classicalmusic #sacredmusic #pergolesi

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Apr 15

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Art Stations of the Cross 2019 Amsterdam Nr. 6 Veronica wipes the face of Jesus. Güler Ates, Water no longer dances with light, new site specific work. In the Stations of the Cross, Veronica is the woman who helps Jesus persevere. She confronts us with the classic question: In whom do we invest, convinced that the person can make a difference in this world? Who can lean on us? Güler Ates grew up in the mystic tradition of East Turkey. She is based in London and works with video, photography, printmaking and performance. One of the core elements in her work is cultural displacement. She studies the interaction of Eastern and Western cultures.

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Apr 15

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Beginhof Chapel Amsterdam when I wasin Amsterdamwithmy grandson Guidofor the Art Stations of the Cross on monday April 15th.

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Apr 15

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Project Art Stations of the Cross Amsterdam. Nr. 5 Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross. It is the contemplation of the suffering caused by the slave trade, in which traders from Amsterdam were also involved. Iris Kensmil, an artist with a Surinam background, has painted portraits of three eighteenth-century individuals from Surinam who managed to secure for themselves a position and a future in opposition to colonial oppression. (Their actual likenesses are unknown.) Just like Simon of Cyrene, who stopped to help Jesus by carrying his cross, these people resisted injustice. The triptych hangs amongst the group portraits in the Amsterdam Gallery as a call to action.

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  • New: Stephen Paulus 20-09-2020

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The Ultimate Stabat Mater Website is the heritage of my late husband Hans van der Velden. Since his death READ MORE

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Religious background

My observations on the religious background of the Stabat Mater are being handicapped by the fact that I miss a READ MORE

The colourbar

The colourbar, which you will find with almost all compositions, is a graphic representation of the composition. READ MORE

Stabat Mater Foundation

The Stabat Mater foundation was established in 1998 by a number of music lovers. In 2013 they celebrated their READ MORE

In 1997 I created the Ultimate Stabat Mater website for Hans with the program FrontPage. At that time he had around 40 Stabat Mater CDs. His notes on the composer, the music, the texts and translations and the different versions all came online. After this he managed the site by adding new composers and translations regularly. At the time of his death in 2005 he had 211 Stabat Maters. After his death I continued collecting the information and managing the site. I wish to thank the Dutch Stabat Mater Foundation which gave me the financial support in 2014 to renew this site!

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