Giuseppe Verdi - Ave Maria, sung in Italian

The Ave Maria for female voice and strings was performed at La Scala 1880. The words are attributed to Dante.

Download: Verdi - Ave Maria (WMA VBR 176 kbit/sec) from the CD "Sacred Works - Messa Solenne"

Lyrics: Ave Maria (in Dante's translation)

Ave Regina Vergine Maria (Hail Queen, Virgin Mary)
Piena Di Grazia: Iddio È Sempre Teco: (Full Of Grace: The Lord Is Always With You:)
Sopra Ogni Donna Benedetta Sia. (Above All Women, May You Be Blessed.)
E'l Frutto Del Tuo Ventre, (And Blessed Be The Fruit Of Your Womb,)
Il Qual Io Preco Che Ci Guardi Dal Mal, Cristo Gesù, (Christ Jesus, To Whom I Pray, That He May Keep Us From Evil,)
Sia Benedetto, E Noi Tiri Con Seco. (And Draw Us After Him.)
Vergine Benedetta, Sempre Tu (Blessed Virgin, Always)
Ora Per Noi A Dio, Che Ci Perdoni, (Pray For Us To God, That He Might Forgive Us,)
E Diaci Grazia A Viver Sì quaggiù, (And Give Us Grace So To Live Here Below)
Che'l Paradiso Al Nostro Fin Ci Doni. (That He May At The Last Welcome Us Into Paradise.)
Ave Maria, Ora Per Noi A Dio, Ora Per Noi. (Hail Mary, Pray For Us To God, Pray For Us.)

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) - Unpublished Verdi

Of Verdi's innumerable youthful works, the manuscripts of only a few have been found and are known. Some of Verdi's utterances, with which he sharply criticised his production before turning towards opera ("Oh dear! I admit that I wrote this Tantum Ergo some sixty years ago! I recommend that the owner of this unhappy work throw it into the flames...") have contributed to the conviction that a large portion of these valuable autographs was destroyed in accordance with the composer's whishes.

It is difficult to understand how it could happen that the works of Verdi's youth were dispersed so far and in so many directions.

The source of the music introduced on this recording (the Fondo Cocchi-Cavalli, the name of which comes from two Busseto families who inherited the manuscripts) represents an important element in the reconstruction of the puzzle of Verdi's youthful instrumental works and is an important contribution to a better understanding of Italian instrumental music of the nineteenth century.

The CD was released by ARTS, 2001 (DDD 24bit/96khz). ARTS 47574-2.

Tenor: Fausto Tenzi
Bass: Antonio Abete

Basson: Rino Vernizzi
Oboe: Alberto Negroni

Coro e Orchestra "G. Verdi" di Busseto, Conductor: Fausto Pedretti

Track List:

1. Credo for Tenor, Bass, male chorus and orchestra: Credo In Unum Deum (2'22)
2. Credo for Tenor, Bass, male chorus and orchestra: Et Incarnatus Est (4'36")
3. Credo for Tenor, Bass, male chorus and orchestra: Et Resurrexit (3'20")
4. Capriccio per fagotto con accompagnamento di grande orchestra (12'53")
5. Introduzione, Andante e Tema con variazioni per oboe solo sopra un motivo della Straniera di Bellini con accompagnamento di grande orchestra: Introduzione (2'35")
6. Andante (5'11)
7. Tema con Variazioni (9'34")
8. Un Giorn di Regno, sinfonia (5'15")
9. Attila: Cavatina (5'36")
10. Attila: Scena, Romanza e Terzetto dall'Atto Terzo: Scena (2'15")
11. Romanza (2'11)
12. Terzetto (5'44")
    

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) - Messa Solenne (World Premiere Recording)

Verdi began and ended his composing career with sacred music.

His Messa Solenne had its first performance on 15. September 1835 in the church of Sant'Anna fuori le mura in Busseto.

The use of a soprano in the Qui tollis is rather surprising - it appears to be the first time a female voice was ever heard in any of the churches in Busseto.

The Mass cannot be considered as a complete work; for example the Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris and Quoniam tu solus Sanctus section are lost.

Verdi definitely composed the mass under the influence of Rossini and Bellini.


The Compact Disc was released by DECCA, 2001, (DDD). DECCA 467280-2 (DH).

The CD contains 5 Premiere Recording. These early works by Verdi were recently discovered by Professor Dino Rizzo, whose critical editions were used for this recording.

Soprano: Elisabetta Scano
Soprano: Cristina Gallardo-Domas
Tenor: Juan Diego Flórez
Tenor: Kenneth Tarver
Bass. Eldar Aliev
Bass: Michele Pertusi

Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro di Milano Giuseppe Verdi, Conductor: Riccardo Chailly

Track List:

1. Kyrie Eleison (World Premiere Recording) (1)
   
2. Christe Eleison
3. Kyrie Eleison (2)
   
4. Gloria in excelsis Deo
5. Qui tollis peccata mundi
6. Cum Sancto Spiritu
7. Qui Tollis (World Premiere Recording) (6'05")
8. Tantum Ergo in F Major (World Premiere Recording) (5'27")
9. Laudate Pueri (World Premiere Recording) (6'28")
10. Tantum Ergo in G Major (World Premiere Recording) (5'32")
11. Pater Noster (5'49")
12. Ave Maria (5'36")
13. Libera Me (Messa Per Rossini) (1869 Version) (12'03")
    

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) - Messa Da Requiem

The reason for composing this masterpiece was primarily the death of Alessandro Manzoni in 1873, Verdi's most revered Italian writer. With this Requiem, Verdi wanted to erect a memorial in Manzoni's honour.

By April 1874, Verdi finished the Requiem in 1874. The performance in the church of San Marco in Milan was an incredible success. Three days after the peformance a second performance was conducted by Verdi at La Scala (!). Franco Faccio conducted a further two.

Is Verdi's Messa Da Requiem sacred music ? The answer may be yes, because there is a liturgical text set to music. Verdi's intention was to express the emotional meaning and implications of the liturgical text. The Requiem unquestionably conveys operatic elements. But nevertheless the Requiem can be performed either in church or theatre.

The Copact Disc (2 CD) was released by Deutsche Grammophon, year of production1972, purchase in 1991, Digitally Remastered, (ADD). Deutsche Grammophon 413215-2 (G/GA2).

Soprano: Mirella Freni
Contralto: Christa Ludwig
Tenor: Carlo Cossutta
Bass: Nicolai Ghiaurov

Wiener Singverein, Berliner Philharmoniker, Chorus Master: Helmuth Froschauer, Conductor: Herbert von Karajan

Track List:

CD 1:

1. Requiem Aeternam (8'51")
2. Dies Irae (2'24")
3. Tuba Mirum (3'42")
4. Liber Scriptus (5'30")
5. Quid Sum Miser (3'51")
6. Rex Tremendae (3'55")
7. Recordare (4'23")
8. Ingemisco (3'57")
9. Confutatis (5'50")
10. Lacrymosa (6'05")

CD 2:

1. Offertorio (11'29")
2. Sanctus (3'05)
3. Agnus Dei (5'06")
4. Lux Aeterna (6'42")
5. Libera Me (13'50")