Coro Primo
Catherine Webster, soprano
Meg Bragle, alto
Suzanne Jubenville, alto
Karen Clark, bass (alto)
David Tayler, theorbo
Hanneke van Proosdij, organ
The quartet Maria Magdalene stabat, subtitled "Dialogo fra la Maddalena e gli Angeli", is cast largely in the voice of a favorite model saint for nuns and laity alike, St Mary Magdalene. Here, the Magdalene laments the absence of Christ with language again taken from the Song of Songs, referring both to His death on the Cross as well as to the 17th century believer's daily search for the often absent Jesus. Cozzolani set the Magdalene's lament with some of the strongest dissonances and sudden turns towards flat regions of the tonal spectrum to be found in her output. But the piece ends with a long tutti section on a repetitive bass pattern, depicting the universal joy at the news of the Resurrection.
lyrics
Text & Translation
Il Testo
Maria Magdalene stabat ad monumentum foris, plorans; dum ergo fleret, inclinavit se in monumentum, et vidit duos angelos in albis sedentes, et dixit eis:
Maddalena
Nun quem diligit anima mea vidistis?
Angeli
Mulier, quid ploras? Quem quæritis?
Maddalena
Tulerunt Doiminum meum et nescio ubi poserunt eum. Quæsivi per noctem et non inveni.
Angelo Primo
Qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto, O pulcherrima mulierum?
Maddalena
Dilectus meus candidus et rubicundus, elctus ex millibus; totus amabilis, totus desiderabilis.
Angelo Secondo
Dic nobis, Maria, quis est dilectus tuus?
Maddalena
Dilectus meus, amor meus speciosus forma præ filiis hominum. Crucifixus Iesus est. O mea lux, ubi es? O amor meus, ubi es? O vita mea, ubi es? Veni, dilecte mi, veni, amore tuo langueo, veni, amore tuo morior.
Angeli
Quid quæritis vivendum cum mortuis? Surrexit, non est hic; praecedet vos in Galileam; alleluia, Maria. Noli amplius plorare, gaude, lætare.
[Tutti]
Dicamus ergo, gaudentes, lætantes, psallentes, amantes, dicamus: alleluia. O dies serena, O lux fortunate, O dies amena, O dies beata, cantemus, psallamus, amenus, canamus, alleluia.
Narrator
Mary Magdalen stood at the tomb, mourning; as she wept, she turned to the tomb, and saw two angels in white sitting there, and said to them:
Magdalen
Have you seen Him whom my soul seeks?
Angels
Woman, why do you weep? Whom do you seek?
Magdalen
They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have put Him. I searched for Him in the night and did not find Him.
First Angel
Who is your beloved among beloveds, O most beautiful of women?
Magdalen
My beloved is white and ruddy, chosen among thousands; completely loveable, completely desirable.
Second Angel
Tell us, Mary, who is your beloved?
Magdalen
My beloved, my love is beautiful among the sons of men; He is the crucified Jesus. O my light, where are you? O my love, where are you? O my life, where are you? Come, my beloved, come, for I languish for your love, come, for I am dying for your love.
Angels
Why do you seek the living among the dead? He has risen, he is not here, He will go before you to Galilee, alleluia, Mary. Weep no more, but rejoice and be glad.
[Tutti]
Let us therefore say, jubilant, joyful, singing, loving, let us say: alleluia. O bright day, O fortunate dawn, O sweet day, O blessed day, let us sing songs and psalms, let us love, let us sing: alleluia.
For 20 years Magnificat has explored the emotionally charged music of the 17th Century, each season bringing together an
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