Zelenka J.D. I Penitenti al sepolcro del redentore - oratorio / Capella regia musicalis

Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745) - The Penitents at the Tomb of the Redeemer. Oratorio (I Penitenti al sepolcro del redentore. Oratorio)

1. Introduction (Introduzione) 7:44

2. Squarcia le chiome. Aria (Squarcia le chiome. Aria) 9:50

3. Tramontata e la stella - Oi me, quasi nel campo. Recitative Tramontata e la stella - Oi me, quasi nel campo. Recitativo) 2:16

4. Del mio amor, divini aguardi. Aria (Del mio amor, divini aguardi) 9:15

5. Qual la dispersa greggia. Recitative (Qual la dispersa greggia. Recitativo) 1:08

6. Lingua perfida. Aria (Lingua perfida.) 5:52

7. Per la traccia del sangue. Recitative (Per la traccia del sangue. Recitativo) 0:53

8. Da vivo tronco aperto. Aria (Da vivo tronco aperto) 10:39

9. Questa che fu possente - A tanto lutto in faccia. Recitative with instruments, Aria (Questa che fu possente - A tanto lutto in faccia. Recitativo con stromenti, Aria) 11:19

10. Tributo aceto piu - Al divin nostro amante - Qual io soleva un tempo. Recitative (Tributo aceto piu - Al divin nostro amante - Qual io soleva un tempo. Recitativo) 2:11

11. Miserere mio Dio (Miserere mio Dio) 6:13

Magdalena Kožená contralto, Martin Prokeš tenor, Michael Pospíšil bass

Capella regia musicalis

Rober Hugo conductor

The foremost representative of Bohemian / Czech music of the high Baroque era, Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679 - 1745), was the first Czech composer of oratorios. For the feast of Good Friday in 1736, his Dresden employer commissioned from Zelenka a new composition. However, it eventually failed to be performed on its destined occasion - most likely as it did not present the usual setting of the text of one of the Gospels, but rather, of a highly exalted lyrical poem centered around the meaning of Christ's sacrifice. This departure from the canonized Biblical treatment does not in the least diminish the work's musical virtues, which are indeed enormous. Here, the Cappella regia musicalis, an ensemble specializing in early music, under the artistic direction of Robert Hugo, and featuring Magdalena Kožená as Mary Magdalene, constituted a team that guaranteed an exquisite outcome of this Zelenka project. The digital recording was made in the Church of St Francis, at Prague's Convent of Saint Agnes.

Magdalena Kožená excells in a Zelenka oratorio.

(Supraphon 2004)