Zelenka J.D. Melodrama De Samcto Wenceslao / Musica Florea, Musica Aeterna, Ensemble Ph.

Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745) - Sub olea pacis et palma virtutis conspicua orbi Regia Bohemiae Corona (Under the Olive Tree of Peace and the Palm Tree of Virtue the Crown of Bohemia Splendidly Shines Before the Whole World), 1723

Bonus: Facsimile of the original printed libretto from 1723 (in PDF format)

CD 1

1. I. Symphonia

Allegro assai 5:52

Prolusio 18:54

2. II. Chorus. Allegro (Fortitudo mea) Fortitudo tenor, 5 solo voices, chorus 4:21

3. III. Aria. Allegro (Hac coeli); Fortitudo tenor 3:45

4. IV. Recitativus (Hem! Qua ista?); Suspicio alto, Zelus Eucharisticus soprano 0:48

5. V. Aria. Andante (En! Pietatis adamas); Zelus Eucharisticus soprano 2:58

6. VI. Recitativus (Dura certamina); Majestas bass 0:28

7. VII. Aria. Allegro (Huc palmas deferte); Majestas bass 2:54

8. VIII. Recitativus (Hac summa gloria); Fortitudo tenor, Providentia Divina soprano 0:45

9. IX. Aria. Allegro (Augusta domus Austria); Providentia Divina soprano 2:53

Actus I 14:48

10. X. Aria. Allegro (I, Phoebe, umbras pelle); countertenor 2:35

11. XI. Recitativus (En, Fidei amula); Fides tenor 0:33

12. XII. Aria. Andante (Huc, Virtutes, festinate); Fides tenor (attacca) 3:10

13. XIII. Chorus. Allegro (Eja, de figmentis); Virtutes relique 1:19

14. XIV. Recitativus (En! Pietati comes); Pietas soprano, Religio countertenor 0:25

15. XV. Aria (Jam calle secundo); Pietas soprano, Religio countertenor 2:09

16. XVI. Ritornello. Piu andante 1:15

17. XVII. Recitativus (Nunquid non messis tritici est?); Pietas soprano, Religio countertenor 0:18

18. XVIII. Aria (Meto culmos, lego spicas); Pietas soprano, Religio countertenor 3:03

CD 2

Actus II 33:23

1. XIX. Recitativus (Quicunque glorificaverit me); Justitia Divina tenor 0:22

2. XX. Aria. Allegro (Angelica mentes); Justitia Divina tenor 4:55

3. XXI. Chorus (En, prompti ad mandata) 2:37

4. XXII. Aria. Adagio (Ave, Deus recondite); Angelus soprano 7:32

5. XXIII. Recitativus (Proh! Qua aëris inclementia); tenor 0:51

6. XXIV. Aria. Andante (Veni, Auster, lux perennis); tenor 4:47

7. XXV. Recitativus (Per me reges regnant); Sapientia Divina bass, Providentia Divina soprano 0:34

8. XXVI. Aria. Allegro assai (Exurge, Providentia!); Sapientia Divina bass 4:13

9. XXVII. Recitativus (Corona gloria in manu Domini); Providentia Divina soprano 0:18

10. XXVIII. Aria. Andante (Huc, coeli principes); Providentia Divina soprano 7:13

Actus III 13:23

11. XXIX. Aria. Allegro (Reviresce, effloresce, pacis olea); countertenor 3:01

12. XXX. Recitativus (Aptate tympana); Musicus tenor 0:33

13. XXXI. Aria and Chorus (Vive, regna, Ferdinande); Musicus tenor 2:08

14. XXXII. Aria. Allegro (Nova gaudia, nova jubila); bass 2:22

15. XXXIII. Aria. Allegro (En, duplo sole Czechia); soprano 5:18

Epilogus 8:33

16. XXXIV. Recitativus (Eja! Votivi omnia secundent plausus!); tenor 0:30

17. XXXV. Aria. Allegero (Exurge, Martis gloria); tenor 3:21

18. XXXVI. Chorus. Vivace (Vos Oriens adoret); 5 voices 4:42

Noémi Kiss, Anna Hlavenková - soprano, Markus Forster - countertenor, Jaroslav Březina, Adam Zdunikowski - tenor, Aleš Procházka - bass

Musica Florea, artistic director - Marek Štryncl

Musica Aeterna, artistic director - Peter Zajíček

Ensemble Philidor, artistic director - Eric Baude-Delhommais

Boni Pueri (Czech Boys' Choir), choirmaster - Pavel Horák

Conductor - Marek Štryncl

Recorded in the Rothmayer Hall of Prague Castle, July 15-19, 2000.

The coronation of Charles VI as Czech king in Prague was the event of 1723. Besides the Imperial Kapellmeister J.J.Fux's monumental opera Costanza e Fortezza, the greatest attention was paid to the melodrama Sub olea pacis, created by Fux's pupil Jan Dismas Zelenka, who at the time had been doublebassist in the Dresden court orchestra for more than a decade. In a succession of allegories, the composer guides us through the history of the Czech lands and evidences the genealogically founded title of the Habsburg royal couple to the crown of Bohemia, as well as their reign's benefit for the Czech people. Owing to its quality, the music clearly eclipses this encomiastic work's other components. Zelenka ingeniously works with instrumentation and frequently makes effective use of obbligato solo instruments (including the chalumeau). Over 150 performers appeared in the play, among them the thirteen-year-old.

(Supraphon 2012)