Il diluvio universale (Falvetti)
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Il diluvio universale (The Flood) |
| Original title: | Il dilluvio Universale. Dialogo a cinque voci, e cinque stromenti del signor Don Vincenzo Giattini |
Title page of the oratorio |
|
| Shape: | Oratorio |
| Original language: | Italian |
| Music: | Michelangelo Falvetti |
| Libretto : | Vincenzo Giattini |
| Premiere: | 1682 |
| Place of premiere: | Messina |
| people | |
Il diluvio universale is an oratorio in four parts by Michelangelo Falvetti ( music ) with a libretto by Vincenzo Giattini . The first performance took place in 1682 in the Cathedral of Messina , where the composer worked as Kapellmeister .
action
The oratorio is about the Flood as it is narrated in the Bible in Genesis , the first book of Moses, in chapters six to eight. Tired of man's wickedness, God resolves to destroy mankind. He only spares the lives of Noah , his wife and his children, who enter the ark with many animals . Due to the subsequent rain, all people and animals drown outside the ark.
First part. In heaven
The opening sinfonia is abruptly interrupted by Divine Justice. This proclaims the punishment of the sinful world. The four elements are called and agree to act atonement. Finally, the water is selected.
Second part. On earth
The second part takes place on earth. Noah and his wife, called Rad , assure themselves of their love and are confident that they will be able to survive the prophesied flood, which will last 40 days and nights. After an organ ritual, God appears and explains to Noah and his wife the reasons for his decision to punish the pride and sinfulness of the rest of the people. Noah asks for mercy, but then accepts the judgment. He is commissioned by God to renew the world like a second Adam after the end of the flood.
Third part. The flood
The flood begins with a few raindrops. From this a full-blown storm symphony gradually develops. The choir voices are divided into two groups, which represent fleeing humanity. God has called so many floods that they drown the fire of Vesuvius. Now death comes in person, accompanied by the trumpets of hell. His ascent from the depths is represented by his increasingly higher pitched pitch. His limping gait is matched by the rhythm of basso continuo . The drowning of people is presented in a choir with selected dissonances. Human nature appears and asks for mercy. Although she acknowledges the punishment for her mistakes, she does not want to accept the cruelty of death. After the chorus that now follows, Death ends the section by boasting that he has conquered the whole world.
Fourth part. The ark
The last part takes place in the ark. Everyone except Noah and his family perished. A choir announces the end of the clouds and the return of light. The mood changes into confidence and joy. The choir celebrates the disappearance of the clouds. Noah and Rad express their hope for a rainbow of peace and grace. The oratorio ends with a choral fugue asking humanity to pluck the fruits of life from the branches of peace.
Performance history
The score preserved as a manuscript does not contain any information about the characters or the instruments to be used. The assignment of the individual parts is possible via the printed libretto preserved in Venice. The instruments can be identified from the lists of musicians at the cathedral in Messina in the early 1680s. This included four violins, four violas, a lute, a trombone and four organists. Two of the five parts in the score are notated in the treble clef, one in the alto clef, one in the tenor clef and one in the bass clef.
After its rediscovery, the work was performed from 2010 by the Cappella Mediterranea and the Chœur de Chambre de Namur under the direction of Leonardo García Alarcón with the soloists Fernando Guimaraes (Noah), Francesca Aspromonte (Rad), Fabian Schofrin (Death), Matteo Bellotto ( God), Magali Arnault (Water), Caroline Weynants (Human Nature), Evelyn Ramirez Munoz (Divine Justice) and Keyvan Chemirani (Zarb) listed again. This was followed by a tour through several countries and a CD recording. The Germany radio transferred on February 10, 2014, a live recording from August 29, 2013 the St. Lucas Church in Scheeßel the Musikfest Bremen 2013. A video broadcast of the concert on 20 June 2014 at the Festival de Saint-Denis was of ARTE Concert shown .
literature
- Fabrizio Longo, Michelangelo Falvetti. Il Diluvio Universale (1682) (new edition of the score), Messina, Società Messinese di Storia Patria, 2001, ISBN 88-87617-45-7 , ( online, Italian, PDF ).
Web links
- Description of the work on Allmusic , accessed on September 7, 2014.
- CD review in MusicWeb international , accessed on September 7, 2014.
- Concert on June 20, 2014 at the Festival de Saint-Denis on ARTE Concert , accessed on September 7, 2014 (the video is no longer available).