Antonio Bononcini
About the composer
Antonio Maria Bononcini (1677-1726) was born and died at Modena, Italy. He was a cellist and composer. He was the younger brother of the better-known Giovanni Bononcini who also wrote a study book on counterpoint. Antonio Bononcini composed about 20 operas and many cantatas. Probably he composed his Stabat Mater in Vienna, in view of a certain similarity with the works of Caldara and Astorga.
About the Stabat Mater
| Date: | ca 1710 |
| Performers: | Soprano, alto, tenor, bass, choir, strings and continuo |
| Length: | 35.48 minutes |
| Particulars: | The composition is divided into 14 parts. The first 6 contain 2 stanzas, the other 8 each 1 stanza. Bononcini uses a variety of voices and accompaniment. After the intro by the chorus and a soprano aria we hear a duet of soprano and alto, accompanied just by continuo. The second choral is a slow fugue, after which the alto aria opens with a violin solo. The next chorus is accompanied by the full orchestra with organ continuo. The final chorus is a fugue again. Surprisingly the final "Amen" is omitted. |
| Textual variations: | The text according to "Analecta" is used, with one exception: |
| Colour bar: |
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Information about the recording
| CD: | Decca 443 869-2 (double CD): Pergolesi: Stabat Mater – Scarlatti – Bononcini |
| More info: | A nice collection of Stabat Maters and some other works, even if the registrations are rather old. As it is the only Bononcini registration that I know of, every collector should have it. It was recorded in 1977. I bought this CD in a record shop in the Netherlands, 1998 |
| Orchestra: | Philomusica of London |
| Choir: | Choir of St.John's College, Cambridge |
| Conductor: | George Guest |
| Soloists: | Felicity Palmer, soprano |
| Other works: | Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Stabat Mater + Magnificat in C major |
| Code: | 1998 BON 01 |
