 Judicieuse idée que d’avoir bâti ce programme autour de la Missa Dolorosa et du Crucifixus en le complétant avec des motets à 2 et 3 voix du même auteur ainsi qu’une ravissante pièce instrumentale de Ravenscroft, auteur proche de Caldara, même si les deux musiciens ne se sont peut-être jamais rencontrés. Le premier, maître très prolixe du contrepoint, a quitté l’Italie pour sillonner l’Europe avant de s’établir dans la Vienne des Habsbourg où il écrit cette célèbre messe en 1735, l’une des dernières sur la cinquantaine composée ; le second, Anglais finalement établi à Rome, est au contraire l’auteur d’une œuvre restreinte ; chez tous les deux cependant, la proximité avec la musique de Corelli est sensible. Si le répertoire, presque exclusivement da chiesa, choisi par Nanneke Schaap, justifie une prise de son de type église, elle est ici parfois exagérée. Les pièces instrumentales restent particulièrement réussies par cette élève de Wieland Kuijken et ses musiciens. De son côté, l’interprétation vocale qui se propose de rendre jusque dans leur exubérance les affetti du dolorisme baroque, particulièrement dans les motets, souffre de voix un peu forcées chez certains solistes. (Alain Monnier) Antonio Caldara's magnificent Missa dolorosa was among his last settings of the mass. First heard on the feast day of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary, a week before Easter, the piece is characteristic of Caldara's seemingly effortless capacity for counterpoint writing. Written for the Habsburg emperor Charles VI, whose predilection for contrapuntal textures was well known, Caldara manages to weave emotional power into the music, using dramatic harmonies to underline the anguish in the text. Caldara's motets are also based on religious themes, using quotations from the Bible, plus psalms and well known prayers. The ten motets vary considerably in length, with some compact and others expansive; nevertheless, like the mass, they are all characterised by Caldara's expert contrapuntal writing. The English composer John Ravenscroft, who was based in Italy for most of his life, probably never met Caldara; however, their names were entangled when Ravenscroft's music was mistakenly published under Caldara's name in the 20th century. The addition of his dramatic Sonata – also an exercise in firstclass fugal writing – is a tribute to an influence in common, as both men were likely pupils of Corelli. This thoughtful and interesting programme comes from the Dutch Ensemble La Silva and its artistic director Nanneke Schaap. Formed in 1984, the ensemble mainly performs Baroque music, including works by Bach, Handel, Frescobaldi and Telemann. They are interested in exploring new ways of performing, particularly pursuing the connections between music and dance. They have previously performed Buxtehude's Membra Jesu Nostri in collaboration with a modern dance ensemble, with the singers singing from memory and moving alongside the dancers.
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