Antonio Vivaldi: In turbato mare RV 627; Dominique Labelle and Voices of Music

The opening aria of Vivaldi's sacred motet "In turbato mare" RV 627, featuring soprano Dominique Labelle. Live video from the Voices of Music "Stabat Mater" concert, March 2012.
Please see our channel for the entire work.
Antonio Vivaldi is known primarily as a composer of concertos, but in his own time he was an opera impresario, hastily dashing off concertos for cash (sometimes in coach trips from one production to another) to fund his lavish productions. For special occasions, or special patrons--such as the orchestra in Dresden--Vivaldi brought the full force of his compositional abilities to the table, and crafted masterpieces of counterpoint, in stark contrast to many of his hastily composed works. Vivaldi's sacred works are nearly as compelling as his best concertos, and the motet "In turbato mare irato" combines typical operatic melismas, recitatives and Da Capo arias, as well as a challenging vocal range of two octaves. Composers of the baroque period (especially Handel) often used a number of compositional tricks to speed the process of churning out music, such as recycling large pieces of thematic material, or piling all of the instruments onto one part to avoid the complexity of full counterpoint. In turbato, in contrast, is composed with a four-part harmony throughout. The fully-allegorical text can be read as an odyssey towards spiritual or intellectual light, but the verses are suffused with secular sensuality, paralleling the Italian art and religious architecture of the same period.
In turbato mare irato
naufragatur alma pax.
Cito splende, ah splende, o cara,
in procella tam amara,
suspirata coeli fax.
In the turbulence of the angry sea
sweet peace is shipwrecked.
Shine quickly, ah shine, dear one,
beacon of heaven,
I look for you with
sighs in the bitter storm.
The musicians and their instruments (left to right)
Katherine Kyme, baroque violin by Johann Gottlob Pfretzichner, Mittenwald, 1791
Sara Usher, baroque violin by Desiderio Quercetani, Parma, Italy, 2001
Elizabeth Blumenstock, baroque violin by Andrea Guarneri, Cremona, 1660
(coutesy Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra trust)
Maxine Nemerovski, baroque violin by Timothy Johnson, Indiana, 1999 (after Stradivarius)
Lisa Grodin, baroque viola by Mathias Eberl, Salzburg, Austria, 1680
William Skeen, five string baroque cello, Anonymous, Italy, c1680
Farley Pearce, violone by George Steppani, Manchester, 1985, after Amati, 1560
David Tayler, archlute by Andreas von Holst, Munich, 2011, after 18th c. originals
Hanneke van Proosdij, baroque organ by Winold van der Putten, Finsterwolde,
Netherlands, 2004, after early 18th-century northern German instruments
And of course, Dominique Labelle!
visit on on the web at www.voicesofmusic.org

[@MalisandreFeline]

Comme toujours Voices of music explore la musique avec talent ,ferveur et bonheur!!

[@VoicesofMusic]

Merci!

[@jblazar]

I'm really sorry I missed the performance, but the audio and video are fantastic. Even at full screen, the video is crisp and clear. Wonderful performance!

[@VoicesofMusic]

Thanks Daniel!

[@jasjjb]

Great - many thanks also for the explanatory notes as it is always nice to know more about a particular piece.!!

[@VoicesofMusic]

They sparkle like fire! Video 112, and there are at least thirty more already recorded.

[@baxter5431]

Again, a beautiful performance! Wish I lived in the area so I could attend all of your concerts.

[@QuillClassics]

Wow. Superb performance, great visuals, jaw-dropping sonics. Very nice Thanksgiving gift indeed!

[@VoicesofMusic]

Happy Thanksgiving from Voices of Music

[@kidneykutter]

Wonderful video, congratulations!

[@VoicesofMusic]

We decided to list her up top, in the title.

[@haygraphics]

You didn't include the soprano in the credits. That's Dominique Labelle isn't it? A beautiful performance. Great upload.

[@steindavidneil]

Like Dominique's rubies, this video and performance sparkles! BTW: Is it really the 112th video you have uploaded from VoM? David

[@VoicesofMusic]

But you know, why not list her with the band as well? Good idea.

[@VoicesofMusic]

St Mark's Lutheran in San Francisco

[@TheophilosPorter]

Where is this? It has Eastern icons, but I would guess a Catholic Church?